Welcome Back to Haul of Fame: Your Go-To Beauty Roundup
Hey beauty buffs, it’s time for another *Haul of Fame*—your VIP pass to the latest products, hot ideas, and yes, a sneaky *Severance* fan theory (don’t worry, it’s beauty-related, I swear).
But first…
You’re not imagining it.
Everywhere—from DMs to cocktail chatter to chats with my mom—people are buzzing: “What’s up with those weird metal tips on *Lip Gloss Tubes*?” It’s the question of the hour, popping up right alongside another biggie: “Why’s lip gloss so pricey these days?” Spoiler: the answers are totally tangled up.
That “weird metal tip”? It’s a sleek, rounded applicator that screws onto your classic *lip gloss tube*—a bit like the ones you’d see on an *Eye Cream Tube* or *serum glass bottle*. Think $25 Nécessaire lip balm (launched Jan. 5), Natura Bisse’s $85 Diamond Lip Booster, Hourglass’s $56 Lip Treatment Oil, or La Mer’s $90 Lip Volumizer. Anfisa Skin’s $45 version keeps popping up in my Instagram scroll—ads everywhere, but hey, they’re easy on the eyes.
“The applicator’s roots are in eye serums,” says Tina Chen Craig, the brains behind U Beauty, whose $68 Lip Plasma debuted this metal-tip trend back in 2019 during peak Filler Mania. It promised plumper, glossier lips—no needles required. Her advisors swore the metal boosts “stimulation and absorption to plump and hydrate,” much like a high-end *serum glass bottle* vibe for your pout.
So, is there legit science behind this metal-tipped *lip gloss tube* hype? “You bet,” says Dr. Marnie Nussbaum, a New York derm who uses zamac—a fancy zinc alloy of aluminum, copper, and magnesium—in her Lines’ $45 tinted lip serum. She’s all about it: “It glides without tugging, ramps up blood flow, and keeps bacteria at bay better than plastic.” Sounds like a win for an *eye cream tube*, right?
Nussbaum admits the shiny metal jacks up costs, and Craig doesn’t mince words: for U Beauty’s Lip Plasma, it “doubled the price.” Worth it, though—starting as a clear gloss, it exploded into 15 shades and still tops their sales charts. Nécessaire’s co-founder Randi Christiansen loves the “precision” of the metal tip on their *lip gloss tube*, plus the cool tingle when mint oil meets metal. She says it bumped production costs by half, but they hunted down a seasoned US vendor just to make it happen.
Here’s the kicker: slapping a skincare-style tool on a *lip gloss tube* lets luxe brands flex their “science-y” cred. It’s not just shine—it’s a $40+ upgrade that screams sophistication, like a *serum glass bottle* for your lips. Even budget brands are jumping in—UK’s Refy rocks a $20 gloss with a similar top, and Eadem’s $24 take is a TikTok darling. Naturium tried a $12 version in 2021 but flipped back to plastic a year later (cue the sad Reddit threads), though it did drop the price to $10. That metal tip? It’s like a VIP badge for luxury *lip gloss tubes*—not bulletproof, but it keeps the riffraff out and looks killer in pics. Nécessaire saw organic engagement soar fivefold during their balm launch. Coincidence? Nah.
Oh, and let’s not forget: shiny equals status. A gleaming $40+ *lip gloss tube* is your subtle flex—literally a pro tip that (supposedly) boosts blood flow with every swipe.
**What Else Is Fresh…**
**Skincare**
PSA Skincare dropped Dew Halo on Jan. 16—a $31 mist with blackberry extracts and niacinamide, exclusive to their site with a 20% affiliate perk. Expect it all over Substack soon, probably in a chic *serum glass bottle*.
Element Eight teamed up with Fusalp for an Après Ski pouch, launched Jan. 21. It’s got a serum and moisturizer to shield your skin in “oxygen-starved high-altitude ski zones” for $325—roughly a Stratton lift ticket. Maybe it’s in a *serum glass bottle* too?
Biotyspa’s exfoliating shower gel hit shelves Jan. 21, swapping microbeads for biodegradable jojoba bits and mixing argan oil, cucumber, and aloe vera for a foam-free clean. Could pair nicely with a *Face Wash Bottle*.
Vacation’s Orange Gelée sun gel now sprays on for $25 with SPF 30—dropped Jan. 21 and ready to shine, no *lip gloss tube* required.
There you have it—beauty’s latest, from metal-tipped *lip gloss tubes* to eco-smart skincare. What’s your take? Hit me up!
