Beauty NYX Butter Gloss vs Fat Oil: Which Gloss Wins for Shine?
NYX Butter Gloss and NYX Fat Oil Lip Drip are the brand's gloss icons. Butter Gloss is sheer, buttery, and classic. Fat Oil is juicier with more pigment and shine. We compare them on shine, hydration, wear, and shade range.
| Factor | NYX Butter Gloss Duo, Creme Brulee and T | NYX Butter Gloss, Bit Of Honey, 0.27 fl |
|---|---|---|
| Shine level | Glassy, soft shine | Ultra-juicy, wet shine |
| Color payoff | Sheer tint | Medium, buildable tint |
| Texture | Buttery, non-sticky | Oily-slick, non-sticky |
| Hydration | Shea butter moisture | Squalane oil moisture |
| Wear time | 2 to 3 hours | 3 to 4 hours |
| Shade range | Huge, many finishes | Smaller, juicy shades |
| Price | Check price | Check price |
Our Verdict
Pick Butter Gloss for classic sheer shine at the lowest price. Choose Fat Oil for juicier shine with more color payoff. Both feel comfortable and non-sticky. Budget shoppers will love Butter Gloss, shine maximalists will love Fat Oil.
More Top Picks in This Category
Not sold on either of these two? Here are more bestselling options worth considering.
Best for: Layering fans who want gloss shine over any lipstick.
NYX Butter Gloss, Marshmallow, 0.27 fl oz
- Pale pink Marshmallow shade
- Shea butter-enriched gloss
- Doe-foot applicator
- High-shine, sheer finish
Pros
- Pretty pale pink shine
- Layers well over lipstick
- Soft vanilla scent
Cons
- Very sheer on pigmented lips
- Pale shade can wash out deep skin
Best for: Night-out looks that need extra sparkle and shine.
NYX Butter Gloss Bling, Bring The Bling, 0.27 fl oz
- Shimmery Bring The Bling shade
- Shea butter formula
- Light-reflecting pearl finish
- Non-sticky gloss texture
Pros
- Shimmer adds dimension
- Comfortable wear
- Fun for evening looks
Cons
- Glitter settles into lip lines
- Shimmer fades before the gloss
Best for: Red lovers who want gloss comfort instead of lipstick.
NYX Butter Gloss, Apple Crisp, 0.27 fl oz
- Red Apple Crisp shade
- Shea butter-enriched formula
- Buildable sheer-to-medium color
- Glassy non-sticky finish
Pros
- Red tint without commitment
- Buildable color
- Comfortable daily wear
Cons
- Red tint can stain slightly
- Needs reapplying after drinks
Gloss Over Lipstick: The Layering Technique That Works
The NYX Butter Gloss shades on this page, especially the pale Marshmallow, are designed for layering as much as for solo wear. The technique that actually works: apply your lipstick first, blot it once to remove the slippery top layer, then press gloss only on the center of the lips rather than edge to edge. Center-only application gives the plumping illusion of light catching the middle while keeping the lipstick's edge definition intact. Not every lipstick accepts gloss gracefully, though. Matte liquid lipsticks tend to pill or break into patchy chunks when gloss goes over them, because the gloss solvents dissolve the dried film unevenly. Cream and satin lipsticks, like a classic bullet, welcome gloss beautifully. The shimmery Bring The Bling shade here is particularly good over deeper lipsticks, the pearl finish catches light without changing the base color much. One more tip: wait a minute after lipstick before glossing, letting the base set prevents the two formulas from sliding into a muddy mix. For more shade ideas to layer, our Maybelline lip gloss shades guide covers hydrating options that pair well under or over lipstick.
Sheer Gloss on Pigmented Lips: What Actually Shows Up
Sheer glosses behave very differently depending on your natural lip color, and this is where honest expectations matter. The Marshmallow Butter Gloss on this page, a pale pink, can nearly disappear on naturally deep or pigmented lips, reading as just shine rather than color. That is not a product flaw, it is physics, sheer formulas cannot override strong underlying pigment. If you have pigmented lips and want the shade to show, the old makeup-artist trick works: pat a tiny amount of concealer or foundation on the lips first to neutralize the base, then apply the gloss, the color payoff transforms. Alternatively, choose deeper gloss shades designed to show up, the Apple Crisp red on this page has enough pigment to read true on most lip tones. For everyday nude looks on deeper lips, look for glosses explicitly described as pigmented or opaque rather than sheer. Swatch culture helps here too: search for swatches on your skin tone specifically, because a shade that looks nude-pink on fair skin can look entirely different on brown skin.
Doe-Foot vs Squeeze Tube: Applicator Hygiene That Matters
The doe-foot applicator on the NYX Butter Glosses is convenient but it is also a hygiene weak point most people ignore. Every time the wand goes from your lips back into the tube, it carries saliva bacteria with it, and over months that bacterial load builds. The practical rules: never share a doe-foot gloss, not even once, since cold sores and other infections transfer through saliva on applicators. Do not double-dip in the store tester sense at home either, one dip per lip is the clean habit. Wipe the wand on a clean tissue if it picks up lipstick or dead skin before reinserting. Squeeze tubes are marginally more hygienic since nothing re-enters the product, but the tip still contacts lips and should be wiped clean after use. Replace any gloss that changes smell, gets unusually thick or stringy, or starts irritating lips that it never bothered before, these are the signs the formula has turned, typically after 6 to 12 months of use. For a classic juicy alternative with a different applicator style, our Lancome Juicy Tube shades guide covers the iconic squeeze-tube gloss.