Few beauty products have earned the cult devotion of Summer Fridays lip gloss — specifically the Lip Butter Balm that lives in nearly every TikTok beauty haul since 2022. It promises the cushion of a balm, the finish of a gloss, and the conditioning of an overnight mask in one $24 tube. The Dream Lip Oil joined the lineup as a glassier sibling.
If you’re standing in Sephora deciding whether to spend nearly fifty dollars on the duo, you deserve a more honest answer than another influencer raving on autopilot. This guide breaks down what’s actually in the formula, who it works for, where it falls short, and the smaller handmade alternatives that quietly outperform it on pigment and price.
Drench your lips in luminous shine with our High Shine Vegan Lip-Gloss—a beauty essential that delivers mirror-like brilliance without compromise. Infused with nourishing plant-based oils, this non-sticky formula glides on effortlessly, leaving lips soft, hydrated, and irresistibly glossy. Ingredients: … Read More Drench your lips in luminous shine with our High Shine Vegan Lip-Gloss—a beauty essential that delivers mirror-like brilliance without compromise. Infused with nourishing plant-based oils, this non-sticky formula glides on effortlessly, leaving lips soft, hydrated, and irresistibly glossy. Ingredients: … Read More Drench your lips in luminous shine with our High Shine Vegan Lip-Gloss—a beauty essential that delivers mirror-like brilliance without compromise. Infused with nourishing plant-based oils, this non-sticky formula glides on effortlessly, leaving lips soft, hydrated, and irresistibly glossy. Ingredients: … Read More Drench your lips in luminous shine with our High Shine Vegan Lip-Gloss—a beauty essential that delivers mirror-like brilliance without compromise. Infused with nourishing plant-based oils, this non-sticky formula glides on effortlessly, leaving lips soft, hydrated, and irresistibly glossy. Ingredients: … Read More
High Shine Lip-gloss Bombshell
High Shine Lip-gloss Bratz
High Shine Lip-gloss Cherry
High Shine Lip-gloss Girly
Quick answer: Is Summer Fridays lip gloss worth buying?
Yes, the Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm earns its hype for one reason: a butter-smooth, non-greasy finish that few drugstore glosses replicate. The Dream Lip Oil delivers a glassier, more pigmented look. Both are vegan and cruelty-free. The trade-off is price — roughly $24–$26 per tube — and an ingredient list that leans heavily on synthetic emollients with relatively small amounts of the headline butters. For shoppers who want more transparent, handmade formulas at a lower price, vegan alternatives like Royal Suttons’ High Shine Vegan Lip-Gloss deliver comparable shine and stronger pigment payoff at $21.
What exactly is Summer Fridays lip gloss?
Summer Fridays, founded in 2018 by Marianna Hewitt and Lauren Gores Ireland, isn’t a traditional gloss brand. The Los Angeles label built its name on the Jet Lag Mask before pivoting to lip care in 2020. The result is a category that now includes three distinct products often grouped under the “Summer Fridays lip gloss” umbrella.
Lip Butter Balm is the bestseller — a thick, cushiony tinted balm with a gloss-finish payoff, around $24 for 0.5 oz. Shades include Vanilla, Vanilla Beige, Brown Sugar, Iced Coffee, Pink Sugar, Sweet Mint, Cherry, Poppy, Hot Cocoa, and Pink Guava.
Dream Lip Oil is the glossier sibling at $26 for 0.15 oz, using a doe-foot applicator and reading more like a traditional lip oil with skincare benefits.
Everything is vegan, cruelty-free, and certified Clean at Sephora — meaning the formulas exclude ingredients on Sephora’s restricted list. That certification matters less than people think, but it’s a credible baseline.
The Summer Fridays formula, decoded
This is where most reviews go vague. They mention “shea butter and murumuru seed butter” and stop. The full INCI list tells a more complete story.
Here’s what’s actually doing the work in the Lip Butter Balm:
- Phytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate — the first ingredient. A complex plant-derived emollient ester that gives the balm its cushiony texture.
