Tarte has become one of the biggest cosmetic companies, especially if you’re looking for natural-based products. They earn between $100-$500 million in revenue and many beauty enthusiasts swear by their products. I personally love Tarte Cosmetics. I swear by their mascaras, mainly their Tarteist Lash Paint Mascara. When I worked at Sephora, I recommended their Amazonian Clay Foundation to clients constantly. I’ve also used their skincare and other makeup products.
I do have to say, I have tried Tarte’s existing lip products and wasn’t impressed. But I love the rest of their line, so I’m always open to trying any new lip products they come out with. That’s why when I saw the Maracuja Juicy Lip plump come out, I knew I had to give it a try and I had to give you my honest Tarte Juicy Lip Review.
Key Features
- Comes in convenient lipstick bullet packaging
- Smoothing and hydrating formula
- Vegan
- Buildable pigment
- Great smell
- No harmful ingredients
Pros
- No sticky feeling
- Shiny and glossy look
- Left my lips super hydrated
Cons
- Click-style function that can be confusing and irritating to use
- Not as pigmented as expected
- Doesn’t last as long as traditional lip products
Cushion Comfort Complex instantly plumps the appearance of lips & smooths the look of lip lines.
What Is the Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip?
Tarte promotes their Maracuja Juicy Lip as a lip plump that tints and hydrates the lips. It also states it will smooth the appearance of lip lines. This product is vegan and it acts as a gloss, balm, lipstick, and even a hydrating treatment.
Tarte Cosmetics claims this Maracuja juicy lip balm will give you juicy lips. As a bonus, Tarte says this product smells like coconut.
This product is made of lip-loving ingredients such as:
- Maracuja oil
- Goji
- Grapeseed oil
- Acerola
- Acai
- Watermelon
- Pomegranate
- Blueberry
- Strawberry
- Cranberry
- Peach
- Vitamin E
Because of this, you’ll get cushiony soft lips.
What Is Maracuja?
Okay, before I get into this review, I’m going to go over what maracuja is because I would get this question all the time when I worked at Sephora.
You probably noticed a lot of Tarte products, including the Juicy Lip, are formulated with maracuja. “Maracujá” (pronounced muh-lah-coo-juh) is Portuguese for “passion fruit.” Not sure why Tarte calls it the Portuguese name and not the English one, but whatever.
But there’s a reason why Tarte uses this powerful ingredient in their cosmetics and skincare. Passion fruit is a superfood. It contains essential vitamins such as Vitamin A, Vitamin C, carotene, riboflavin, and more. These ingredients are not only amazing for your general wellness but also offer skincare benefits. The antioxidants will help your skin retain moisture, which also offers anti-aging benefits.
That’s probably one of the reasons why the Maracuja Juicy Lip made my lips super soft all night!
My Product
I purchased the Juicy Lip in “Orchid.” When I looked at the swatches online, the gloss looked like a nicely pigmented mauve color. I love mauves and plums and don’t have nearly enough lip products in these colors.
When the Juicy Lip arrived, I immediately swatched it on my hand. I was so excited to see how pigmented it was! While it was a little more beigey than I expected, the gloss still has a mauve sheen to it. Very pretty! I was so excited to wear it.
First Application
I waited to wear this when I went out. I was so excited! But first, I couldn’t figure out how to use the lipstick. I couldn’t twist it up! It took me a second to realize I had to click it up from the bottom. It’s annoying, but not the end of the world.
I was highly disappointed to see the color payoff on my lips wasn’t as impressive as I had anticipated. Like I mentioned about the colour, the product looks more beige on my lips than mauve. But I definitely loved how it didn’t feel sticky and gave my lips a beautiful shine.
I wanted to work with that mauve/plum look more, so I applied the Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Liner in the shade “Under My Spell” all over my lips and applied Juicy Lip over it. The result was a lovely shiny plum!
I also want to note the coconut scent. I honestly don’t really notice a coconut scent. You really have to smell the product to get that whiff. This is actually ideal for people who don’t like scented products. I’m not really for or against it.
How It Wore The Rest of The Night
As I stated, I wore this lip gloss to a show. I spent the night drinking and even grabbing some ice cream (they had an ice cream food truck outside and I couldn’t resist). Inevitably, I did have to reapply.
Unfortunately, the gloss didn’t last long. I would say no more than an hour. It’s impressive compared to most lip glosses but is not worth the $19 price tag. You also have to be careful when applying this product. Don’t rub your lips together or else you’ll get SERIOUS feathering.
Now, they also claim the glosses plump your lips. Yes and no. Inevitably, with any gloss, your lips will look fuller because of the moisture and the shiny effect. But these glosses don’t have any collagen, mint, cinnamon, or anything.
So if you’re looking for a TRUE lip plumper, I suggest choosing the Buxom lip glosses. I will highlight them below!
Alternatives
Now, I already mentioned a ton of my favorite lip glosses in our Best Lip Gloss Style Guide. I’m going to include some of my favorite picks, as well as a few other products that are similar to Tarte’s Juicy Lip.
Buxom Full-On Lip Gloss
I said this in my last review and I will say it here. Buxom’s Full-On Lip Gloss is my favorite lip gloss of all time. Actually, I love all of their lip glosses. They’re not only moisturizing but they’re formulated with mint extract, giving your lips a slight plumping effect.
When speaking in terms of color, the color is actually very pigmented and is long-lasting. While it won’t last when you eat or drink something, simply reapply the lip gloss and you’ll be good to go until you eat/drink again!
The bestselling lip gloss boldly plumps the appearance of lips with a tantalizing tingle in a high-shine, shimmering finish.
