- It is effortless to see why lip glosses are among the most popular cosmetics. After all, they can lend to the illusion of plumper lips and also serve as a lip moisturizer. Whether a woman is a high-profile celebrity, a student, a jetsetter or a stay-at-home mom, lip gloss can be a low-maintenance product effortlessly applied even without a mirror. For a makeup wearer who likes keeping her lips polished and colored but dislikes the waxy texture of lipstick, lip gloss is an alternative. Among teens, those who are too young to put on lipstick can wear light and sheer lip glosses instead.
- The first commercially sold lip gloss was Max Factor's "X-Rated." It came out in stores in 1932, but Factor's invention of glosses for use in films supposedly extends back to 1930. Since then, lip gloss has been and still is constantly being revamped by cosmetics companies. Although the general function of the product is to give the lips sheen, variations now include formulas that either offer sun protection, are waterproof, are glitter-infused or are flavored. Some companies even combine a few or all of the above when marketing new glosses, as packaging has everything to do with catching the attention of target consumers.
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Lip gloss ingredients vary depending on the brand. You can expect a basic gloss to contain at least one oil--such as castor or mineral--for that emollient texture that lip gloss is specifically known for. Colorants like iron oxides and titanium dioxide are added as the manufacturer sees fit. If a gloss is pearlescent, micas are mixed in as well. Although health-conscious buyers have spoken against them, synthetic preservatives known as parabens are also used to prolong the product's shelf life.
There are ingredients that the average consumer may not find appealing, but which are commonly used in lip glosses. Carmine, for one, is taken from the carminic acid produced by the cochineal insect. Animal tissue and fat is sold by slaughterhouses at a cheap rate to beauty companies to give specific cosmetics--like lip glosses--that smooth, familiar texture.
For vegans and animal rights activists, cruelty-free companies have come up with plant-based ingredients for makeup. You would be safer to stick with this option if you feel even mildly disgusted at the idea of having animal parts on your lips. Paraben-free lip glosses are also available for those who no longer want to use chemicals that have been linked to the possible development of breast cancer (see Resources). - To match your lips to your clothes or to the rest of your makeup, you can create your own lip glosses rather than blowing your budget every time you fancy a new shade. Simply purchase either a tube of clear lip gloss or a tub of petroleum jelly, and a variety of lip-colored makeup pigments that are safe for use on the mouth area. On an artist's palette or other clean, non-porous surface, mix a sprinkling of the powder pigment of your choice with a dab of gloss or petroleum jelly. It is better to start with a small amount of the pigment at a time, building the color up to your satisfaction. Smear evenly onto lips and blend.
- If you have noticed a negative reaction to particular lip glosses, check the labels in order to find the ingredients these have in common. Once you pinpoint the culprit, become a more informed consumer by avoiding lip products with that same ingredient. An example of an unfavorable lip gloss backlash may happen with the use of plumping glosses. To give you that tingling effect which signifies that your lips are on their way to looking fuller and lusher, plumping lip glosses use chili pepper extracts. These literally irritate the lips into swelling and puffing up. As a result, after a temporarily poutier pucker has shrunk back to its regular size, some users are left with dry, chapped lips. If this happens to you, nurse your lips back to health with an extra-strength lip moisturizer.
