Lip stains are nothing new, of course, but it’s fair to say they’re staging a comeback. Big time. On TikTok alone, the hashtag #lipstain has 93 million views while the phrase has been mentioned an enormous 176.8 million times. It seems we’re on the hunt for the very best ones, too, with Google Trends showing a sharp uptick in searches this past month.
Reminiscent of the ’90s and ’00s, tutorials prove that a pin prick of the highly pigmented product is more than enough to lend lips that coveted ‘just bitten’ look, while a more generous slick underneath a heavy helping of gloss plumps and shapes lips in moments. Perhaps its resurgence has something to do with our yearning for a more low maintenance makeup look lately. A quick dab is meant to last, and the product can double up as both blush and eyeshadow, too.
But how wearable are lip stains really? Those who dabbled years ago might remember that there was no room for mistakes. Just like the name suggests, the pigment really stuck around, and if you weren’t too keen on the final result, well, it was kinda tough.
2022’s latest offerings seem a lot more promising, though. From Fenty Beauty through to e.l.f., R29 staffers put five trending lip stains to the test. Here are their unfiltered thoughts.
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Product: Fenty Beauty Poutsicle Hydrating Lip Stain in Strawberry Sangria, £17.
Verdict: “I don’t have many requirements for lip and cheek stains, except to blend into my skin effortlessly, as well as to add colour and radiance while looking as natural as possible. It’s a small ask. Fenty’s Pousticle hydrating lip stain does live up to its name. It’s hydrating and light, and, boy, does it have ‘staining’ power.
As my lips are a deep brown, lip stains don’t always work on me, only leaving colour on the pinkish parts of my lips, and inside of my mouth (I tend to look like a kid who has just finished licking an ice lolly). Yet, in just a few applications of the shade Strawberry Sangria, it lent my lips a warm reddish hue as if I had been drinking, well, sangria!
While it doesn’t claim to be a cheek stain, Pousiticle worked well as a blush (you just have to blend quickly) and the pigment is bold but natural. I won’t be abandoning my matte lipsticks anytime soon, but I’ll grab this on low-key days.”
Fenty Beauty Poutsicle Hydrating Lip Stain, $, available at Boots
Product: e.l.f. Glossy Lip Stain in Power Mauves, £6.
Verdict: “I have three words for the e.l.f. Glossy Lip Stain: soft, creamy and wearable. If a cream lipstick and a lipgloss had a baby, this would be the result. It feels buttery to apply and, at first, leaves your lips juicy and glossy without any of the stickiness you would usually associate with a gloss.
I will admit, it did take me a few coats to achieve the colour intensity I like, but once the gloss dries, the colour remains. It left my lips feeling soft, smooth and, most importantly, didn’t dry them out. Stain-wise, though, I didn’t think too much of the staying power. After an hour or so of wear post morning iced coffee, it definitely needed re-applying.
I reckon this is one to keep stashed in my makeup reserves for days when I want a little more than a lip balm, but not quite a lipstick or gloss. It’s a sheer, natural dash of colour.”
e.l.f. Glossy Lip Stain, $, available at Boots
Product: YSL Lip Vernis Á Lévres Water Stain Lip Gloss, £32.
Verdict: “My lips can err on the side of Sahara Desert — grooves, lines, flakes and all. When the dryness hits it can be hard to find a stain that doesn’t a) exacerbate the problem b) make it look even more pronounced. So for a red lippy, I’d usually go for a creamy matte lipstick for unbudgeable staying power, because, well, no one likes crimson-stained teeth.
I initially balked at the idea of a red lip stain. Jammy, fluid, smearable… Surely a recipe for disaster? At first, I was really surprised with this YSL formula, it initially goes on quite sticky but eventually dries to a moisturising tacky finish, which feels lovely on the lips. But after the initial application had worn off, I was less impressed. Due to the high pigment of the colour, the finished stain certainly had staying power but after a couple of hours it looked strangely patchy on the drier part of my lips. [Beauty editor’s note: prime your lips with balm or moisturiser beforehand]. I won’t be ditching my regular red anytime soon.”
YSL Vernis á Lévres Water Stain Lip Gloss, $, available at YSL
Product: Clarins Water Lip Stain in 02 Water Orange, £19.
Verdict: “I’m intrigued by lip stains. I like makeup that is very subtle and involves the least effort possible to apply. Don’t get me wrong, I love full glam looks on other people and love watching it being applied, but it would take so much effort to keep anything in place because I am as oily as I am lazy. So I was excited to go back to those heady days when Benetint was the height of glamour.
This orange is orange in the tube but much more subtle when it’s applied. I found it took several applications to stain all of my lips properly the first time. While my bottom lip was a lovely coral shade, it would only take to the inside of my top lip at first. This made me look like I’d just eaten a Solero Exotic ice-cream.
Once we got it together I loved the effect and it lasted a bit, but it still transferred onto mugs. Ironically, the dots I put on my cheeks did last but I didn’t blend quick enough, so my other blush had to compensate. This makeup maybe isn’t built for inept makeup girlies… the colour is lush though.”
Clarins Water Lip Stain, $, available at Boots
Product: Tropic Lip Stain in Pink Bloom, £14.
Verdict: “The only lip stain I’ve ever tried is benefit’s Benetint, years ago. From what I remember of the extremely highly pigmented water tint, there was no room for mistakes. One wrong move and you could end up with a splotch of colour that wouldn’t budge, no matter how many different types of makeup remover you took to it. Tropic’s Lip Stain has similar claims: smudge-proof, no transfer and stays in place.
I was wary, but the doe foot applicator made it so easy to apply the product, which has a very thin texture, like water. I didn’t need any lip pencil at all to create a crisp outline. The fuchsia pink colour took me aback at first (I’m usually a red person) but it complemented my summer tan beautifully and garnered lots of compliments from my boyfriend.
My lips are very dry, and pigment tends to collect in certain areas, so I’d suggest applying a little moisturiser or balm to your lips before trying this one. I applied two coats for more of an intense colour. I also love my lips to be glossy and juicy, so I tapped a bit of Vaseline on top. In terms of wear, this product stayed put through two cups of tea, breakfast and lunch before dulling ever so slightly, which is a testament to the staying power. All in all, I love this shade and I’ll definitely wear it again, maybe even dotting a little on my cheeks next time.”
Benefit Benetint Rose-Tinted Lip And Cheek Stain, $, available at Boots
Tropic Lip Stain in Pink Bloom, $, available at Tropic
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