It Cosmetics Je Ne Sais Quoi Hydrating Lip Treatment
I never tried this one, but I found It Cosmetic’s Je Ne Sais Quoi (translates to “I don’t know what” in English) Hydrating Lip Treatment as I was doing some research into Juicy Lip alternatives. While it doesn’t have an impressive color selection, it does offer many of the same benefits.
This product is formulated with hyaluronic acid, antioxidants, and nourishing oils to give your lips the treatment they need. It’s available in two shades: Original Pink and Honey tint (which looks like a beige). At about $35, it’s more expensive than Juicy Lip, but it has stellar reviews across the board.
Je Ne Sais Quoi Lip Treatment features proprietary Vitality Lip Flush Technology that reacts with the warmth of your lips to create a beautiful, customized pop of color that lasts!
Sephora Collection Colorful Gloss Balm
If you want serious hydration and pigment without the plumping, I suggest saving money and choosing Sephora Collection’s Colorful Gloss Balm. The color payoff is impressive and these glosses have decent lasting power (though not amazing). I have these in pink and red. It’s also made with mango and grapeseed oil to nourish the lips.
A lip hybrid that provides the shine of a gloss and nourishing texture of a balm with zero stickiness.
Tarte Color Splash Lipstick
Now, I’ve tried their Quench Lip Rescue and didn’t care for it. But I’ve heard positive reviews of the Color Splash Lipstick. Many reviewers said this is extremely hydrating and the color is long-lasting.
Looking on the Tarte website, Color Splash is available in many pretty colors. Who knows, maybe I will give this one a chance.
Tarte Salt Lyfe Rainforest of the Sea Color Splash Lipstick is a muted, medium pinky mauve with neutral undertones and a satin finish.
Tarte H20 Gloss
This is another Tarte lip product that I never tried but gets great reviews. Unfortunately, on the Tarte website, it looks like they’re out of a lot of the shades.
The reviewers say the gloss is extremely moisturizing, without being sticky, which is what I like about Juicy Lip. Reviewers also say the color payoff is impressive and if any colors have iridescence, sparkle, holographic effects, etc. then you can really see them.
They’re good to wear on their own and over lipsticks.
A super shiny lip gloss that has moisturizing and hydrating elements of their Rainforest Lip collection, but these glosses have an ultra-shiny finish. 
Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balm
The Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balm is my go-to if I need a decent lip product to wear. I have them in two colors: Red Dahlia and Rose. The pigment is nice and buildable. The color also lasts a decent amount of time. They’re also super moisturizing, thanks to the botanical waxes!
The only downside is they feather like crazy, so be careful when applying them. But at $4.99, you can’t complain about this little flaw. So this is definitely a great option if you want a cheap dupe!
Add a hint of sheer, pretty red color with Burt's Bees Red Dahlia tinted lip balm for a natural, everyday look.
Wibo Juicy Color
I never heard of Wibo before. They’re a Polish cosmetics company and have a product that’s almost identical to the Tarte one, called Juicy Color. Wibo’s Juicy Color is a lipstick + balm and is available in a lipstick formula like the Tarte. It also looks like it’s the twist-up packaging, not the annoying click-style one.
Reading the descriptions, the lipstick is creamy and moisturizing because it’s formulated with shea butter. They also promise long-lasting color. It’s only available in six shades, but they look nice. Maybe I’ll look for this brand next time I’m overseas.
FAQs
Question: Is Juicy Lip Gluten-Free?
Answer: It is gluten-free! It’s also cruelty-free, vegan, and doesn’t contain any phthalates, parabens, sulfates SLS and SLES, and mineral oil.
Question: How Do You Use Juicy Lip?
Answer: Click up a few times at the bottom, until the product raises up. Then swipe over your lips. Reapply whenever necessary.
Question: Can You Use Tarte Maracuja Oil on Your Lips?
Answer: Tarte also sells a maracuja oil that is very popular — it was when I worked at Sephora. But can you use the oil directly on your lips? Yes, you can! Actually, you can use this oil just about anywhere. Popular places include the hair, skin, cuticles, and even your lashes.
Question: Does Juicy Lip Expire?
Answer: All lip products will eventually expire. I try to not use lip products past two years, though I personally had some lip products that I used for a few years after I bought them and never had any problems. I would look for certain signs such as a bad smell, off pigment, and irritation.
Question: Can I Use Juicy Lip as a Treatment?
Answer: If you’re simply looking for a lip product to use as a treatment, I would definitely recommend Juicy Lip. Actually, Tarte offers this as an option when using Juicy Lip.
It’s formulated with nourishing ingredients to keep your lips soft all day. You don’t have to buy a pigmented color — Juicy Lip is available in many neutral and natural colors if you plan on using Juicy Lip with your normal skincare products.
My Final Verdict
There are many qualities I like about the Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip. I like how the gloss is extremely moisturizing and the lipstick-like packaging. It also doesn’t feel sticky, which is a plus for me!
But there are less-than-perfect qualities about this product. For example, the click dispensing feature is annoying. The pigment feathers and the color doesn’t last a long time. Also, the color wasn’t as pigmented as I expected.
Overall, I don’t hate this product. Will I buy another? Probably not. If you’re looking for a similar product, I suggest the Sephora Colorful Gloss Balm for something more pigmented, Buxom Lip Polish for plumping, and Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balm for affordability.
Cushion Comfort Complex instantly plumps the appearance of lips & smooths the look of lip lines.
Another one of my favorite lip makeup brands is Mac. We compiled a whole guide of Mac’s lip makeup, check it out!
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