The Viral CoverGirl Yummy Big Oil Stick Review: A Lip Oil for Hydration?
I picked up the viral CoverGirl Clean Fresh Yummy Big Oil Stick in Berry Big Deal expecting a pretty berry tint. What I didn't expect was to end up liking it more as an inexpensive lip oil for hydration than as a makeup product.
After seeing people argue about whether this enormous stick was meant for your lips, cheeks, or both, I obviously wanted to see what the fuss was about.
I picked up Berry Big Deal 130, which is the deepest-looking berry shade in the six-shade range. In the tube, it looks like it's going to deliver some serious color.
It doesn't.
This is one of the sheerest lip products I've tried in a while. The strange thing is that after using it for a bit, I've found myself liking it more than I initially expected.
The color is pretty. It's easy to reapply. Most importantly, my chronically dry lips actually feel better since I've been using it regularly.
So, is the viral CoverGirl Yummy Big Oil Stick worth buying?
Price: Around $10 USD
Shade tested: 130 Berry Big Deal
Rating: ★★★☆☆ 3/5
For me, it's an okay makeup product and a surprisingly good lip oil for hydration.
What Is the CoverGirl Yummy Big Oil Stick?
Despite some of the confusion surrounding the launch, CoverGirl currently categorizes the Clean Fresh Yummy Big Oil Stick as a lip oil stick and instructs you to apply it to your lips.
It's designed to give you dewy shine and a sheer tint of color with a solid formula that melts into an oil as you apply it. CoverGirl says the formula contains a blend of nourishing oils and plant-derived squalane to hydrate and soften the lips.
So if you're picturing a highly pigmented lipstick in giant packaging, that's not really what this is.
Think of it more as a cross between a tinted lip oil and a really big lip balm.
And I do mean really big.
Berry Big Deal Looks WAY More Pigmented in the Stick
This was probably my biggest surprise.
Berry Big Deal looks gorgeous in the tube. It's a deep berry red that made me think I'd get quite a noticeable wash of berry on my skin.
Then I swatched it to see what it looked like on my cool-toned skin. .
That's Berry Big Deal. It's not a big deal, but it's definitely a BIG package!
On my cool-toned skin, it's a very sheer, muted berry pink with a glossy finish. You can definitely see color, but considering how dark the product itself looks, the difference is pretty dramatic.
To be fair to CoverGirl, sheer color is exactly what the company promises. CoverGirl describes the Yummy Big Oil Stick as providing a sheer tint and dewy shine rather than opaque pigmentation.
So I can't really call the lack of pigment a failure when the product is doing what it's supposed to do.
I can say that if you're buying Berry Big Deal because of how rich it looks in the tube, adjust your expectations.
If you're searching for a lip oil tint that gives you a soft hint of color, this makes much more sense.
Berry Big Deal Is Actually Really Pretty on My Lips
This is where the product started winning me over...a little.
Look at how much softer it is on the lips than it appears in the stick.
I actually really like the color.
It gives my lips a subtle berry effect that looks natural and works beautifully with my cool coloring. There's enough berry there to make my lips look a little more alive, without looking like I've put on lipstick.
It's the kind of product I could see myself wearing to the beach, running out to the mailbox, picking up my child from the bus stop, or doing a quick errand when I don't feel like putting on makeup.
Someone who prefers very natural makeup might like this considerably more than I did at first.
It's also incredibly forgiving. I don't need a mirror to apply it. There's no lip liner involved. I can swipe it on and go.
For me, Berry Big Deal works better as an effortless everyday lip product than as something I'd specifically buy for its color payoff.
If you love a cool-toned lip but want more color than Berry Big Deal gives you, I put together 8 cool-toned lipstick shades that won’t pull warm. These are better options when you want your lip color to actually show up while still keeping that cooler pink, berry, mauve or red tone.
Is the CoverGirl Yummy Big Oil Stick a Good Lip Oil for Hydration?
This actually surprised me.
I have very dry lips, and since I started using the Yummy Big Oil Stick, I've genuinely noticed that they're doing better.
That's probably the main reason I'm giving this three stars instead of two.