- Diisostearyl Malate — a slip agent for rich glide, common in high-end glosses.
- Hydrogenated Polyisobutene & Polybutene — synthetic emollients that create the glassy, mirror-like shine. These are the real workhorses behind the “glossy lip” effect, not the butters.
- Shea Butter (Butyrospermum Parkii) — sixth on the list. Real moisturizing power, but the position suggests a modest concentration.
- Murumuru Seed Butter — further down, rich in lauric and oleic acids; great for the lip barrier but present in smaller amounts.
- Sodium Hyaluronate — the salt form of hyaluronic acid. Holds water at the surface and creates the “plumping” sensation.
- BHT — synthetic preservative-stabilizer. FDA-approved but a common point of controversy in clean beauty circles.
Translation: the Lip Butter Balm is mostly synthetic emollient ester base + a touch of natural butters + a hyaluronic acid kicker. That’s not a bad formula — it’s a smart one for the texture they wanted. But “lip mask packed with butters” is more marketing than reality. The Dream Lip Oil uses a similar emollient ester backbone with added oils and color for a more pigmented finish.
Summer Fridays lip gloss vs. Royal Suttons High Shine: side-by-side
Two vegan, cruelty-free lip glosses at the premium end. One is a beauty-influencer juggernaut sold at Sephora. The other is a nearly-decade-old handmade brand out of Saint Petersburg, Florida that competes on craft, ingredient transparency, and price.
| Feature | Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm | Summer Fridays Dream Lip Oil | Royal Suttons High Shine Lip-Gloss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $24 (0.5 oz / 15ml) | $26 (0.15 oz / 4.5ml) | $21 (5ml) |
| Cost per ml | ~$1.60 | ~$5.78 | ~$4.20 |
| Finish | Cushiony, soft gloss | Glassy, high shine | Mirror-like high shine |
| Tint payoff | Sheer to medium | Sheer-medium tint | Pigmented (e.g. Rude Brown) |
| Texture | Thick, balm-like | Lightweight oil | Non-sticky liquid gloss |
| Vegan & cruelty-free | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Handmade / small-batch | No | No | Yes (Saint Petersburg, FL) |
| Best for | Dry lips, balm-mask hybrid | Glassy editorial finish | Buildable color + shine |
The Royal Suttons gloss isn’t trying to be a lip mask — it’s a true gloss in the classic sense, formulated with a hydrogenated copolymer base, diisostearyl malate, shea butter, and vitamin E. It delivers stronger pigment and mirror finish in a smaller tube. If you want to layer — gloss over lipstick or liner — Royal Suttons is the more honest fit. If you want one product that doubles as a balm and casual gloss, Summer Fridays makes more sense.
What people get right (and wrong) about it
“It’s better than Laneige.” Sometimes true on hydration retention. The Summer Fridays balm sits thicker on the lips and wears longer than Laneige’s lighter formula. Others find it too heavy.
“The shades give real color.” Mixed. Vanilla Beige and Cherry deliver visible tint. Pink Sugar and Vanilla are nearly clear. On deeper skin tones, the lighter shades can read washed out.
“It works as an overnight lip mask.” Yes — the wax-and-ester base seals moisture for hours. This is the strongest functional claim the product makes, and it holds up.
“It dries my lips out.” A recurring complaint in Sephora’s own community forums. For users with already-compromised lip barriers, the wax-heavy formula can paradoxically feel drying once it wears off — a known limitation of heavily occlusive balms.
Royal Suttons picks for the same finish, smaller batches
Royal Suttons has been making vegan, cruelty-free skincare and lip products in Saint Petersburg, Florida since around 2015 — nearly a decade before Summer Fridays existed as a brand. The lip line is small, focused, and handmade in batches you can see on the brand’s social channels.
High Shine Vegan Lip-Gloss — $21
The brand’s flagship gloss. A non-sticky, mirror-finish formula infused with plant-based oils and shea butter, with stronger pigment than the Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm and a more affordable price. Available in ten shades including Rude Brown, Savage, Hot Pink, and Bratz for a range of warm-to-bold everyday looks.
