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For something more than your average lip balm, but not quite as bold as a bright matte lipstick, a lip gloss in a neutral color is the perfect in-between. The best neutral lip glosses don't just add a hint of color and a glossy sheen to your pout, but they can also be super nourishing if you look for formulas that contain moisturizing ingredients like castor seed oil, mineral oil, and shea butter. Because the term "neutral" is subjective, you'll come across a range of colors that fit the bill, from flesh-toned shades in beige and brown to more subtle peaches and pinks.
In addition to considering your ideal neutral shade, there are some other qualities to keep in mind. If you have sensitive skin or lips that are prone to dryness and cracking, you'll want to be sure to avoid common irritants like fragrance, flavorings, camphor, and menthol. You'll also want to look for a lip gloss with SPF when you're spending time outdoors. The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends a lip product with SPF 15 or higher, which should be reapplied every two hours.
To help you find the best neutral lip glosses on Amazon, check out the brands on this list, many of which offer multiple neutral hues to choose from.
NYX's Butter Gloss lip gloss has been awarded over 45,000 five-star ratings on Amazon, and it rings up just under $5 — making it one of the best and most affordable lip glosses on the market, period. The brand's original lineup included several nude, pale pink, and mauve tones that fit into the neutral category, but they recently expanded their range with eight brown shades that were specifically designed with darker skin tones in mind. NYX Butter Gloss in ‘Sugar High’ (pictured) is the lightest nude from the latest launches, and it makes a nice neutral for just about any skin tone, but there’s also ‘Butterscotch,’ a cool brown reminiscent of hot cocoa, and ‘Lava Cake’, a truly stunning, deep brown. The whole line is cruelty-free and vegan, and all of the lip glosses are formulated with mineral oil to prevent chapped lips, as well as a sweet, sugary scent.
- Available shades: 28
This line of sheer glosses from Milani includes a mix of high-shine and shimmery finishes in neutral colors that range from a dark rosy-brown (‘Rosewood’) to a soft, pale pink with shimmer (‘Sparkling Pink’). The brand’s Keep It Full Nourishing Lip Plumper in ‘Champagne’ is a sparkling nude gloss that, like the rest of the line, is formulated with castor seed oil and hyaluronic acid to keep your lips moisturized and soft. The glosses can also give your lips a temporary plumping and tingling effect thanks to the menthol in the formula, so those with sensitive skin or excessively chapped lips will want to stay away from this one.
- Available shades: 13
If you want a lip gloss that will last throughout the day without any touchups, try L'Oréal’s Infallible 8 Hour Pro Lip Gloss. In addition to a high-shine finish, the drugstore favorite imparts a hint of color that doesn't feather or fade and leaves lips feeling smooth, thanks to the dimethicone in the formula. For precise application, the gloss comes with an angled wand that makes it easy to apply along the lip line. There are plenty of neutral colors in the range to choose from, from pale pinks and almost-whites to richer brown and mauve shades.
- Available shades: 25
For darker skin tones, the rich, reddish-brown shade of Anastasia Beverly Hill's Lip Gloss in ‘Sepia’ serves as a complementary neutral color. The formula coats lips in fully pigmented color that doesn't feel heavy or sticky, and the gloss contains meadowfoam seed oil to seal in moisture and prevent lips from drying out. Several of the shades in this range make nice neutrals, so be sure to click through them all to find your ideal match.
- Available shades: 28
With over 5,000 five-star reviews on Amazon, Haus Laboratories’ Le Riot Lip Glosses have a super-creamy finish and come in plenty of shimmery options if you love a bit of sparkle. You can choose from several neutral colors depending on your skin tone, like peachy ‘Corset’ and mahogany brown ‘Chaser’. Switch up your shades and finishes depending on the neutral hue you're going for, or layer your gloss of choice over your lipstick for a high-shine (or super-sparkly) finish.
- Available shades: 31
As with all neutral-toned makeup, from foundation and concealer to nude lipsticks and glosses, there's no one color that works for everyone. Mented Cosmetics was founded by two friends who sought to create lip products that complement every skin tone (especially darker skin tones that have frequently been left out). Mented Cosmetics’ gloss in ‘Send Nudes’ is a nude color for dark skin tones that works as a rich tan shade on lighter skin. All of the brand's glosses have a shiny finish that's sheerer in color with one to two coats and more pigmented with a third coat. They're also cruelty-free and vegan.
- Available shades: 7
This sun protective option is actually a lip oil that’s more shiny than it is glossy — so while it isn’t technically a lip gloss, it still produces a similar effect. Brush On Block’s Protective Mineral Lip Oil in ‘Nude Tint’ is the lightest of the three neutral colors the brand makes. No matter which color you choose, every lip oil is formulated with titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, which provide broad-spectrum SPF 32 protection, as well as nourishing ingredients like argan oil, castor oil, and vitamin E.
- Available shades: 3
There aren't any FDA regulations when it comes to using the word "clean" in cosmetics, but Honest Beauty has become a trusted brand for safer cosmetics that are typically well-tolerated by people with sensitive skin. The brand’s Gloss-C Lip Gloss is cruelty-free and vegan, and it's made without beeswax, petrolatum, synthetic fragrances, and silicones. The shade ‘Bronzite’ is a sheer nude with a shiny, sparkle-free finish that isn't sticky. In addition to moisturizing coconut oil and moisture-binding hyaluronic acid, Honest Beauty's glosses are also formulated with vitamin C, pomegranate flower extract, and jojoba seed oil to protect lips and naturally give them a fuller appearance by keeping them hydrated.
- Available shades: 8