CoverGirl says the formula is designed to hydrate and nourish the lips, and it contains plant-derived squalane along with its oil blend. The brand says the stick-to-oil texture should leave lips looking smoother and softer.
In my experience, that claim holds up.
I've started keeping mine near where I work and putting it on whenever my lips feel dry. At this point, I'm using it more as a lip oil moisturizer than as makeup.
If you're specifically looking for a lip oil for hydration, that changes my opinion of this product considerably.
I don't love it as a pigmented lip product.
I do like what it's doing for my lips.
Okay, So What Happened With Mikayla Nogueira?
This is probably why a lot of people are suddenly interested in this product. "The Boston Lady" never fails to drum up controversy.
Beauty influencer Mikayla Nogueira tried the Yummy Big Oil Stick on her cheeks as blush. The application disturbed the makeup underneath, and she wasn't impressed.
That kicked off a much larger online argument about whether she'd simply used the product incorrectly or whether CoverGirl's marketing had created confusion about what the Yummy Big Oil Stick was supposed to be.
And there really was confusion.
Discussions about the controversy show consumers arguing over whether the product had been presented as something that could be used on the cheeks as well as the lips. The debate became big enough that beauty podcasts were still discussing the "CoverGirl vs. Mikayla" situation weeks later.
Here's the part we can verify now:
CoverGirl's current official instructions are for the lips.
The brand tells you to twist the product up, apply it generously to your lips and layer it if you want additional color, shine and nourishment. CoverGirl also currently places the Yummy Big Oil Stick in its Lip Balms & Treatments category.
That matters. And it's shocking to me that a big influencer wouldn't at least google the product before reviewing it...
An oily, emollient stick rubbed directly over an existing foundation base has the potential to move the makeup underneath. Personally, I wouldn't judge this product primarily on how it behaves when rubbed over a full face of makeup.
I do understand why people were confused.
Look at it!
It's absolutely enormous, it's shaped like many of the oversized cheek sticks on the market, and the color of Berry Big Deal certainly looks blush-like.
What makes this especially interesting is that Mikayla has previously talked about this exact problem.
In past makeup advice, she's explained that she avoids applying cream or liquid cheek products with a lot of oil over powder because the oils can break up the makeup underneath.
That's essentially what happened when she rubbed the Yummy Big Oil Stick over her existing base. It doesn't mean you have to like the product, but I don't think that particular test tells us much about how it performs on bare skin or on the lips. Everything she does is calculated, so I am sure she will be releasing or collab-ing on a lip/cheek oil soon. 😅
I actually wrote an article a couple of years ago about Mikayla Nogueira. It is, to date, one of my favorite things I've written. (I have written over 150 articles for various publications and two books).
I decided to try mine on my bare cheeks to check it out. That's a much more interesting test to me than putting an oily product over foundation and expecting the foundation not to move.
I have no makeup on my face in this photo except the yummy big oil stick on my lips and cheeks.
I tried it with a brush and didn't find that worked well, using my fingers didn't rub the product off. This isn't intended for the cheeks. But it would be okay to use if you forget to put on blush or want extra color on a bare face.
I don't love how it feels on my face, though. The oily, balmy texture that feels so moisturizing on my lips feels a little strange sitting on my cheeks. I can see the appeal if you love a very dewy finish, but personally, I'd stick to using this as a lip oil.
The cheek test did make the Mikayla controversy even more interesting to me. On bare skin, the product can give you a pretty flush. I just wouldn't reach for it as my everyday blush. But in a pinch, it gives you a beachy-natural look.
Does This Lip Oil for Hydration Actually Last?
There's another thing you need to know.
The color doesn't last particularly long on me.
I can apply Berry Big Deal, get that pretty sheer berry effect, and then find myself needing to reapply it fairly soon.
Again, I don't think that necessarily makes this a bad product. CoverGirl isn't marketing it as a long-wearing stain. It's a hydrating oil stick.
But if you've landed here while looking for a lip oil stain, this isn't what I'd choose.
