Here at IndyBest we often turn to TikTok to see what people are wearing, doing and, most importantly, in this instance, which products they’re using. But while most of the time the social media site is a treasure trove for cleaning hacks, travel guides and even tips us off on which items are soon to sell out, every so often a trend starts that truly catches us by surprise, and this Mac gloss stick is a standout example.

Named best overall in our guide of tried and tested lip plumpers, our beauty expert is a big fan of the MAC squirt plumping gloss stick (£22, Lookfantastic.com). Not only did they rate it five stars (a big accolade from the IndyBest team), but they also wrote a standout review.

“A twist of the bullet reveals a super soft balm that gives lips a juicy, glossy coverage with just a subtle hint of playful colour,” our expert shared. Adding, “lip-plumping actives infused in the formula include ginger root extract and capsicum, but it’s the menthol crystals that calm the heat and add a pleasant tingle”. While also detailing how the gloss left their lips feeling soft and supple thanks to a blend of impressive ingredients.

However, it seems TikTok is somewhat divided. For example, beauty influencer Nikkie de Jager of Nikkietutorials seemed rather unimpressed in one video, saying they “weren’t feeling these”. Yet another popular beauty buff, Meredith Duxbury, called the product a “slay”.

If you’re unsure yourself on who to believe, allow us to explain everything you need to know below about how to make this product perfect for your pout while tempting you to try it if you haven’t already.

How we tested

Not one, but two IndyBest beauty experts have fallen in love with this gloss stick. Testing out three shades – “amped”, “nova” and “like squirt” – over the course of a couple of weeks, our beauty expert shares below what makes this product so brilliant while adding instructions on how best to use it.

Mac squirt plumping gloss stick

Best: Plumping lip gloss

Size: 2.3g

Number of colours available: 9

Colours tested: “Amped”, “nova” and “like squirt"

While this may look like a regular bullet lipstick from the outside, inside, it’s like nothing we’ve ever used before – more on that later. It’s available in 10 different colours and has a somewhat suprising texture which is what seems to have captivated many beauty buffs, us included. But it’s these two traits that made us like it so much, as we’ll explain below.

How to use it

As we’ve already said, this is no regular bullet lipstick. While the bright and bold packaging may make it seem like one, with a long tube-like lid and twist-up base, it’s this trait that can make it a little tricky to use. Confusingly, the gloss stick can be raised by twisting like a regular lipstick, yet doesn’t twist back down, meaning you can ruin it rather easily, and this is exactly where most people are going wrong. This really is a case of less is more.

Then, as the product is so soft, sitting more on the gloss side than actual stick as the name suggests, you won’t want to swipe it. This, as Meredith shows, will cause it to snap and smush all over your mouth, which, of course, isn’t the look anyone’s after. Instead, we’ve found it works best to softly pat it on before slightly smacking your lips together to get it to spread evenly. Really, it’s more of a consistency you’d expect from a tube, so caution really is key until you get the hang of it.

The ingredients

The key ingredients in this lip balm, and why it was included in our best lip plumper round-up, is the potent concentration of menthol crystals and ginger root extract. These give it a cooling, slightly tingling, plumping effect that not only makes your lips look fuller but also smells like quite strong mints, perking up our tester as they applied it throughout the day.

Adding the deep nourishing feeling that our first IndyBest expert said made their lips feel “soft and supple” is coconut oil, shea butter and avocado oil. Together, these work to hydrate, reduce cracks and protect from cold, dry weather. Plumping aside, this lip balm made our lips feel more moisturised and smoother than most other lip balms we’ve tried. Plus, thanks to the high concentration of oils, it isn’t sticky either.

The look

This gloss stick has an incredibly high shine with a wet-look finish reminiscent of a Y2K juicy tube, but what really makes it stand out is the shade range. Ranging from regular styles such as pinky-hued “amped” and coral-coloured “heat sensor” to eyebrow-raising “like squirt”, a vibrant green colour, “nova”, a baby blue and “jet”, a bold black, it’s not all that easy to decide whether to play it safe or try something more standout.

Having tried three shades, “amped”, “nova” and “like squirt”, it was the latter that was actually our favourite. While the icy blue “nova” did appear to make our teeth appear whiter and eyes brighter, and pretty pink “amped” certainly played it safe, the subtle green glow of “like squirt” seemed to make our lips look even more shiny, especially when layered over a darker lip pencil or colour.

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The verdict: Mac squirt plumping gloss stick

If you’re after a lip balm that plumps, hydrates, softens and slightly colours, then you won’t go too far wrong with the Mac squirt plumping gloss stick, so long as you use it correctly. Above, we’ve detailed how to get the product to work to its potential, and as long as you follow these steps, you should be left with a high shine slick that amps up any pout.

Looking for other lip plumper options? Take a look at our guide to the best ones to buy.