6 Unexpected Ways to Use Clear Lip Gloss

New York Fashion Week always brings us a flurry of new tricks and techniques from the countless experts that we see creating breathtakingly beautiful runway looks. From legends like Pat McGrath to Dick Page, there are not only hundreds of different reasons to simply stop and stare at the makeup, but it’s also (obviously) a huge learning opportunity.

That’s why this season, when we saw clear lip gloss being used in rather unusual ways, we took note. From using it to help “melt” a shadow to blending with a strobe stick, we realized our old clear gloss had just become the handiest multitasking product in our makeup bag.

Blended with highlighter for a lasting hold

(Photo: Maybelline)
Highlighter plus lip gloss makes for a luminous effect. (Photo: Maybelline)

To give an extra glow to the cheeks at Band of Outsiders, makeup artist Grace Lee for Maybelline combined Master Strobe Illuminating Face Stick ($9.99) with Lip Studio Shine Shot Glassy Topcoat ($4.99) on her hand before blending it onto the cheeks. Lee suggested that this duo would not only give off brilliance, but the addition of the gloss would also hold the highlight for a longer period of time.

Melted into eye shadow

Shiseido
Mix a neutral eye shadow with clear lip gloss for truly glossy lids. (Photo: Shiseido)

At Zero + Maria Cornejo, Shiseido’s Artistic Director Dick Page created a smudged, glossy eye with the help of Benefiance Full Correction Lip Treatment ($36). He used a brown cream shadow, like Shimmering Cream Eye Color in Leather ($25), blended into the upper and bottom lash line. He then applied the lip treatment with a fluffy brush to slightly “melt” the makeup together, creating a slightly messy effect.

Brushed up into brows

(Photo: Maybelline)
All it takes is some clear lip gloss and a brush to get your brows in formation. (Photo: Maybelline)

For Rebecca Minkoff’s spirited girl on the go, Maybelline makeup artist Gato (who teamed up with fashion and beauty influencer Amanda Steele) opted to brush up brows with a touch of clear gloss in order to set them into place, adding a subtle shine to them as well. Gato used Lip Studio Shine Shot Glassy Topcoat ($5.99) and a spoolie brush in order to get the hairs to stay just the way he needed.

As a simple sheen on the lids

(Photo: Maybelline)
No eye shadow? no problem. Just swipe on some lip gloss. (Photo: Maybelline)

For designer Sandy Liang’s presentation, Grace Lee created a look that was completely effortless and the epitome of “New York cool.” To do so, she simply applied a coat of gloss to the lids — that’s it — noting that they’ll catch the light at every turn.

To create an overall dewiness

(Photo: MAC Cosmetics)
Placing clear lip gloss on your face where the light naturally hits makes for a dewy complexion. (Photo: MAC Cosmetics)

At Chromat, MAC senior makeup artist Fatima Thomas unveiled a new product launching in spring, Crystal Glaze Gloss in Ice Follies, to create a dewy glow. Thomas warmed up the gloss in her fingers and then placed it on the high planes of the cheeks, the bridge of the nose, across the eyelid, and the brow bone for a “sporty luminescence.” To achieve a similar effect, try Studio Eye Gloss ($22).

As a ‘glue’ for face flowers, if you’re into that sort of thing

(Photo: Getty Images)
Tacky gloss kept these face petals in tact at Rosie Assoulin. (Photo: Getty Images)

At Rosie Assoulin, the models looked as if they were rolling around in a bed of flowers
— literally — as they had tiny flower petals placed near their eyes and to the sides of their faces. To get the petals to stick, lead makeup artist for MAC James Kaliardos used Studio Eye Gloss ($22), which while, yes, isn’t your traditional clear lip gloss, it has the exact same texture and effect. So if all you have is a clear gloss and you want to adhere some pretty appliqués next to your eyes, have at it.

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