2000s OTT Gloss Is Back – Here’s How To Wear It In 2024

When thinking of the heydays of the early aughts, one make-up trend comes to mind – OTT lip gloss. 

From Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie’s frosted, shiny smiles on red carpets, to the Juicy tubes that ruled the high school hallways, dazzling lip gloss was the futuristic beauty look of the new century. 

But, what goes up, must come down, and in the mid 2010s, Kylie Jenner heralded in a totally new lip look; overdrawn matte lipstick. 

With her very own lip kits, the beauty mogul dominated make-up trends for close to a decade as the heavy matte formulations – usually worn in darker tones – ruled. 

However, it appears that the twenty-year fashion trend cycle also applies to make-up, as we throw out our 2016-era matte lipsticks (honestly, they’re probably out of date anyway) and find ourselves drawn to ultra-shiny lips once more. 

Another celebrity beauty icon may be responsible for this shift in the culture. Hailey Bieber’s Rhode lip glosses have taken over BeautyTok and the cleverly designed lip gloss phone case caused internet buzz. Proving that lip balm is an everyday essential; worthy of being a status symbol.   

This also makes sense when you look to the lipstick effect theory. In times of economic downturn and distress, sales of affordable little luxuries, like lip products, boom.

So, how do you wear the OTT shiny lip trend in 2024 and what’s changed?  

The lip glosses of our youth contained specks of glitter and tasted like chemicals (or, highly manufactured watermelon flavour). We didn’t care what was in them. As long as they gave us a shine able to be seen from space, we were sold. 

Now, however, with the proliferation of skincare culture as well as AHAs and niacinamides being a part of our everyday jargon, brands know that consumers want a two-in-one gloss. One that nourishes and protects the lips, while also garnering attention for its juicy shine. 

Local brands like the KIND Collective recognise this and as a result, have created lip oils that hydrate while giving you a high-shine factor. 

Its new High Achievers Range, available exclusively to Big W, is vegan, cruelty-free, B Corp certified and focuses on skin-loving ingredients such as shea butter, coconut, and jojoba oil. 

Another feature of 2020s lip gloss and oils is plumping properties. 

In recent years, people have begun to dissolve their lip and facial fillers as the OTT Kylie Jenner look waned in popularity.

But, for those still wanting a fuller look, ingredients such as peppermint and Capsicum Frutescens Resin (AKA the ingredient that makes peppers spicy) have been added to lip glosses and balms, such as KIND Collective’s Plump It Up Lip Oil, to create a natural plumping sensation. 

Basically, people are paying more attention to the ingredients they put on their lips and how they can work in tandem with their already-curated skincare routines. 

While the lip gloss palettes of the 2000s contained icy tones and pastel pinks and purples, in the 2020s lip gloss is worn over the top of more grown-up colours. 

The lip gloss combos are a make-up tutorial staple on BeautyTok as people play with finding the perfect lip liner, lipstick and gloss for the season. 

Wear this 2020s look yourself, by pairing a brown lip liner with a red-pink lip colour, before donning a slick of lip oil over the top. Your lips will pop without looking like you took make-up inspo from your 12-year-old-self. 

You don’t need me to tell you that the ‘clean girl’ make-up look has been on-trend for years. Whether you think the aesthetic is problematic or not, the ‘no make-up-make-up’ aesthetic isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. 

Rosy blushes, gelled brows and clear glossed lips are still trending, making balms and glosses an everyday look over darker lipsticks. 

Choose balms and glosses with a slight tint, like the KIND Collective’s High Achiever Complexion Trio in the shade Sweetheart, to brighten up your make-up look and add a subtle pop of colour to your ‘no make-up’ aesthetic.

However you want to wear it, it’s clear that OTT gloss is back in a big way. With its skincare-inspired formulation and grown-up aesthetics, clearly we’re back on the high-shine train.