Shop the High Shine Vegan Lip-Gloss collection
High Shine Lip-gloss Bombshell
Drench your lips in luminous shine with our High Shine Vegan Lip-Gloss—a beauty essential that delivers mirror-like brilliance without compromise. Infused with nourishing plant-based oils, this non-sticky formula glides on effortlessly, leaving lips soft, hydrated, and irresistibly glossy. Ingredients: … Read More
not rated
$21.00
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This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
High Shine Lip-gloss Bratz
Drench your lips in luminous shine with our High Shine Vegan Lip-Gloss—a beauty essential that delivers mirror-like brilliance without compromise. Infused with nourishing plant-based oils, this non-sticky formula glides on effortlessly, leaving lips soft, hydrated, and irresistibly glossy. Ingredients: … Read More
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$21.00
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This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
High Shine Lip-gloss Cherry
Drench your lips in luminous shine with our High Shine Vegan Lip-Gloss—a beauty essential that delivers mirror-like brilliance without compromise. Infused with nourishing plant-based oils, this non-sticky formula glides on effortlessly, leaving lips soft, hydrated, and irresistibly glossy. Ingredients: … Read More
not rated
$21.00
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This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
High Shine Lip-gloss Girly
Drench your lips in luminous shine with our High Shine Vegan Lip-Gloss—a beauty essential that delivers mirror-like brilliance without compromise. Infused with nourishing plant-based oils, this non-sticky formula glides on effortlessly, leaving lips soft, hydrated, and irresistibly glossy. Ingredients: … Read More
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$21.00
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This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Long-Lasting Lip Liner — $16
Most gloss reviews skip the liner conversation, but it’s the difference between five-minute wear and five-hour wear. The Royal Suttons liner is a creamy, smudge-proof formula designed to lock pigment in and prevent feathering — pair it with the gloss for genuine all-day color.
Shop the Long-Lasting Lip Liner range
Long Lasting Lip Liner Burgundy
Our Long-Lasting Lip Liner delivers rich pigment, precision, and serious staying power. Whether you’re shaping, shading, or wearing it solo, this creamy, smudge-proof formula glides on effortlessly and locks in color for hours—no feathering, fading, or touch-ups required. Perfect for … Read More
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$16.00
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Long Lasting Lip Liner Claret
Our Long-Lasting Lip Liner delivers rich pigment, precision, and serious staying power. Whether you’re shaping, shading, or wearing it solo, this creamy, smudge-proof formula glides on effortlessly and locks in color for hours—no feathering, fading, or touch-ups required. Perfect for … Read More
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$16.00
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Long Lasting Lip Liner Crimson
Our Long-Lasting Lip Liner delivers rich pigment, precision, and serious staying power. Whether you’re shaping, shading, or wearing it solo, this creamy, smudge-proof formula glides on effortlessly and locks in color for hours—no feathering, fading, or touch-ups required. Perfect for … Read More
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$16.00
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Long Lasting Lip Liner Dark Brown
Our Long-Lasting Lip Liner delivers rich pigment, precision, and serious staying power. Whether you’re shaping, shading, or wearing it solo, this creamy, smudge-proof formula glides on effortlessly and locks in color for hours—no feathering, fading, or touch-ups required. Perfect for … Read More
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$16.00
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The full Lips collection
If you want to mix and match shades — gloss, liner, and lipstick — the Lips category has everything in one place. The Matte Liquid Vegan Lipstick ($22) layers beautifully under the High Shine gloss for a bold-and-glossy combination.
