It’s shiny, it’s fruity-scented, it’s colorful — it’s lip gloss, and everyone is addicted…. It’s shiny, it’s fruity-scented, it’s colorful — it’s lip gloss, and everyone is addicted. Yup, it’s high time you admit to your addiction and join the rest of us groupies.

Every time I walk around campus, I’m bound to see at least one person digging her pointer finger in some round, plastic container and then spreading the shiny concoction all over her pouter. I hardly ever see a matte lipstick applied — it’s always something fruity and shiny.

It’s no accident that a “lip balm anonymous” page is the first thing that pops up when you Google “lip balm.” Everyone uses it and everyone sells it.

With all the lip products on the market, it can be pretty tricky to decide which gloss is the perfect one for you. Do you buy the $3 Eckerd brand, or do you snag the $12 name-brand gloss that’s sold in department stores?

Either way, it’s imperative to use some sort of gloss or lip balm.

First off, it’s important to decide what kind of texture you want. Glittery? Basic? Shiny? Smooth? During the winter months, you may want to opt for a lip balm with a consistency that will protect your lips from the harsh elements. But now that the weather is warmer, a lighter gloss is ideal.

Be mindful that lip gloss that’s too chunky and lumpy can leave a white residue on your lips, often resembling cream cheese or other white-ish substances. Needless to say, you may want to test it on your hand or finger before applying it to your precious lips.

It’s also essential to determine what your purpose is for using lip gloss or lip balm. If you just want the shine, you don’t want to get ChapStick; it’s thick and better if used for medicinal purposes. ChapStick types include Lip Moisturizer, Medicated, Flava-Craze, Overnight and All Natural to provide a lip balm for all possible scenarios.

And guys, you too can wear lip balm and I promise your sexual identity will remain intact. There is absolutely nothing wrong with moisturized lips. Chapped, crusty lips aren’t cute and definitely not kissable.

However, if you desire shine, try Naturistics Sweet Treats lip gloss. But be advised: It’s ultra-glossy, and if you aren’t careful, it will leave you looking like you just finished eating a box of fried chicken.

If your lips are sensitive and prone to chronic allergic reactions, then a hypoallergenic gloss is a must-have for you. Supposedly, hypoallergenic glosses produce fewer allergic reactions that regular glosses.

But according to CBC News, the term hypoallergenic doesn’t actually mean anything. Because there aren’t any federal standards or definitions that govern the use of the term, it is often tagged on products that aren’t necessarily “hypoallergenic.”

Within the past few years, I’ve also noticed that lip glosses have gotten rather creative, as they serve more than just the basic purposes.

Now there are glosses that enhance your lips, making them increase up to a half size larger than your normal lip shape. The most popular of the lip enhancers is Lip Venom which is sold at Sephora. DuWop, the maker of Lip Venom, has also created Venom Flash, Lip Venom spiked with subtle gold or silver shimmer.

And if you still feel like the lip glosses sold in stores aren’t good for you, you can even make your own.

Gather one teaspoon of coconut oil, petroleum jelly and grated paraffin wax. Seal the ingredients in a Ziploc bag, and place the bag in a bowl of hot water until the ingredients have melted. After approximately three to five minutes, voila! You have your perfect, shiny lip gloss in record time.

Furthermore, when you make your own you can even add vitamin E and other favorite oils that may not be found in typical lip glosses sold in cosmetic stores.

Still can’t find your perfect lip gloss?

Go back to the basics and use my trusty favorite, petroleum jelly. I know what you’re thinking: “Ew, petroleum jelly!”

But I seriously swear by it, and you will too once you try it. It’s cheap, it’s shiny and it protects your lips like nothing else. And it’s also long-lasting, so you don’t have to keep applying it every hour on the hour.

While it seems that lip-gloss addiction is psychological due to the warm, sexy feeling this product provides, lip glosses don’t contain ingredients that cause dependence or reliance.

So the next time you feel a bit guilty for digging into your lip-gloss pot for the fourth time in one class period, look around you and realize that you aren’t alone. For if you look hard enough, you’ll be sure to spot another victim experiencing lip-gloss withdrawal.

Deena used to think that lip-gloss addiction was an urban legend. But once she tried Burt’s Beeswax and MAC Lipglass, she’s been a true believer. E-mail her at [email protected] and share your lip-gloss addiction stories.