Key Takeaways
- Lip balm moisturizes and soothes lips while gloss primarily provides shine and color.
- Balms are more functional while glosses are decorative cosmetics.
- Gloss tends to be sticky with shimmer while balm is smooth and waxy.
What is Lip Balm?
Lip Balm is a cosmetic product for both men and women and is mainly used to protect, moisturize, and nourish the lips. It helps in removing discomfort, chapping, and dryness on the lips. It is best for everyday use and is suitable for dry lips.
Lip balm provides intense hydration to the lips because of the primary ingredients, such as – humectants, occlusives, and emollients, that enable it to lock the moisture within the surface of the lips and prevent them from getting cracked and chapped.
It provides minimal to sheer coverage to the lips. Along with this, it helps in protecting them from UV rays and dryness. The price range of lip balm is affordable.
What is Lip Gloss?
Lip Gloss is a cosmetic product for women used to enhance the appearance or look of the lips. Lip gloss helps in providing moisture, shine, and even colour. It is the best choice for people who prefers lustrous and glossy lips.
Lip gloss helps in providing a reflective and shiny appearance on the lips and also gives them a voluminous and fuller look. The texture of the lip gloss is sticky and glossy, giving them a long-lasting shine.
It provides full or medium coverage to the lips. The price of lip gloss lies in the range from inexpensive to expensive.
Difference Between Lip Balm and Lip Gloss
- The purpose of Lip balm is to protect and moisturize lips, whereas, comparatively on the other hand, the purpose of Lip gloss is to add shine and enhance the lips’ experience.
- The primary ingredients of a Lip balm are emollients and moisturizers, while on the other hand, the main ingredients of a Lip gloss are – shine-enhancing additives, pigments, and oils.
- The consistency of Lip balm is somewhat waxy or balmy, while, on the other hand, the consistency of Lip gloss is slightly sticky and glossy.
- Lip balm provides intense hydration to the lips while, in contrast, Lip gloss offers minimal hydration for the lips.
- The colour options available in Lip balm are primarily tinted or colorless. In contrast, the color options available in Lip gloss has a wide range of shades and colours.
- Lip balm provides sheer or minimal coverage on the lips. At the same time, Lip gloss provides full or medium coverage to the lips.
- Lip balm gives a satin or matte finish, and Lip gloss provides a glossy or shiny finish to the lips.
- The longevity of the Lip balm is long-lasting, whereas the longevity of the Lip gloss is not long-lasting and has to be reapplied frequently.
- Lip balm protects lips from dryness and UV rays, while on the other hand, Lip gloss doesn’t protect the lips from UV rays.
- Lip balm is best for everyday use, while in contrast, Lip gloss is best for special occasions.
- The additional benefits of Lip balm are that it soothes chapped lips and removes dryness. At the same time, the additional advantage of using Lip gloss is that it adds plumpness and shine to lips.
- Lip balms are affordable while, on the other hand, Lip gloss ranges from inexpensive to expensive.
Comparison Between Lip Balm and Lip Gloss
| Parameter of Comparison | Lip Balm | Lip Gloss |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Protects and moisturizes lips | It adds shine and enhances the lips’ appearance |
| Main ingredient | Moisturizers and emollients | Shine-enhancing additives, pigments, and oils |
| Consistency | Balmy or waxy texture | Sticky and glossy texture |
| Hydration | Intense hydration | Minimal hydration |
| Color options | Tinted or colorless | Wide range of shades and color |
| Coverage | Sheer or minimal coverage | Full or medium coverage |
| Finish | Satin or matte finish | Shiny or glossy finish |
| Longevity | Long-lasting moisture | Frequent re-application requires |
| Protection | From dryness and UV rays | Not from UV protection |
| Occasion | Best for everyday use | Best for special occasions |
| Lip Care Benefits | For dry lips or soothes chapped | Adds plumpness and shine to lips |
| Price Range | Generally affordable | Affordable to high-end |
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1745-459X.2009.00227.x
- https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Suruchi-Kokil/publication/301204451_Review_on_Natural_Lip_Balm/links/570c7e5008ae8883a1ffeed2/Review-on-Natural-Lip-Balm.pdf
Last Updated : 29 August, 2023
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Chara Yadav holds MBA in Finance. Her goal is to simplify finance-related topics. She has worked in finance for about 25 years. She has held multiple finance and banking classes for business schools and communities. Read more at her bio page.