High Shine Lip-gloss Bombshell
Drench your lips in luminous shine with our High Shine Vegan Lip-Gloss—a beauty essential that delivers mirror-like brilliance without compromise. Infused with nourishing plant-based oils, this non-sticky formula glides on effortlessly, leaving lips soft, hydrated, and irresistibly glossy. Ingredients: … Read More
not rated
$21.00
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This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
High Shine Lip-gloss Bratz
Drench your lips in luminous shine with our High Shine Vegan Lip-Gloss—a beauty essential that delivers mirror-like brilliance without compromise. Infused with nourishing plant-based oils, this non-sticky formula glides on effortlessly, leaving lips soft, hydrated, and irresistibly glossy. Ingredients: … Read More
not rated
$21.00
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This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
High Shine Lip-gloss Cherry
Drench your lips in luminous shine with our High Shine Vegan Lip-Gloss—a beauty essential that delivers mirror-like brilliance without compromise. Infused with nourishing plant-based oils, this non-sticky formula glides on effortlessly, leaving lips soft, hydrated, and irresistibly glossy. Ingredients: … Read More
not rated
$21.00
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This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
High Shine Lip-gloss Girly
Drench your lips in luminous shine with our High Shine Vegan Lip-Gloss—a beauty essential that delivers mirror-like brilliance without compromise. Infused with nourishing plant-based oils, this non-sticky formula glides on effortlessly, leaving lips soft, hydrated, and irresistibly glossy. Ingredients: … Read More
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$21.00
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This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
High Shine Lip-gloss Hot Pink
Drench your lips in luminous shine with our High Shine Vegan Lip-Gloss—a beauty essential that delivers mirror-like brilliance without compromise. Infused with nourishing plant-based oils, this non-sticky formula glides on effortlessly, leaving lips soft, hydrated, and irresistibly glossy. Ingredients: … Read More
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$21.00
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This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
High Shine Lip-gloss Kiya
Drench your lips in luminous shine with our High Shine Vegan Lip-Gloss—a beauty essential that delivers mirror-like brilliance without compromise. Infused with nourishing plant-based oils, this non-sticky formula glides on effortlessly, leaving lips soft, hydrated, and irresistibly glossy. Ingredients: … Read More
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$21.00
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This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Five pro tips for getting more out of any lip gloss
These small choices separate a $24 gloss that lasts twenty minutes from one that lasts three hours.
Prep with a lip scrub once a week, not daily. Over-exfoliating compromises the lip barrier and makes any gloss wear unevenly. A weekly sugar-and-oil scrub is enough.
Apply liner first, even with sheer glosses. A neutral or shade-matched liner around the perimeter prevents feathering and gives the gloss something to grip.
Use less product than you think. One swipe per lip, blotted gently. Stacking gloss creates a sticky pool, not a glossy finish.
Reapply after eating, not after talking. Most gloss wear-off comes from food and drink, not air time.
Match shade to undertone, not to trend. Warm undertones glow with browns, terracottas, and amber-reds. Cool undertones flatter pinks, berries, and cool nudes.
Affordable Summer Fridays lip gloss dupes worth knowing
If your budget rules out both Summer Fridays and Royal Suttons, a few honest dupes:
- Glossier Lip Glaze Lip Oil — frequently cited as the closest ingredient match to the Dream Lip Oil at around $14.
- Naturium Phyto-Glow Lip Balm — a sheer-tint balm with similar cushioned texture for under $10.
- e.l.f. Glow Reviver Lip Oil — drugstore-priced glossy lip oil, around $9.
- Lottie London Gloss’d — vegan, paraben-free oil-gloss hybrid for about $8.
The tradeoff with most dupes is shorter wear time, weaker pigment, or thinner texture. None match the exact feel of the Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm because the dimer dilinoleate ester base is genuinely expensive. But “80% of the experience for 35% of the price” is fair for the better dupes.
How to choose between balm, oil, and gloss
| Category | Finish | Pigment | Wear Time | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lip Balm (e.g. Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm) | Cushioned, soft sheen | Sheer to medium | 2–4 hours | Daily wear, overnight, layering |
| Lip Oil (e.g. Summer Fridays Dream Lip Oil) | Glassy, lightweight | Sheer-medium | 1–2 hours | Editorial finish, evening |
| Lip Gloss (e.g. Royal Suttons High Shine) | Mirror, defined | Sheer to bold | 2–5 hours with liner | Color + shine combined |
Most people end up with at least two — usually a balm for daily wear and a gloss for going out. Layering a true gloss over a tinted balm creates a finish neither can produce alone.
