I’ve spent a good amount of time this summer scouring the internet in the hopes of discovering new (or, at least new to me) women-owned, cruelty-free vegan beauty brands. In a recent snoop around Credo Beauty’s website, I stumbled upon Tower28, a Los Angeles-based, nontoxic skincare and makeup line created with ultrasensitive skin types in mind.
As a longtime eczema sufferer, I was thrilled to learn that all of Tower28’s products follow the National Eczema Association’s ingredient guidelines. But, if we’re being honest, what really persuaded me to add two of their ShineOn Lip Jellies to my cart was their sleek-but-playful design. It was easy to imagine how happy they’d make me by floating around in my makeup bag.
Once I started using them, though, I realized the lip jellies were much more than an aesthetically pleasing impulse buy. I found the jellies to be hands-down one of the most unique, flattering formulas I’ve slathered on. They’re extremely high-shine with a soft, subtle pigment (think Benefit’s old cult favorite, Benetint, but with an ultra-glossy finish), and give a your-lips-but-better wash of color with a juicy, high-impact glaze that’s perfect for summer and “no-makeup makeup” days.
But what I find most fascinating about the lip glosses is that, despite their super-slick formula, there is absolutely no stick to them. As a daily gloss wearer, I’m accustomed to frequently extracting wayward pieces of hair from my lips (gross, but it’s a reality!). After a week with this formula, I’ve never once had that issue. You might think the lack of goopy stickiness means these are less hydrating than your average gloss. Not true: I find that the thinner, slightly oily consistency sinks in more easily, instantly making my lips feel smooth and nourished. I touch it up about two times for day-to-night wear, and I like that even when the glossiness starts to fade away, it leaves behind a pretty, sheer lip stain, so my whole look still feels put together. I originally purchased the shades Fearless (a sheer berry) and XOXO (a punchy pink), but after falling for them so hard, I went back and scooped up the the poppy orange and clear shades as well.
Anytime I write about a lip gloss I love — like Fenty Beauty’s Gloss Bomb, for instance — I get a slew of DMs asking me to describe just how sticky it is. I quickly realized that the tacky consistency of lip glosses is often the one thing that stops people from using them in their daily makeup routines. If that sounds like you, then these $14 lip jellies are the answer to your overly adhesive problems.
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