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If we’re being honest, there are plenty of times when we find ourselves needing a bit more than a swipe of lipstick or lip gloss. Call us demanding, but we firmly believe there’s a time and a place for everything. Situations where we need our lip color to stay put require nothing less than a lip stain. Celebrity makeup artist, Kate Synnott tells Byrdie that lip stains are defined by their lightweight texture as opposed to heavier cream or wax-based lipsticks. She goes on to explain that lip stains are an ideal middle ground for those times when you need your lip color to not budge a single inch through a multitude of precarious situations (like mask-wearing or sweating profusely during a workout, to name a few).
Byrdie Researched & Approved
Our best overall pick is Ere Perez Beetroot Cheek & Lip Tint, a highly pigmented and hydrating formula that feels amazing on delicate lip skin and doesn't budge. For a more affordable pick, consider L’Oréal Paris Rouge Signature Matte Lip Stain, a non-drying drugstore option that goes on smooth with a plush applicator tip.
The best lip stains come in a barrage of color options and a variety of formulas and finishes. Most importantly, they actually can hydrate dry lips, so it's important to look for a formula that doesn't crackle on thin, delicate lip skin.
We conducted hours of research on the best lip stains, considering dozens of formulas. We took into consideration their finish, shade range, and how they feel on your lips—noting in particular, any hydrating ingredients. After consulting with two celebrity makeup artists, we landed on these top-rated picks.
Ahead, find the very best lip stains that’ll keep your lips looking plump and hydrated.
Best Overall
Ere Perez Beetroot Cheek & Lip Tint
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Ulta
Water-resistant
Buildable
Long-lasting
Multiuse formula
Dries fast; must apply quickly
For a formula that’ll last through everything (including a sweat sesh or dance party), you’ll want to reach for this Ere Perez formula. Its two vibrant shades—Joy (bright cherry red) and Fun (bright fuchsia pink)—add a buildable bright natural pigment. The lip stain is both water-resistant and long-lasting, which is why it’s our favorite. Since it’s also made to be used on both your cheeks and lips, you can use it to create the fresh-faced, natural makeup look that you’ve been eyeing.
Price at time of publish: $29
Size: 0.15 ounce | Finish: Matte | Shades: 2 | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Budget
L'Oréal Paris Rouge Signature Matte Lip Stain
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Amazon
Lightweight
Long-lasting
Precise applicator for easy application
Hard to remove
Confession: With a price tag that rings in at under $15, this L’Oréal lip stain is just as incredible as its pricier counterparts. The multiple shade options, long-wearing formula, and precise applicator solidify how great it is. Plus, its matte formula feels super lightweight on your lips, so there’s no need to worry about your lips feeling dry as with some other lip stains.
Price at time of publish: $10
Size: 0.23 ounce | Finish: Matte | Shades: 9 | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Drugstore
Flower Beauty Bitten Lip Stain
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Ulta
Glides on smoothly
Hydrating
Not tacky on lips
Takes a while to set
With a formula that applies like a gloss and stays put like a stain, there isn’t much not to love about this pick from Flower Beauty. Its water-based formula, lightweight gel texture, and long-lasting tint are packed with moisturizing ingredients while avoiding the tackiness and dryness that lip stains typically bring. Also nice: Its six shades—in pink and red variations—would look fabulous on all skin tones.
Price at time of publish: $12.38
Size: 0.16 fluid ounce | Finish: Glossy | Shades: 6 | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Matte
Tarte Lippie Lingerie Matte Tint
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Sephora
Glides on smoothly
Buildable
Small size
Searching for a lip tint with the best matte finish? Opt for this one from Tarte. It arrives in six smooth neutral shades—just like a balm—for a buildable, full-coverage hue. Each variation is intended to deliver the “my lips but better” look—and it certainly achieves. And we’d be remiss not to mention that it contains mango seed for protection and cupuaçu and murumuru butter for added moisture.
Price at time of publish: $24
Size: 0.10 ounce | Finish: Matte | Shades: 6 | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Plumping
Victoria Beckham Beauty Bitten Lip Tint
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Victoria Beckham
Smoothing and plumping
Gives great pigment
Natural-looking
Can feel tacky
A smoothing and plumping lip tint sounds like something that could never exist, but this one from Victoria Beckham Beauty proves it’s possible. With a natural, highly pigmented color, all you need is one swipe (and maybe a slight touch-up) to get you through the entire day. This lip tint in particular is also a favorite of Kate Synnott, a celebrity makeup artist and beauty creative director of RÓEN. “Bitten Lip Tint feels smooth and plumps while giving a nice pigment stain to the lips without looking like you have anything on.”
