All us Glossier cult members have been waiting for a new Glossier lip product for a while now: and finally we’ve been blessed with Glossier Ultralip. Ultralip just launched and I managed to get three different shades into my hot little hands fast. I knew I wanted to get up a proper review lickity split.
I paid for Ultralip myself. I am not on Glossier’s PR list.
As a former makeup artist (I worked for BareMinerals and MAC back in the day) – I’m a big Glossier fan. I’ve always felt like the brand is doing something different, making makeup that feels modern, fresh, clean, and somehow personal. I’ve done blog post reviews on Cloud Paint as well as Balm Dotcom in the past.
So here’s to this little Glossier Ultralip review.
All the details of the new Glossier Ultralip lipstick.
So – what happened to Generation G?
As far as I can tell as of the time of this blog post, Glossier’s original lip product, Generation G, is still around. Generation G was repackaged a few years ago from its original super skinny tube packaging to a thicker, more traditional sized tube – but the product always remained the same.
Generation G is a true lipstick formula. Gen G gives almost a blotted down, lip stain look to the lips (a touch of color, but definitely a lipstick). Glossier advertises Generation G as a “sheer matte lipstick” and I’d say they’re right on the money in terms of describing the product. Generation G currently comes in six colors and is priced at $18 for 0.1 oz of product.
What exactly is Ultralip?
Ultralip is the next iteration of the Glossier lip product family. Ultralip is said to be the marriage of a gloss, a balm, and a lip tint all in one. I do appreciate this approach, as I think most women often layer these three products together. We all tend to start with a lip balm to hydrate the lips, add a lipstick for color, and top off with a lip gloss for texture. Ultralip brings you three of your most used lip products in one tube.
Ultralip has launched with nine available shades. From Lucite which is a soft peony pink all the way to Ember which is a deep mauve, Glossier has launched their new lip product with a solid start to a shade range. I do think there’s a lip color for everyone here.
Ultralip is priced at $18 for 0.1 oz of product.
How the new Ultralip was launched.
Glossier Ultralip was launched as many of the other cult favorite products were launched: via celebrity ambassadorship. Olivia Rodrigo recently participated in Vogue’s YouTube channel beauty series where she not so stealthily revealed the (then) upcoming new Glossier product. Founder Emily Weiss then confirmed the news on her own Instagram.
Glossier is no first timer when it comes to celebrity product launches. Cloud Paint was revealed at the literal Oscars. While I don’t mind the celebrity partnerships, I will say I do often find these launch strategies slightly counterintuitive to what I believe to be the Glossier brand: the everyperson brand. Glossier is all about being perfectly imperfect you (they even have a perfume literally called “You”). Celebrities often have generally unattainable beauty and set impossibly high beauty standards. I’ve always found it slightly odd Glossier chooses to go the celebrity route when it comes to new product launches.
The ingredients.
One of my favorite things about Glossier as a brand is that they’re both vegan and cruelty free. I love being able to use skincare and makeup that I know didn’t involve the harming of animals in the process.
Transparently – the Glossier Ultralip ingredient list is long. I counted out at least 37 claimed ingredients along with seven “may contain” ingredients (these primarily looked to be the different color pigments to me). Long ingredient lists aren’t necessarily a bad sign, but I’ll admit the scientific names can get a little overwhelming and confusing. I can’t really claim to understand if any of the ingredients should be a red flag.
Glossier themselves highlight four specific ingredients on their product page for Ultralip: Meadowfoam Seed Oil, Watermelon Seed Oil, Jojoba Seed Oil, and 4HA (Glossier’s own proprietary blend of four different molecular weights of Hyaluronic Acid).When reading the label, Jojoba Seed Oil is listed as the third ingredient of Ultralip, while Meadowfoam Seed Oil is listed as 11th and Watermelon Seed Oil as 18th. Without Glossier disclosing their formula (which no brand will), it’s really impossible to know if those “key” ingredients the brand is using in marketing are actually impactful in the product given they’re listed so low in the ingredient list by weight.
Pros of Ultralip.
Lightweight feel on the lips.
Ultralip does feel amazing. Can’t deny it. Ultralip really does feel like the perfect marriage of a balm, a lipstick, and a gloss all in one. I have perpetually dry lips so love the hydration this product gives and how it feels so hydrating when worn.
Buildable color.
Another amazing pro of Ultralip is the buildable color. If you’re only wanting a light, sheer wash of color it’s very easy to apply in just one swipe. If you’re looking for a little more pigment, running the product back over your lips another couple times can help build it up.
Ultralip will not give you the same matte pigment as Generation G. If you’re after that higher, matte pigment type look, I really recommend Generation G. Ultralip does have color, but it’s absolutely a more sheer wash than Generation G.
Cons of Ultralip.
Wear time.
As is absolutely normal and expected with any more hydrating lip formula – Glossier Ultralip doesn’t have the longest of wear time. I wore Ultralip out to dinner and reapplied every hour at least. Between sipping on wine and chowing down on food, the color couldn’t hold up to my oral activities. To me, I expect this low wear time from a hydrating balm-like product. But if you’re someone that can’t be bothered to reach for your lip product and constantly reapply (totally reasonable), this is definitely a con.
Neither a pro nor a con: the price.
I waffled back and forth with whether or not to include the price of Ultralip as a pro or a con in this post. I’ve decided to take the middle ground. $18 for 0.1 oz of product doesn’t sound like a whole lot, but it’s actually industry standard. MAC lipsticks, for example, cost $19 for 0.1 oz of product. For a more middle range beauty brand, Glossier’s pricing is on par.
But it’s still $18 for a lipstick. There are plenty of other lipsticks at drugstore pricing that work well at a mere fraction of the cost (and sometimes for more product). The price on this one, for me, is neither a pro nor a con. Ultralip’s price is fair for what it is – but I can also admit no one really NEEDS an almost $20 lipstick.
Glossier Ultralip swatches.
Lucite
Portrait
Coupe
My final thoughts.
As per usual, I’m very into this new Glossier launch. I’ve rarely met a Glossier product I didn’t love. Is $18 for a lipstick a little pricey? Of course. We don’t need it. But man, do we love it. Ultralip feels amazing, the sheer color is perfect for the upcoming warmer weather, and overall it’s a luxe lip product I’ve enjoyed adding to my collection.
Where to shop Ultralip.
You can find Ultralip on Glossier’s website only. I do use an affiliate link when linking to Glossier, but should you choose to buy – this doesn’t impact the price to you. Just gives me a little kick back so I can keep running my site. 🙂
Have you tried Glossier Ultralip yet? Tell me your thoughts in the comments below!