Frequently asked questions
Is Summer Fridays lip gloss really vegan?
Yes. Summer Fridays states that all products are formulated without animal-derived ingredients and are not tested on animals. The Lip Butter Balm and Dream Lip Oil rely on vegan butters (shea, murumuru) and vegan synthetic waxes instead of beeswax or lanolin, which are common animal-derived ingredients in conventional glosses.
Does Summer Fridays lip gloss work for dry, chapped lips?
It can help, but it’s not a treatment for severely chapped lips. The wax-heavy formula seals in moisture short-term, which is why people see immediate softening. For chronic dryness, you’ll need a more humectant-rich product or to address the underlying cause. Some users with compromised lip barriers find the formula too occlusive and report rebound dryness once it wears off.
What’s the difference between Lip Butter Balm and Dream Lip Oil?
The Lip Butter Balm is thicker, cushiony, and functions as a tinted balm-mask hybrid for daily and overnight wear. The Dream Lip Oil is lighter, glassier, and delivers more visible shine with a sheer tint via a doe-foot applicator. The balm is $24 for 0.5 oz; the oil is $26 for 0.15 oz — a significant per-ml difference.
How long does Summer Fridays lip gloss last on the lips?
Realistically, two to four hours of noticeable hydration and tint before needing reapplication. Eating, drinking, and lip pressing wear it down faster. The Dream Lip Oil tends to fade quicker than the Lip Butter Balm — one to two hours is typical. Using a lip liner underneath extends wear meaningfully.
Are there cheaper alternatives that actually compare?
Yes. Royal Suttons’ High Shine Vegan Lip-Gloss at $21 offers comparable shine and stronger pigment with a similar non-sticky feel, plus the small-batch handmade angle. For deeper budget options, Glossier Lip Glaze (~$14) is widely cited as the closest ingredient match to the Dream Lip Oil, and e.l.f. Glow Reviver Lip Oil (~$9) delivers a similar glassy finish at drugstore pricing.
What’s the best Summer Fridays shade for everyday wear?
Vanilla and Pink Sugar are the most universal sheer shades. Brown Sugar and Iced Coffee are popular medium-warm everyday tints that read well across most skin tones. Pink Guava is the brand’s newest fan favorite for a juicy fruit-tint look. Vanilla Beige delivers the most visible everyday color of any Lip Butter Balm shade.
Can I use Summer Fridays lip gloss over lipstick?
Yes, and it’s one of the better ways to use it. A sheer Lip Butter Balm or Dream Lip Oil over a matte or satin lipstick gives you a pigmented base with a layered glossy finish — and the gloss extends the lipstick’s wear by sealing pigment in. Royal Suttons’ High Shine gloss layered over a Royal Suttons lip liner produces a similar bold-and-glossy combination at a lower combined cost.
The bottom line
Summer Fridays lip gloss is a legitimate product that delivers on its core promises — cushioned texture, real shine, vegan and cruelty-free formulation, a thoughtful shade range. The $24–$26 price reflects both the brand’s market position and a genuinely well-designed emollient base that drugstore formulas can’t quite replicate. If you want the viral product and you can absorb the price, you won’t be disappointed.
The honest counter: the formula leans on synthetic emollients more than the “natural lip mask” marketing suggests, the price-per-ml is high (especially on the Dream Lip Oil), and the shade range can read sheer on deeper skin tones. Smaller handmade brands like Royal Suttons quietly outperform on pigment and price, especially for shoppers who care about supporting small-batch, ingredient-transparent production.
Whatever you choose, the basics still apply: prep your lips properly, line before you gloss, and pick the shade for your undertone — not for the algorithm.
Shop Royal Suttons’ full lip collection — vegan, cruelty-free, handmade in small batches in Saint Petersburg, Florida since 2015.
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