e.l.f. Gotta Glow Lip Tint {Review}

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Overview

Rating: 3.5/5 stars ★★★☆☆
Price Tag: $6 USD
Shades Available: 1 shade
Weight: 0.11 oz / 3.4 g
Where to Buy: Online at eyeslipsface.com

Remember those color changing mood lipstick that were all the rage in the 80s and 90s? This is sort of like a grown-up version of those. Of all the e.l.f. lip products, this one is the most expensive at $6, which is slightly more expensive than the Studio Mineral Lipstick at $5.

By the way, this is currently one of three e.l.f. products that sport the name Gotta Glow, with the others being shades in the Studio Blush and Essential Smudge Pots.

e.l.f. is a cruelty-free brand with almost all products being vegan-friendly.


Gotta Glow Lip Tint

Packaging

Unlike every other lipstick made by e.l.f., this packaging is a silver base with a clear acrylic cap. It seems like this would fit better with the Beautifully Bare line, but I think it’s officially in the Studio line. Then again, it’s not currently listed under any line at the moment.


Box packaging

The packaging resembles the Dior Lip Glow in appearance, with its silver base and thick plastic cap, though one of the main differences between the two is the clear cap of the e.l.f. version versus the pink cap of the Dior lipstick.

e.l.f. Gotta Glow Lip Tint

The top of the clear cap is very thick, as evidenced by the photo above.

Formulation

I seem to remember the mood lipsticks of the past not being particularly moisturizing, but I haven’t tried them in years. This product is initially very moisturizing, with a very waxy, but thin, consistency. After half an hour or so the waxy finish wears off, leaving your lips stained with the product.

The Gotta Glow Lip Tint is far more akin to a stain, rather than a traditional lipstick.

e.l.f. lipstick comparison: Studio Moisturizing Lipstick, Studio Mineral Lipstick, Essential Lipstick, and the Gotta Glow Lip Tint

The e.l.f. website also mentions that you can apply the product on the cheeks. There are other cheek products out there with the so-called color changing properties, so at least you won’t have to buy a second, redundant product. I don’t like using the Gotta Glow Lip Tint on my face because the color has a pronounced cool undertone and doesn’t look very natural on me.

Shade

Both the box and tube list the shade name as Perfect Pink. I’m not sure if this means that e.l.f. plans to introduce more shades in the future, but there is currently only one shade.

The Gotta Glow Lip Tint is a very pale pink in the tube, but turns into a bright pink on the skin. While e.l.f. touts this as a product that changes depending on the person, you’ll find that it will shift to basically the same shade on everyone. More on that in a moment.

The end color is a cool toned pink. I don’t wear this product often because these sorts of bright pinks don’t work well on me.

Swatch of the e.l.f. Gotta Glow Lip Tint

Let’s look at the claims for this product. From the e.l.f. website product description:

This innovative lip tint reacts with the chemistry of your lips to deliver a personalized, perfect shade of pink! The ethereal hue gives a sheer flush of color that enhances the natural beauty of your lips. The gel-based formula glides on smoothly and is infused with Shea Butter to moisturize and nourish.

At first glance this product appears to be a possible dupe for the Dior Lip Glow, and in some respects it is, but so-called color changing lipsticks have dated back to the late 1920s by the company Tangee. Yes, for nearly a hundred years we have had color changing lipstick technology and they have all relied on a specific colorant to accomplish this. Red 27 is a colorless colorant dispensed in an oil base that turns a bright pink when exposed to moisture. It’s actually very interesting. This dye is the main ingredient in all color changing makeup products.

You can learn all about Red 27 and how it’s been used for decades to dupe consumers into thinking this is some sort of newfangled makeup technology in this blog post.

If we look at the ingredients for the Gotta Glow Lip Tint, again from the website, we find:

Octyldodecanol, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Isononyl Isononanoate, Polyethylene, Dipentaerythrityl Hexahydroxystearate, Triisodecyl Trimellitate, Diisostearylmalate, Stearyl Dimethicone, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelila) Wax, Synthetic Beeswax, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Stearic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopheryl Acetate (Ve), Ethylhexylglycerin, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl, Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Propylparaben. MAY CONTAIN: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891),Red 6 Lake (CI 15850), Red 27 Lake (CI 45410), Red 21 Lake (CI 45380).

Yep, Red 27 is there. I’m guessing the Red 6 and Red 21 have more to do with the initial pale pink of the lipstick and less influence on the final color, but there could still be some. The titanium dioxide is likely there to whiten the appearance of lipstick and make it more opaque.

Long story short, the lipstick is hardly controlled by your personal chemistry—like every company has claimed for almost a century—but due to the dye Red 27. I don’t have any problems with recycling trends, but I would like makeup companies to be just a little more transparent in their marketing.

Images

Pros: Budget friendly, moisturizing formula, long lasting
Cons: More expensive than other e.l.f. lip products, off-looking pink, more of a stain, misleading marketing

As far as color changing lipsticks go, the e.l.f. Gotta Glow Lip Tint is not a bad product. You might as well purchase the most economical option considering that the color changing lip products all rely on the dye Red 27 to achieve their main color.

Personally, the color doesn’t look that great on me and I don’t wear it that often. It’s more of a nostalgia trip for me. Those with cool undertones should get more mileage out of the lipstick.