Milk Makeup's viral cooling water jelly tint took over social media and makeup bags this past year. From the jelly consistency to the vibrant colors, people were hooked. And as a certified lazy girl, I swear by lip tints as my one-and-done product for touchups, which is why I was intrigued by the Milk Makeup Cooling Water Jelly Tint.

According to the brand, this pick is transfer-free and can be layered or stand on its own in your makeup routine. It can be used on lips and cheeks — and it actually looks good on both.

To say I was interested is an understatement, so I decided to finally give the product a try.

What is the Milk Makeup Water Jelly Lip Tint? | Why I like this product | What to consider | The bottom line | Why trust Shop TODAY?

Milk Makeup Cooling Water Jelly Lip Tint

Cooling Water Jelly Tint

Size: 0.17 oz. | Key ingredients: vegan collagen, aloe, seawater, niacinamide, hibiscus rosa-sinensis flower extract | Shades: 6 colors available

What is the Milk Makeup Water Jelly Lip Tint?

To put it simply, this is a blush and lip tint product in one — and it's jelly-like. In all honesty, I have resisted all urges (and there were many) to bite this Jello-like lip tint. With the cap off, the product almost looks too good to be true, and has even gone viral on social media for its distinctive appearance and texture. It really does look and feel like jelly, and it moves with your body when you apply it to your face.

Most lip tints have a liquid consistency, and you have to be careful with how much you apply before they become hard to blend. This Milk product is different because its jelly consistency adds moisture to your skin to leave noticeable pigment without looking blotchy.

Why I like it

It actually feels refreshing and is easily buildable

When it comes to beauty products and skin care, the word "cooling" usually means "irritating" for my sensitive skin — however, Milk's water-based formula felt refreshing and gentle. I might even keep it in the fridge for an extra cooling burst!

The brand recommends working on one cheek at a time in circular motions until you achieve your desired pigmentation. For me, that was about five dabs — and I like a "sunburnt" look when it comes to blush. I don't even have to add highlighter when I wear this tint, because it adds noticeable, dewy-looking hydration to my cheeks. In the winter months, I normally have to reapply moisturizer to my skin halfway through my days, but this tint does a great job of imparting lasting hydration to your face without looking like a marker.

It glides seamlessly onto base makeup

If I am going from day to night, I start with this tint as a base on my lips and layer on a gloss or dark lipstick on top. The tint provides the perfect amount of color payoff to play with light and dark looks — or just keep it simple. Layering is easy: The product didn’t transfer, even when I swiped my finger across my lips to test its staying power. (Although it does glide off easily with an oil-based cleanser). One reviewer even mentioned that they work at a pool and noted how they, “can use this to tint my lips and cheeks for all-day color.” She added, “There is seriously not a better option out there.”

To her point, unlike many other pigmented tints, this one can be applied easily over foundation without ruining your base makeup. If you want to go for a more blended look, I recommend using a brush to apply it for more even coverage. There are four shades to choose from, so you can find your perfect match.

It can even be applied to eyelids! It leaves a bright color without being too striking. I like to layer something sparkly over the tint to really make it pop.

They just announced two new shades

Many months after the initial release, Milk Makeup added two new shades of the product — Fresh and Fizz — and these might be my favorite shades yet.

Cooling Water Jelly Tint Lip + Cheek Blush Stain

The new shade Fizz embodies the color of a soft peach and Fresh is described as a soft pink. Both are a lot lighter than the original shades from the first launch, but are just as pigmented and offer a more light coverage that’s perfect for cooler weather when skin is a little paler.

What to consider

The application of the tint can be tricky to figure out at first because it does go on like a stamp, so you have to work quickly with the product so it does not dry like a circle. Some reviewers preferred a brush to their fingers for dabbing around the product, but I prefer using my fingers or damp tissue.

In terms of price, this product clocks in at $24. It seems expensive at first, but the brand promises that each is good for 1,000+ applications. Definitely a long time! In my opinion, it is certainly a fair price to pay to pack three fewer things in my bag — and take a lot fewer trips to the bathroom for touchups.

The bottom line

Now, as mentioned above, I am a certified lazy girl. This means I want the most bang for my buck with as little work as possible — aka, I don't want to have to reapply my makeup over and over again. I put this lip tint to the test and applied it in the morning before heading to work, and checked in around 2:00 pm to see how it was holding up. And, just like that, it looked just as good as it did in the early hours — I only had to reapply my gloss.

So, if you are looking for a buildable product that does it all, this jelly tint is for you.

Why trust Shop TODAY?

The Shop TODAY editors and writers search the internet to find the best products out there. We interview expert sources and use our own personal experiences with the product and brand to make shopping easier for our readers

Annie Shigo is a social media editorial assistant for Shop TODAY, who has written a variety of beauty product reviews for the site, including a curl cream review and a brow serum review.