Lip glosses and oils play a huge role in making our lips look juicy. Each lip combo is complete once that sheer coat locks everything in. Although we adore both lip products, most of us can’t help but wonder - what is the difference? On the surface, both beauty products seem to do the same thing. At least, that’s what we think. According to makeup artist Chrishana Allen, lip glosses and lip oils may be cousins but are not twins.
There’s more to products than what’s on the surface. Each one is made up of different ingredients tailored to serve different needs. Allen explains the key differences between each product, its longevity, and how we can determine if a lip gloss or lip oil is best in our routine. With more beauty brands releasing lip oils and glosses, having insight into each product's benefits can prevent us from wasting money on products that don't satisfy our needs.
The Difference
“Lip oils and lip glosses differ in texture, color, and benefit,” says Allen. She continues to explain that lip oils nourish and protect our lips from dehydration. Similar to how body oil deeply hydrates our skin. “Conversely, lip glosses provide a super glossy finish and come in various high-pigmented colors,” adds Allen. We’ve seen an abundance of this in beauty brand launches. Fenty Beauty is one of many brands that have launched a series of lip glosses to their line. The various colors add to any makeup look, while lip oil can be worn on a casual, fresh-face day.
Beauty Makeup GIF by e.l.f. CosmeticsGiphyWhich One Will Provide Lasting Moisture?
It’s natural to believe lip oils are the key solution to long-lasting moisture. The real answer? It depends. According to Allen, many lip glosses on the market are formulated with hyaluronic acid and other moisturizing properties. These ingredients can help provide a level of hydration for a few hours. If you’re looking for something long-lasting, then it’s recommended that you grab your favorite lip oil. “Lip oils are made with moisturizing oils that can lock in moisture, which leaves your lips feeling more hydrated throughout the day,” says Allen.
"Lip oils are made with moisturizing oils that can lock in moisture, which leaves your lips feeling more hydrated throughout the day."
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How Can We Decide Which Product Is Best for Our Needs?
With so many products on the market, it can be overwhelming to determine which will satisfy our needs. Allen advocates for us, asking ourselves what is most important to us to make a concrete decision. She asks us, “Do you want a product that provides a light sheen with many nourishing oils that penetrate your lips? Then go for a lip oil. Do you want to moisturize your lips with a high-quality shine and excellent color payoff? Then go for lipgloss.” Being intentional about our needs will ultimately lead us to the product that will satisfy us.
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Here are some of my favorite takeaways from three standout panels featuring Jordan Chiles, Marsai Martin, and Kandi Burruss.
Leveling Up Your A-Game with Jordan Chiles, Morgan Shaw Parker, Chelsea Fishman, Laura Correnti, and Tabitha Turner-Wilkins
Jordan Chiles
Paras Griffin/ Getty Images for Power Play
Olympic gymnast Jordan may have medals and magazine covers to her name, but her mindset is refreshingly grounded. “The day I finally feel pressure,” she said, “will be the day I know there’s still more for me to learn.” For her, joy—not pressure—is the fuel. Her confidence isn’t performative; it’s rooted in family, self-worth, and authenticity.
“Everything I’ve done in my career—tattoos, long nails, rocking my crew at the Olympics—that’s all me. It’s not because someone told me to do it. It’s because I felt confident doing it. And that’s where my ambition comes from: being my authentic self.”
For Morgan Shaw Parker, President & COO of the Atlanta Dream, the conversation around pressure went even deeper. “Legacy work” is how she described her mission—navigating male-dominated spaces, sometimes pregnant and pumping on NFL team planes. “After COVID and George Floyd,” she shared, “it became clear to me: vulnerability is power. You don’t have to show up perfect to lead.”
Chelsea Fishman, founder of Atlanta's first bar dedicated to women’s sports, Jolene Jolene, shared how the haters (especially the Reddit kind) were her confirmation: “All those comments saying it would fail—those were the signs that I was doing something right.” She’s hosted 25+ watch parties already and is building the very community they said would never come.
This panel also touched on ambition, authenticity, and owning your power—both in sneakers and in suits. One of the best mic-drop moments came when the moderator flipped the question: “What if we stopped making ‘power’ a bad word for women?” A nod-worthy reminder that we’re not here to play small.
Making Your Voice Heard with Marsai Martin, Carol Martin, Miss Milan, and Heather McMahan
Marsai Martin
Paras Griffin/ Getty Images for Power Play
This panel was a masterclass in staying grounded while growing up—or glamming up—on the global stage. Actress and producer Marsai talked about what it’s like to show up in high-pressure moments when your confidence is low but the world is still watching. From red carpets to long shoot days, she reminded us that even when you’re not at 100%, you still find a way to push through.
“There have been days where I wasn’t feeling the best, but I still had to show up on this carpet. Or it was that time of the month, but I still had to go on set. I just didn’t feel as confident—but it’s about how you take care of yourself in those moments and still keep pushing.”
Her mom and business partner Carol Martin dropped gems about motherhood and mentorship: “It’s like teaching your kid to ride a bike over and over again. Now the bike is a movie or a brand.” That balance between guiding and letting go? Not easy—but essential when you’re raising a mogul and running a company.
“There have been days where I wasn’t feeling the best, but I still had to show up on this carpet. Or it was that time of the month, but I still had to go on set. I just didn’t feel as confident—but it’s about how you take care of yourself in those moments and still keep pushing.”
Miss Milan, Grammy Award-winning DJ and Doechii’s right-hand woman, lit the crowd up with her no-nonsense energy. “I built my own table,” she said. “When you build it, they can’t tell you you can’t sit.” From journaling her dreams to manifesting Grammys, her story is one of resilience and intention—and a whole lot of faith in her own vision.
This panel didn’t shy away from hard truths either: the sadness that can come with success, the fear of fading relevance, the criticism that hits differently when it’s personal. But Marsai said it best: know your why. And let it evolve with you.
The Cost of Starting Your Own Business with Kandi Burruss and Nikki Ogunnaike
Kandi Burruss
Carol Lee Rose/ Getty Images for Marie ClaireKandi doesn’t sugarcoat the grind. From chart-topping songwriter to multi-business entrepreneur, she’s built her empire one risk—and one reinvention—at a time.
“Fear equals failure. If you don’t even try, you’ve failed automatically —and you did it to yourself. I’d rather take a risk and lose money than play it safe and never know what could’ve happened.”
She broke down the real costs of entrepreneurship: money, time, and emotional bandwidth. “You think you’re going to work less when you work for yourself?” she laughed. “You’re going to work more.” For Kandi, mommy guilt and financial setbacks are part of the package—but so is the satisfaction of seeing an idea through.
She opened up about scaling back on her clothing store and temporarily closing the original Old Lady Gang location. “It felt like failure,” she admitted, “but sometimes you have to step back to make things better.” Still, she’s not one to quit. She just pivots—with precision.
One of her most memorable reflections? How her music career hiccup led her to songwriting—ultimately writing the mega-hit “No Scrubs.” That song became the key to a new lane and legacy. “You may think you’re working on one dream,” she said, “but it could open the door to another.”
Also? Kandi wants you to stop emailing her from a Gmail. “You’re doing million-dollar business on a bootleg budget,” she joked. “Invest in yourself. Start with a domain name!”
The Marie Claire Power Play Summit was a powerful reminder that ambition, authenticity, and vulnerability aren’t separate traits—they work in tandem. Whether you’re building a bar, a brand, or a business from scratch, the key is to stay rooted in your voice, your story, and your why.
And if you need a sign to go for it? Consider this your green light.
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Feature image by Paras Griffin/ Getty Images for Power Play