Lipstick has been relegated to the back of the shelf in favor of younger, shinier lip gloss for the last few years. But now the beauty product that provided many women with their introduction to makeup is making a comeback. So instead of swiping your lips with a slick of sticky gloss, prepare to wear something a little more retro this spring.

The iconic cosmetic product is experiencing a resurgence of sorts. “Lipstick is becoming a big thing again,” a makeup artist for Giorgio Armani Cosmetics, Tim Quinn, said. “Younger women are getting into lipstick, rather than just a tube of gloss.”

Boston-based makeup artist Debra Macki agrees. “For the past few years, women have been choosing lip gloss rather than lipsticks. But this season, lipstick is definitely back.”

Why the renewed interest? For one thing, cosmetics companies are using technology to create formulas that are more comfortable to wear. “It is not just the same old creamy formula anymore,” a personal shopper for beauty at Barneys New York, Carlo Geraci, said. “Lipsticks are available in new formulas that are exciting customers who are tired of their lip glosses – and reapplying them over and over again.” Mr. Geraci noted that he has been selling more lipsticks lately simply because there are more lipsticks to sell.

Last October, Clinique introduced Colour Surge Butter Shine Lipstick ($14), which uses high-shine gellants and special waxes that melt at body temperature to create a shiny, lightweight feel. In January, Lancome launched its Color Design collection of lipsticks ($20), which uses “smooth-hold technology” to de liver full-color coverage in one coat. And last month, Shiseido introduced its Shimmering Lipstick ($22), which is made with a patent-pending oil that provides the look of a gloss with the wear of a conventional lipstick.

New formulas debuting this spring include Giorgio Armani’s ArmaniSilk ($25), made with super-fine powder and polymers to create bright colors that look and feel like silk. Armani’s lipstick will be available next month in 18 colors, plus three “accessory” lipsticks that provide different finishes. Another new lipstick on the market is Chanel’s Rouge Allure ($29),available in May in 22 shades. Mr. Geraci anticipates that Rouge Allure, which is made with silicones, will be a successful addition to the Chanel line for Barneys. (Chanel’s last new formula, Aqualumiere, which launched in May 2004, is the retailer’s best-selling line of lipstick.)

Lipstick feels fresh after so much focus on lip gloss. “Women like change,” Ms. Macki said. Makeup artist Nick Barose, who has worked with actresses Mischa Barton, Zooey Deschanel, and Lindsay Lohan, credits the renewed interest in lipstick to a return to glamour. “We’re going for a more polished, elegant, sophisticated look, and a good lipstick plays a big role in creating this effect,” he said. Plus, Mr. Quinn said, “There’s something luxurious about applying lipstick from a tube. It’s elegant-looking. It’s another form of an accessory.”

It’s also versatile. “Lipstick offers a range of finishes, [from] soft matte to ultra-shiny,” Chanel’s senior vice president of beauty marketing, Elizabeth Mankin, said. “Suddenly, lipstick is new again with lots of options.”

When selecting a shade of lipstick, makeup artists suggest pinks and corals for spring. “They work well with so many skin tones,” Mr. Quinn said. Mr. Barose recommends pinks that have a slight sheen and reflective gold flecks. “Avoid milky, chalky shades that are too pale – it looks unhealthy,” he said. For coral, he suggests shades with a hint of bronze and a sheer, glaze-like texture. And for a really fresh look this spring, Ms. Macki recommends a red lip for day, paired with a nude liner. “That’s a more modern look,” she said.

If lipstick is new (or new again) to you, take baby steps toward bold color. A bright lip “looks great on the runway, but the average woman should ease her way into it,” Mr. Quinn, who helped develop the color palette for ArmaniSilk, said. “Like anything, if you jump into it, you won’t feel comfortable.” What will feel comfortable? Not having to worry about your hair sticking to your lips.