I tried ELF Cosmetics' new $8 lip oil. It saved me from spending $40 on one from Dior.

• ELF Cosmetics has released an $8 lip oil that many are comparing to a popular $40 Dior product.
• I tried the less expensive lip oil and can say it lives up to the hype.

Lip stains are out, lipstick was left in 2016, and lip glosses are just barely hanging on.

Lip oils, however, are everywhere. Name any makeup brand and chances are high that it's released one sometime within the past three years.

And ELF Cosmetics is the latest, releasing a lip oil under $10 that TikTokers have instantly labeled a copy of a more expensive version from Dior.

After trying the former myself, I can confirm that the ELF version is worth the hype.

What even is a lip oil?

Lip oils are a lot like lip glosses but with more hydration benefits.

As Elise Tabin reported for Byrdie, lip oils are often formulated with naturally derived oils — think coconut, avocado, and jojoba — and ingredients like vitamin E and hyaluronic acid, all of which can provide more moisture than a standard gloss.

TikTokers love the NYX Fat Oil Lip Drip, and makeup artists can't get enough of Merit's Shade Slicks. Celebrity brands like Fenty Beauty and Haus Labs have also created their own versions.

But the one that started the trend? That would be the Dior Addict Lip Glow Oil. Launched in 2020, the $40 lip product has become a quiet symbol of luxury that TikTokers can't get enough of.

Fans — who include celebrities like Bella Hadid — often praise the product's fluffy applicator, minty scent, soft texture, and high shine.

And as Kiana Murden wrote for Vogue, the lip oil was so popular on social media at one point that stores could hardly keep it on shelves — increasing interest in the product even more.

So naturally, ELF Cosmetics duped it — enter the drugstore brand's $8 Glow Reviver Tinted Lip Oils.

Made with squalane and a blend of oils (apricot, avocado, jojoba, and pomegranate), the product is sold in seven shades on ELF's website and at Ulta Beauty.

ELF Cosmetics' lip oil is worth the hype

I've always felt $40 is far too expensive for a lip oil, no matter how fancy I would feel carrying it in my purse.

While I haven't used Dior's option, I've tried plenty of other lip oils and consider myself a fan of the concept. They give you the shine of lip glosses but also the hydration of a lip mask. What more could you want?

Over the weekend, I visited my local Ulta Beauty and picked up ELF's version in the shade Honey Talks.

Immediately, I could see why people were raving about it.

I felt a slight tingle on my lips as I applied it — the result of the product's mint scent — and loved the tint of color it added, which was almost my lip shade but a bit richer.

It reminds me of my favorite luxury lip oil I've tried: the $29 Clarins Lip Comfort Hydrating Oil.

I've continued to wear the lip oil over the past few days and can confirm that it lives up to the hype.

My lips feel more hydrated after using it, and the high shine of the product makes my lips look a bit fuller than they actually are.

I also really love the giant plush applicator that makes it easy to apply, and the product's lasting power. I've noticed it looking fresh for upwards of two hours.

So while I'm open to trying the designer lip oil in the future, this one from ELF is so good and inexpensive that it's mostly quelled my desire to spend $40 on Dior's.