Mario Dedivanovic knows lips. The makeup artist is behind some of the juiciest celebrity lip looks (like that of Kim Kardashian), the lip lift liner hack (which you have to try if you haven’t already), and this nifty multi-tasker. Allure editors have been raving about the Makeup By Mario Moistureglow Plumping Lip Color for how it has the rich color of a liquid lipstick, the shine of a gloss, and the moisturizing effects of a lip treatment. Yeah, there’s a lot going on in this short tube.
Pull out the spongey doe foot to reveal a lightweight, pigmented formula. Sweep it across your lips and back, and you’ll achieve even color and shine. Cosmetic chemist Ginger King attributes its non-sticky glossiness to its abundant use of esters. And that cooling effect you’ll feel upon application, she adds, is the encapsulated water in the formula breaking open and dispersing across your lips.
The Moistureglow Plumping Lip Color not only makes your lips look extra luscious, but it makes them feel that way too. It moisturizes thanks to its use of glycerin, synthetic wax, and glutamate, King explains. It also “contains polymers, which make the moisturizing effect last longer,” she adds.
I love how easy this product is to apply. No tips or tricks are necessary here because of how this product melts across and evenly coats. “Its high amounts of esters help with pigment dispersion and how it lays down on the lips,” says King. So, if you’re someone who typically applies makeup on the go, you won’t have trouble with this one. (Seriously, putting this on while I’m rushing to catch a subway or sitting in the back of a bumpy Uber is a breeze.)
I reach for Barely Pink — a warm, brownish-pink shade — almost every day. Whether I’m going to work or headed to dinner with friends, I find it to be an ultra-flattering nude on my medium-tan skin tone. I also carry Spice (a toasted brown) and Poppy (a bright red) in my bag for when I want a more eye-catching lip look.
It’s $24 — a steal considering how it’s basically three products in one. Also, a little goes a long way. I’ve had my tubes since their launch in March 2023 and none of them seem to be close to running out. The Makeup By Mario Moistureglow Plumping Lip Color just won a 2023 Best of Beauty Award and is available sephora.com right now.