In the canon of TikTok beauty recommendations, Dior’s Lip Glow Oil stands out as one of the app’s most coveted viral products. So much so, it took me months post time-of-influence to finally get my hands on a tube of the stuff — I tried three locations in three different cities (Sephora, Selfridges, and JFK Airport) to no avail. The glossy, high-shine oil has been spotted in the makeup bags of stylish “It” girl celebrities such as Bella Hadid and Iris Law, and has nearly 73.4 million views on TikTok. But unlike other viral products that eventually get lost in the app’s constant cycle of new recommendations, Dior’s Lip Glow Oil has had staying power — I see it on my timeline as often now as I did when it first popped up back in 2021.
In exploring the cult of Dior Lip Glow Oil, I’d be remiss not to note that at least part of the product’s success likely comes from its designer label. While it’s still very expensive (a whopping forty dollars), it’s a fraction of the price of the brand’s clothing, giving customers a way to own something Dior without having to shell out thousands. I even learned that if you order the product straight from Dior’s website, it’s delivered in a lavish and extravagant Dior box, the same size you’d receive if you had purchased a handbag.
But the truth of the matter is, opulent branding aside, Dior’s Lip Glow Oil is genuinely a fantastic product. It’s a thick, high-shine gloss that moisturizes while adding a subtle flush of color to the lips. Its juicy yet non-sticky formula can be worn on glamorous evenings with a full face of makeup or on no-makeup days when you just want a little zhuzh to make you feel put together. What it’s perhaps best known for, though, is its extremely chubby doe-foot applicator, which adds an unexpected yet undeniable level of luxury to the application experience. Its ultrawide shape has a bouncy, cushiony feel, allowing you to evenly coat your lip in one swipe.
Given the intense virality of Dior’s Lip Glow Oil, many brands have launched similar products at cheaper price points: Jouer Cosmetics, Kylie Cosmetics, Clarins, and Fenty Beauty are just a few brands that have put their spin on the beloved gloss. But in my humble opinion, while some may have been fairly similar, none of the replications have been cheap enough to truly warrant my dupe stamp of approval. After all, I assume that if the product is only a bit cheaper, folks would rather just save up for the original. And so my quest to find a wallet-friendly Dior Glow Oil dupe continued.
That is, until a few weeks ago, when I came across NYX’s new Lip Drip Fat Oil in my local drugstore. I had originally been in the makeup aisle looking for a new clear brow gel (that’s a story for another day) when I came across the product. I recalled seeing a picture of the gloss — I suspect a press blast from the brand — and thinking to myself that the chunky applicator looked like Dior’s, and I should give it a try. The product was relatively inexpensive at $9, so I threw it in my cart for comparison.
In pricing, application, and formula, this is by far the best dupe I’ve tested. Much like the Dior, NYX provides a soft hint of color in a super glossy, high-shine formula that’s long-lasting and easy to apply. You can throw it on in the back of a cab — no mirror necessary — and put it on top of your favorite lip liner for a poutier, pillowy look. The NYX Fat Oil comes in seven shades, ranging from bright watermelon pinks to burnt peachy tones. And unlike the Dior, which includes mostly subtle, pale colors, the Fat Oil has slightly more pigment to it and offers three deeper tones so you can find a shade that best suits your complexion. Because of the extra vibrance in the NYX shades, I also found that the tint tends to stay on your lips for longer, so you don’t need to constantly reapply or fear that it’s totally wiped away after a sip of coffee.
As far as differences go, the formulas themselves are pretty identical. You won’t notice anything at all unless you compare the two side by side (which I did, one half of my lips with the Dior and the other half with NYX). The NYX Lip Drip has a slightly lighter consistency, however, that doesn’t make it any less hydrating, glossy, or shiny. And a few of the shades are indistinguishable: The NYX colors “Missed Call” and “That’s Chic” are identical to the Dior shades “Berry” (a jammy raspberry) and “Rosewood” (a rosy pink). The biggest distinction would probably be in the applicator: While the Lip Drip’s doe-foot is very similar, Dior’s has a crease that bends as it sweeps along your lips. NYX’s is stiff.
If you’re willing to forgo the glamorous Dior branding, for a fraction of the price, NYX’s Lip Drip Fat Oil is just as worthy of having a permanent spot in your handbag.
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