The upside is that it's extremely easy to reapply. I can put it on like lip balm without thinking about it, and because the color is so sheer, I'm not worried about accidentally creating a berry-colored disaster around my mouth.
For the right person, that could actually be part of the appeal.
If reapplying isn't your thing, I've also tested the $5 e.l.f. Lip Stain Markers in Ballet Core and Mauvelous. They're a completely different kind of lip product, but they're worth a look if you want more noticeable color and a stain rather than the sheer, balmy finish you get from the CoverGirl.
Can We Talk About How Huge This Thing Is?
You really don't appreciate the size of the Yummy Big Oil Stick until you're holding one.
It's chunky.
I actually like the packaging itself. The cap screws on, which is a nice touch for an oily product that might otherwise end up loose inside your bag. Once it's open, the product twists up like an old-school bullet lipstick.
It feels cute and a little nostalgic.
The size isn't particularly purse-friendly, though.
If you carry a tiny handbag, this thing is going to take up a ridiculous amount of space. If you're a student throwing it into a backpack, carry a larger tote, or just want something to keep at your desk, the size isn't much of an issue.
Mine has basically become a desk lip balm.
And weirdly, that's where it shines.
Is the CoverGirl Clean Fresh Yummy Big Oil Stick Vegan?
The Yummy Big Oil Stick belongs to CoverGirl's Clean Fresh collection, which CoverGirl describes as a vegan makeup collection. The brand says the collection is made without sulfates, formaldehyde, phthalates, parabens or talc.
CoverGirl also describes its current makeup lineup as cruelty-free.
Those are nice features to have in an affordable drugstore lip oil, particularly if vegan beauty products are important to you.
Who Do I Think Would Actually Like This?
I can see this becoming someone's favorite product. It just needs to be the right someone.
I'd consider it if you:
prefer sheer, natural-looking makeup
want a moisturizing lip product with some color
have dry lips
like berry shades without strong pigmentation
want something you can apply without a mirror
don't mind reapplying throughout the day
carry a larger purse, tote or backpack
If you're expecting Berry Big Deal to look anything like that dark berry stick once it's on your lips, I'd skip it.
There are much better options if what you really want is strong pigmentation or lasting color.
CoverGirl Yummy Big Oil Stick vs. Dior Lip Glow Oil
At around $10 USD, the Yummy Big Oil Stick is firmly in drugstore territory.
For comparison, the Dior Addict Lip Glow Oil is $42 USD, which makes the CoverGirl a much easier impulse buy if all you want is some hydration, shine and a sheer wash of color.
I don’t think the CoverGirl feels especially luxurious, and the wear time is pretty short, but at less than a quarter of the Dior price, I’m also not expecting it to perform like a prestige lip oil.
Is the Viral CoverGirl Yummy Big Oil Stick Worth It?
I'm glad I didn't write this review after using it once.
My first impression wasn't particularly good.
Berry Big Deal wasn't nearly as pigmented as I expected, the color disappeared relatively quickly, and the product itself is comically large.
Then I kept using it.
And kept using it.
That's what ultimately brought me to three stars.
★★★☆☆ 3/5
The Yummy Big Oil Stick isn't a great choice for someone looking for a bold berry lip. It's also not going to replace a proper lip oil stain if longevity is your priority.
What it gives me is a very pretty, sheer berry tint and lips that genuinely feel more moisturized.
Berry Big Deal also works beautifully with my cool colouring. I particularly like that it gives me some life in my lips without turning into a warm peachy shade.
For quick errands, minimal-makeup days, sitting at my desk or throwing something into a backpack, I get it.
I even understand the enormous packaging a little more now.
Would I rush out and buy another shade?
Probably not.
Am I going to finish Berry Big Deal?
At the rate I'm reaching for it, probably yes.
And for a product I initially thought I didn't like very much, that's actually saying something.
Final Rating: ★★★☆☆ 3/5
Best for: Dry lips, sheer berry color, minimal makeup and easy reapplication
Skip it if: You want noticeable pigmentation, long wear or a compact lip product
💬 Did you try this product? If so, do you like it? And did you try it on your lips, cheeks, or both? Leave your thoughts in the comments!
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