The 9 Best Lip Stains of 2022

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Do you ever find yourself in that frustrating situation when you crave more than a lip balm (because pigment) and less than a lipstick (because maintenance)? Same. Call us demanding, but we firmly believe there's a time and place for our go-to balm, while there are certain occasions when nothing short of a creamy, long-wearing lipstick will do.

Luckily, there's a wonderfully handy solve: the lip stain, a pout-perfecting antidote to that aforementioned gray area and a sweet middle ground for those times when you're feeling a tad indecisive. To keep stress to the minimum (and your lips to the maximum), we've rounded up a list of the very best lips stains. Not only will you look like you just ate a popsicle, but your lips will also stay plump and hydrated. Which is really the name of the game, yes?

Pucker up, and keep scrolling: These are the best lip stains on the market.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

Yves Saint Laurent Vinyl Cream Lip Stain at Sephora

For a heavy hit of color, hydration, and staying powder (10 hours, to be exact), this glossy pick is the ultimate wingwoman.

Best Budget:

e.l.f. Cosmetics Radiant Gel Lip Stain at Amazon

This affordable pick gives off sheer color with a cooling and hydrating effect.

Best Matte:

Tarte Lippie Lingerie Matte Tint at Sephora

This pick dries down matte and delivers a "your lips but better" look.

Best Drugstore:

Revlon Balm Stain at Amazon

This drugstore pick is lightweight and deeply moisturizing, and it comes in five pretty shades.

Best Classic:

Benefit Cosmetics Benetint Cheek & Lip Stain at Sephora

This game-changing rose-tinted stain delivers a smudge-proof, sexy flush with a glow.

Best Natural:

Rituel de Fille Enchanted Lip Sheer at Amazon

This sheer, semi-matte lip stain is 99% natural and enriched with soothing botanicals, your lips are sure to thank you.

Best Hydrating:

Buxom Serial Kisser Plumping Lip Stain at Ulta

Thanks to hyaluronic acid, this lip stain delivers a gorgeous wash of color while leaving the lips supple and hydrated.

Best Rollerball:

Milk Makeup Glow Oil at Walmart

The rollerball applicator makes us feel 10 years younger.

Best Double-Duty:

RMS Beauty Lip2Cheek at Amazon

There are nine mineral-based shades to choose from, and they look equally pretty from cheek to lip.

In This Article

Our Picks
What to Look For

Yves Saint Laurent Vinyl Cream Lip Stain

View On Sephora View On Nordstrom View On Bloomingdales

What We Like

Lasts all day
High-shine finish
Brush makes precise application easy

What We Don't Like

A little expensive

For a heavy hit of color, hydration, and staying powder (10 hours, to be exact), this glossy cult favorite is the ultimate wingwoman. For a lip stain, it boasts impressive coverage, so if you're looking for something sheerer, tread carefully. The slanted tip and short, soft bristles of the applicator make for flawless precision every time. Plus, the impressive shade range spans everything from soft nudes to brights like fuchsia.

View On Amazon

What We Like

Feels cooling on lips
Wears comfortably
Can be worn on cheeks

What We Don't Like

Could be longer-lasting

There are lip stains about 20 times the price of this one, but this affordable pick really deserves its time in the spotlight. It's a weightless gel tint that gives off sheer color with a cooling and hydrating effect. The formula comes in three sultry shades and helps the lips appear hydrated and plump.

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What We Like

Matte finish doesn't look dry
Buildable
Smooth, moisturizing formula

What We Don't Like

No bold shades available

If you’re searching for a lip tint with the perfect matte finish, you can stop looking: Tarte’s Lippie Lingerie Matte Lip Tint is it. It comes in six neutral nude shades that deliver that "my lips but better" look. It smooths right onto your pucker—just like a balm—for buildable, full-coverage color. It contains a blend of mango seed, cupuacu, and murumuru butter and helps keep your pout moisturized and protected.

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What We Like

Moisturizing formula
Pretty range of shades
Long-lasting

What We Don't Like

Tingling sensation may not be for all

As one of the original lip stains to hit the market, it's telling that Revlon's iconic formula is still a beauty-editor favorite. Yes, the price is delectable, but so is the punch of lasting lightweight color that's surprisingly fun to apply (and reapply, though you won't have to do that often). The gel formula is lightweight and deeply moisturizing, and it comes in eight pretty shades. Plus, the chubby crayon is retractable, so you never have to worry about finding a sharpener.

