Gloss Over Lipstick: The Layering Trick for Fall

Gloss Over Lipstick: The Layering Trick for Fall

Gloss over lipstick is the easiest way to make a fall shade look new. Here are the satin lipsticks, clear top-coat glosses and plumping glosses I would layer, and how to keep the shine where it belongs.

Max Factor, the makeup artist who built his name in early Hollywood, is credited with creating one of the first lip glosses. Actresses were licking their lips between takes to make them shine on camera, and he made a product that did the job for them. Nearly a century later, the idea of adding shine over color is still one of the best tricks in makeup. A clear gloss over a satin lipstick makes the color look richer, softer and more modern, and it takes about three seconds.

The first row is satin lipsticks, which are the best base for layering because they are smooth and not too slippery. Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G in Night Crimson is a plum red. Gucci Long Lasting Satin in Teresina Ruby is a ruby red. MAKEUP BY MARIO SuperSatin in Rockefeller is a rich brick red. Hourglass Unlocked Satin Crème in Cypress 328 is a berry pink. TOM FORD Runway Lipstick in Invite Only is another brick red, a little deeper. MERIT Signature Lip in Bespoke is a pink brown that feels like nothing. MAKE UP FOR EVER Rouge Artist in Fearless Sienna is a burnt brick nude, and Anastasia Beverly Hills Rose Brown is a rosy brown with a satin finish.

A quick test: put a clear gloss over half your lip. Compare the two sides and you will see how much depth the gloss adds.

Floating collage of Charlotte Tilbury Night Crimson, Hourglass Cypress, m.ph Mouthy, Victoria Beckham Posh Gloss in Ice and Tower 28 Chill Heat over a soft peach sky and sea
Satin lipsticks

Satin lipsticks

Clear and sheer top-coat glosses

A top-coat gloss should add shine without changing the color too much. These are clear or very sheer, so they work over any lipstick you own.

PATRICK TA Major Glow Lip Shine is a crystal pearl with the slip of a balm. Plunge is a clear gel gloss with gold shimmer. Wonderskin Wonder Blading Top Gloss in Clear Shine is designed to go over color. m.ph Top Coat in Mouthy adds a rose mauve shimmer. Mane High Shine Moisturizing Lip Gloss in Sugar Shore is clear and not sticky. Facile Lip Jelly is a clear, dermatologist-developed gloss with peptides. Victoria Beckham Beauty Posh Gloss in Ice has a mirror-like shine, and Trish McEvoy Beauty Booster Lip Gloss is a clear, comfortable classic. Any of these can also go on bare lips when you want shine and nothing else.

Pairing tip: blot the lipstick first, then add gloss. A blotted base holds the gloss better and the color does not smear.

What I would skip: a thick, sticky gloss over a matte liquid lipstick. It can break down the matte and pull it off in patches. Use these over satin or cream formulas instead.

Clear and sheer top-coat glosses

Plumping glosses for extra volume

A lip plumper gloss over lipstick adds shine and a little volume at the same time. It is my favorite way to make a dark fall shade feel lighter and more playful.

Outrageous Plump in Universal Volume is a clear shimmer that plumps. LAWLESS Forget The Filler Gloss in Candy Sky is a warm mauve pink with a pearl finish. Guerlain KissKiss Bee Glow Lip Plump is made with honey. Kosas Lip Pulse in Aura Flare has a warming-cooling tingle and an iridescent pink shimmer. PROJECT LIP Plump and Gloss in Tingle does what the name says. Babe Original Babe Glow Plumping Lip Jelly in Clear is a light jelly. JUNG SAEM MOOL Lip-Pression in Chai Tea is a light beige nude serum gloss, and Tower 28 ShineOn Plumping Lip Jelly in Chill Heat is gentle for sensitive lips.

How to use them: dab a plumping gloss only on the center of your lips, over the lipstick. The shine in the middle makes lips look fuller.

What I would skip: layering a strong plumper over a lipstick on chapped lips. The tingle turns into stinging. Heal them with balm first.

Plumping glosses

How to layer without the mess

Start with a satin lipstick you already love and a clear top-coat gloss. Apply the lipstick, blot, then dab gloss on the center of your lips. That is the whole trick. For evenings, swap the clear gloss for a plumping one. Keep the gloss in your bag for touch-ups, and remember that the less gloss you use, the longer it stays in place. A little shine goes a long way, and it can make a lipstick you have owned for years look brand new this season. Try it with the darkest shade in your drawer first, since that is where the change is most striking.