Data from rAIviews, the leading customer reviews analytic software, on the most reviewed lip SKUs at Sephora US for 2025 reveals key insights on the evolution of the category.
The “skinification” of makeup has moved from a niche concept to a baseline requirement. Products featuring “Serum,” “Polypeptide,” and “Hydrating” claims dominate the upper half of the ranking. If a lip product doesn’t nourish, it doesn’t sell as the current market logic dictates.
Texture is now the primary differentiator in marketing copy. We have exited the era of the matte flat lay. The success of the Valentino “Puffer” and Laneige “Glaze” indicates that consumers are purchasing a specific sensory promise—volumized, high-shine comfort.
The ranking also reflects the polarization of the market wiht luxury brands like Tom Ford coexisting directly with SEPHORA COLLECTION. The presence of the latter’s Lip Liner at number eight suggests a behavioral split: consumers invest in status items for the glossy topcoat but seek utility and value for the structural base.
Furthermore, we see a polarization in product efficacy. Stains marketed with 12 hours longevity claims, such as those from Huda Beauty, are not competing with the “Balm/Oil” category. Instead, they function as a system. Consumers are buying long-wear liners to anchor the shape and layering high-maintenance glosses on top for hydration.
Finally, the celebrity beauty sector has entered a phase of maturation. While Rare Beauty and Fenty maintain their staple status, the specific products trending such as Fenty’s “Oil ‘N Gloss” prove that retention relies on format innovation, not just founder equity.