Coverage Level: Sheer | Finish: Satin | Shades: 8 | Byrdie Clean: No | Cruelty-Free: No

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What We Like

Long-lasting
Can be worn on cheeks
A little goes a long way

What We Don't Like

Contains parabens

No list of lip stains would be complete without the OG of the category, Benefit’s Benetint Cheek & Lip Stain. The game-changing rose-tinted stain delivers a smudge-proof, sexy flush with a glow. Also nice: The formula doubles as a cheek color.

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What We Like

Pretty shades
Moisturizing formula
Byrdie Clean

What We Don't Like

Only 3 shades available

Confession: Rituel de Fille's lush line of cosmetics has created pandemonium within the Byrdie offices. And this sheer, semi-matte lip stain from the brand is right at the forefront. It is hands down the best one of our editors has ever tried. Given that the formula is 99% natural and packed with botanicals, your lips are sure to thank you.

Coverage Level: Sheer | Finish: Semi-matte | Shades: 3 | Byrdie Clean: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes

View On Ulta View On QVC View On Buxomcosmetics.com

What We Like

Plumps and hydrates
Flattering shade range
Glossy finish

What We Don't Like

Contains fragrance

Infused with humectant all-star hyaluronic acid, this lip stain-gloss hybrid delivers a gorgeous wash of color while leaving the lips oh-so supple. Hyaluronic acid is famed for its moisture-retaining abilities, so your pout is guaranteed to stay hydrated and soft all day long. It comes in eight flattering shades, ranging from nudes to berries and reds.

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Key Ingredients

Vitamin E is an antioxidant vitamin and oil often found in anti-oxidant blend topicals or moisturizers. It also helps soothe the skin and protects the lipid barrier.

A "long-wearing gloss" sounds like an oxymoron, but this oil-infused lip stain proves it can be done. In short, the shades are gorgeous, the rollerball applicator makes us feel 10 years younger, and the nutrient-rich formula (thanks, vitamin E!) delivers a rush of hydration.

View On Amazon View On Sephora

What We Like

Pretty shades
Can be worn on cheeks
Hydrating formula

What We Don't Like

Doesn't include an applicator

Nothing is more satisfying than a two-for-one product that actually delivers on both fronts. There are nine mineral-based shades to choose from (for each day of the week and then some), and they look equally pretty from cheek to lip. Truth be told, this best-of lip stain will help your pout live its best life.

What to Look For in a Lip Stain

Finish

The first thing Urban Decay Global Makeup Artist Steve Kassajikian recommends looking for when shopping for a lip stain is the finish. While you don’t have as many choices as you would with traditional bullet lipsticks, most stains either have a matte or glossy finish. However, it’s worth noting that stains with a gloss finish will eventually wear off (much like a regular lip gloss), and the actual stain they leave behind will be matte.

Hydrating Ingredients

Like full-coverage liquid lipsticks, lip stains also have the potential to leave the lips feeling dry. Kassajikian recommends seeking out formulas that contain hydrating ingredients in order to avoid this issue. Alternatively, another great way to avoid dryness and also help lock the color in? Apply a thin layer of balm once the stain dries down.

Waterproof Formula

The whole point of wearing a lip stain is to, well, stain your lips, providing you with long-lasting color that doesn’t need to be constantly reapplied. While most formulas tend to have longer wear than traditional lipsticks and glosses, Kassajikian recommends reaching for a waterproof formula to ensure your color will last through just about anything.

Meet the Expert

Steve Kassajikian is Urban Decay’s Global Makeup Artist.

Behold: The 15 Best Lipsticks of All Time

The Best Lip Stains That Give You That Popsicle Finish

Best Overall: Yves Saint Laurent Vinyl Cream Lip Stain

Best Budget: e.l.f. Cosmetics Radiant Gel Lip Stain

Best Matte: Tarte Lippie Lingerie Matte Tint

Best Drugstore: Revlon Balm Stain

Best Classic: Benefit Cosmetics Benetint Cheek & Lip Stain

Best Natural: Rituel de Fille Enchanted Lip Sheer

Best Hydrating: Buxom Serial Kisser Plumping Lip Stain

Best Rollerball: Milk Makeup Glow Oil

Best Double-Duty: RMS Beauty Lip2Cheek

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