Beauty
We Tried MAC Cosmetics’ Cult Favorite Green Lip Gloss — Here Are Our Honest Reviews
“File this under your-lips-but-better makeup.”
2022 so far has been a bit of a time warp. We saw Carrie Bradshaw step back into her Manolo Blahniks in the Sex and the City sequel and watched Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and Eminem perform their early-2000s hits at the Super Bowl. Even low-rise jeans and trucker hats are creeping back onto the scene. It’s very clear: Everything from the turn of the millennium is back, giving those who lived through it nostalgic flashbacks while also capturing the fascination of those experiencing the trends anew. On Thursday, Feb. 17, MAC Cosmetics is bringing back another favorite from the year 2000. The brand’s strangely appealing and somehow universally flattering fluorescent green Squirt Balm is returning for a limited rerelease.
MAC Cosmetics originally launched its iconic Lipglass in the shade Squirt in 2000 and the see-through green gloss immediately became a cult hit. “It was beloved by artists and consumers alike adapting upon application to neutralize the lip color of the person wearing it,” says Global Creative Director of MAC Cosmetics Drew Elliott of the unusual colored gloss. Despite looking like Nickelodeon’s slime in the tube, it was transformative for the lips. “Everyone gets their own one-of-kind golden hue, which makes it so fun,” adds Elliott.
Squirt 2.0 is now here with an upgraded formula and improved packaging. Featuring a new minty, volumizing tingle, non-sticky texture, and a mess-free twist up tube, the granny smith apple green gloss has never been more enticing to try. In 2020, Squirt had a brief revival and sold out in less than three hours, so ahead of the latest drop, we got our hands on the green gloss-meets-balm to give our honest reviews. (Spoiler: You’re going to want to scoop this one up fast.)
MAC Squirt Lip Balm Reviews:
“What I enjoy most about this lip balm is how just two swipes delivers a high-shine gloss. I honestly think that’s what creates the illusion of volume. My lips look like I just took a huge gulp of water; the picture of health! The nude color is as subtle as it gets, so I’d file this under ‘your lips but better’ makeup. I definitely have to reapply often throughout the day, but it’s a fun experience so I don’t mind.” — Layla Halabian, Culture Editor
“This lip balm feels nice to put on. It’s soft and gives your lips a nice tingly sensation. I didn’t notice a significant difference in plumpness of my lips, but they felt generally more nourished after use. On me, this tinted my lips light green (which could be my heavy-handed applying skills). I do, however, love the glossy look it gives!” — Laura Pitcher, Beauty Writer
“My lips are pretty pink, so a lot of sheer glosses end up looking brighter on me than I would like. This balm works just like a color correcting primer and cancels out pink and red tones in my lips giving them a true neutral shade, which I love. It’s the perfect lip color to wear with more intense eye makeup looks, when you don’t want to overdo it, but your lips still need a little something. Or sometimes I’ll wear the balm with a the MAC Spice Lip Pencil, to bump up the caramel color and add to the Y2K vibes.” — Sam Neibart, Beauty Editor
“I loved that this lip balm has a minty, tingly sensation when you apply. I swipe it on and feel like it ‘wakes up’ my lips and it adds a peachy tint that I really like. The balm itself is super soft — it’s high shine, so expect more of a gloss-like finish than a traditional balm. If you press too firmly on your lips, it can feel a little gloppy, so I always do a very light pass.” — Faith Xue, BDG Executive Beauty Director
“I’m pleasantly surprised by how moisturizing and glossy the application is! I hate having dry lips and usually lip products don’t last very long in that department, but this one actually does for me. The balm has a tingling sensation which feels nice, but I don’t notice too much of a difference with plumping or color on me. Nonetheless, I think this is one of the best lip balms I’ve tried so I’ll definitely keep this in my beauty rotation from now on!” — India Roby, Fashion Writer
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