"[3] Now supported by a major label, Cocker said before the single's release that, if it did not succeed commercially, the band would break up.

[6] Cocker reflected, "With 'Lipgloss' we knew that you could see it was growing all the time, a bit of radio play and its coming in at 55 or whatever.

Writing in Select magazine, Stuart Maconie reviewed a live performance of the song before its release, writing: "Simply a straightforwardly marvelous pop song, so direct and refreshing that it will confound those who have the band tagged as a quirky novelty act.

"[10] Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote of the song, "There isn't just joy but transcendence here on the fuzz guitars that power the chorus of 'Lipgloss,'"[11] while Simon Williams of the NME wrote that the song "retain[s] a sense of head-spinning grandeur after countless plays.

"[12] All songs were written and composed by Jarvis Cocker, Russell Senior, Steve Mackey, Nick Banks, and Candida Doyle.