Lipsmacking Lip Glosses, Tints & Balms For Summer

Bonne Bell Lipsmackers Ad

Bonne Bell Lipsmackers Ad

With summertime on the way, we’re priming ourselves for sun-kissed skin, beach-y hair and lips like sugar to go with all of this season’s freshest fashion trends, which include everything from cool nautical blues and whites to screaming neons, macaron-hued pastels and graphic black-and-white looks.

Of all the summer beauty trends, I get most nostalgic for lip glosses and lip balms in flavors and hues that smack of the ’80s. Bonne Bell lipsmackers, Village Lip Lickers and the oh-so-cool Maybelline Kissing Potion with rollerball applicator were all staples that I loved to pull out of my preppy madras-fabric Bermuda bag back in the day. (Oh, c’mon I know some of you ladies had a bag like this, too…)

My Bermuda bag of tween years has now given way to a canvas Clare Vivier tote this summer, but my penchant for sweet balms and candy-hued glosses has remained– albeit a tad more grown-up these days. Summertime beauty always seems like a careefree way to indulge one’s more saccharin inner tween,  so go put Echo & The Bunnyman’s Lips Like Sugar on your Spotify playlist and check out some of my favorite lip glosses, stains and balms!

Estee Lauder Pure Color Sheer Rollergloss

Estee Lauder Pure Color Sheer Rollergloss

Estée Lauder Pure Color Sheer Rollergloss

This nod to old school will be a sweet extra to put in my beach tote this summer! The company’s new addition to its annual summer Bronze Goddess collection offers bright color, fruity flavor and an updated  ’80s vibe. In short: Summer in a little bottle. The sheer glosses, infused with a tropical scent, are available in Succulent (an orange hue) and Squeeze (hot pink), and ready for you to slick on and stow in your summer bag.

Available at Estee Lauder.com

Burt’s Bees Lip Gloss in Evening Glow

While Burt’s Bees officially started as a mom-and-pop operation in the mid ’80s, the company wasn’t on the radar until it launched its best-selling beeswax lip balm in the early ’90s. I remember it so clearly, because I was recently out of college and trying to get my writing career off the ground while working an insufferable job for a beauty emporium. That’s where Burt and I fell in love. I’m pretty sure that a good chunk of my paycheck went to Burt’s Bees products and that a discount on the products (and a good friend at the store) were the only things keeping me from wanting to hurl handmade soaps at the owner of said beauty emporium. So, Burt, I should have told you this years ago, but….thank you for getting me through a rough time! (sniff, sniff.)

Ellen Page

Ellen Page

Flash forward just a “few” little years, and the company has kept its cool organic roots but blossomed into a favorite for everyday gals and makeup artists alike. Makeup artist Toby Fleischman recently added a pop of color to Ellen Page’s look for the premiere of her new film, The East, at the ArcLight Hollywood Theater.

“Ellen went the sophisticated route with her gorgeous black dress, so I wanted to be sure that we kept the makeup simple, but infused a touch of bright color that would round out the entire look,” says Fleishman. “The Burt’s Bees Lip Gloss in Evening Glow was the perfect addition, and the high shine factor makes it great for any red carpet moment.”

Available at Burtsbees.com

Sugar coral tinted lip balm

Sugar coral tinted lip balm

Fresh Sugar Coral Tinted Lip Balm

The latest color to be added to Fresh’s best-selling lip treatment line is not only my favorite hue in the bunch, but a staple in my makeup bag. The sheer coral is the perfect summer tint and highlights a summer tan beautifully. I had a hard time keeping it in my bag, though, on a recent day lounging by the pool when my friend discovered it and couldn’t keep her mitts away from it!

The juicy hue features Fresh’s proprietary blend of moisture-preserving sugar, nourishing oils, antioxidant-rich polyphenols and SPF protection. All those goodies amount to a kissable pout, which is certainly a summer must-have. And now it seems, I’ll have to pick up an extra for my friend when I replenish this one.

Available at Fresh.com

Nars Larger Than Life Lip Gloss

Nars Larger Than Life Lip Gloss

NARS Larger than Life Lip Gloss

I always know summer has officially started when I have enough color on my face to start using Nars’ The Multiple stick in Palm Beach to highlight my cheekbones.  Now,  I’ll be adding a new seasonal favorite: the line’s recently released Larger Than Life Lip Gloss in Paris Follies, a gorgeous summer berry shade. If you want fabulous, saturated pigment, Nars does it right every time.

The gloss is infused with ingredients to nourish and fight free radicals while natural lip enhancers pump up volume. And who doesn’t want to plump up their pout without the help of injectables? (OK, well, make that most of us. I do live in L.A., a.k.a. land of enhancement.)

Available at Narscosemetics.com

Evan Rache; Wood and EOS lip balm

Evan Rachel Wood

EOS Lip Spheres

EOS lip balm is the modern-day Bonne Bell. It’s got an unexpected spherical shape that is fun and tactile to slick on, just like the super fat Lipsmackers of the ’80s. It offers unique fun flavors — Strawberry Sorbet, Honeysuckle Honeydew, Lemon Drop and more. And it inspires collecting. I want to gather up every color and flavor and line them up together in happy, colorful little grouping in my bathroom.

And the ball-shape balms have attracted legions of celebrity fans who have been snapped slicking their lips with a colorful little sphere in their hands. Apparently, dogs like it, too, as one fan tweeted recently that their dog just ate the THIRD tube of lip balm! Ouch.

By the way, should you wonder what exactly EOS stands for, that would be: Evolution of Smooth. And, we’re definitely excited to watch this fun brand evolve and expand the line. Who knows maybe EOS for Fido will be the next category. Last we checked there wasn’t a lamb or chicken flavor balm!

 Available at Ulta.com

Images courtesy NARS, EOS, Estée Lauder, Fresh and Burt’s Bees

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Author:Michelle Dalton Tyree

Fashion Trends Daily is the brainchild of Michelle Dalton Tyree. She is the former West Coast Retail Editor for Women’s Wear Daily, Fashion Editor for The Japan Times, and founder of former L.A. luxury boutique Iconology. Michelle is frequently quoted about fashion retail trends in major media outlets such as NPR, KPCC, The Inside Source and the New York Times. She has developed content for many luxury brands and retailers and has written for Allure, Worth Global Style Network, Footwear News and other media outlets.