Price at time of publish: $36
Size: 0.19 fluid ounce | Finish: Semimatte | Shades: 3 | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Natural
RMS Beauty Lip2Cheek
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Amazon
Buildable
Multiuse formula
Hydrating
Doesn't always last long
Uses a lot for strong color payoff
Truth be told, there aren’t many things more satisfying than a two-for-one product that actually works as intended. Thanks to its blendable cream formula, only one swipe is required for a gorgeous natural wash of color. And you can choose from nine mineral-based shades, making it simple to wear a different one every day of the week (and then some) if you desire. Plus, each shade looks equally pretty on both your cheek and lips.
Price at time of publish: $36
Size: 0.17 fluid ounce | Finish: Natural I Shades: 7 | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Natural, Runner-Up
Rituel de Fille Enchanted Lip Sheer
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Amazon
Delicious scent
99% natural formula
Lightweight
Small size
This sheer, semimatte lip stain from Rituel de Fille is a favorite among Byrdie editors for a multitude of reasons. With each swipe, the formula feels super lightweight and provides a translucent yet highly pigmented hue. Aside from its 10 unique color choices, it also has a delicious scent and a formula that’s 99% natural.
Price at time of publish: $29
Size: 0.06 ounce | Finish: Semimatte | Shades: 10 | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Hydrating
Clarins Water Lip Stain
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Ulta
Great alternative to lip gloss
Not tacky on lips
Lightweight
Long-lasting
Formula is a bit watery
Not great in hotter temperatures
If you’re aiming to find a lip stain that rivals a lip gloss, you’ll adore this one from Clarins. It’s undoubtedly a fantastic alternative, especially since it has a glossy finish sans any stickiness or color fading. “Water Lip Stain is more glossy-looking than other lip stains,” says Synnott. “I like using it as an alternative to lip gloss since it’s less sticky yet still leaves your lips looking luscious.”
Price at time of publish: $29
Size: 0.20 fluid ounce | Finish: Glossy | Shades: 4 | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Double Duty
Benefit Cosmetics Benetint Cheek & Lip Stain
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Sephora
Gives great pigment
Multiuse formula
Buildable
Application can be tricky
Honestly, no list of lip stains would be complete without the OG: Benefit’s Benetint Cheek & Lip Stain. The stain’s five natural hues are game-changing to say the least, delivering a smudge-proof flush with a slight glow. “This stain has a super-strong color payoff—especially the shade Playtint, ” explains Synnott. “I like that you can use it on the cheeks and lips and sometimes even on the eyes, depending on the shade.”
Price at time of publish: $18
Size: 0.20 fluid ounce | Finish: Sheer | Shades: 5 | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No
Best Long-Lasting
Charlotte Tilbury Tinted Love
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Charlotte Tilbury
Hydrating
Natural-looking
Buildable
Uses a lot for strong color payoff
Hard to remove
While all lip stains are considered long-lasting, this pick from Charlotte Tilbury deserves the spotlight. It’s buildable and applies like a gloss yet leaves a stunning satin finish, achieving a flushed lip look. Also nice: It contains vitamin E and hyaluronic acid for added hydration.
Price at time of publish: $34
Size: 0.33 fluid ounce | Finish: Satin | Shades: 5 | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Pigmented
YSL Beauty Vinyl Cream Lip Stain
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Courtesy of Sephora
Precise applicator for easy application
Gives great pigment
Hydrating
Strong fragrance
With a heavy hit of color, hydrating, and staying power (10 hours to be precise), this Yves Saint Laurent lip stain is an all-around winner. Compared to other lip stains, it boasts impressive coverage, which is why you should keep in mind that a little color goes a long way. The applicator's slanted tip and short, soft bristles allow for a precise swipe every time. It has an impressive shade range, too.
Price at time of publish: $39
Size: 0.18 fluid ounce | Finish: Glossy | Shades: 7 | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Shade Range
Dear Dahlia Satin Glow Lip Stain
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Dear Dahlia
Hydrating
Lightweight
Not tacky on lips
Doesn't always last long
Available in six super versatile shades, both the quality and quantity of these Dear Dahlia lip stains are impressive. With each swipe, the stain melts into your lips, providing a luminous satin glow. Its lightweight water-gel formula adds moisture without leaving any stickiness or feathering in its wake. Plus, it packs a punch by looking like a gloss with the staying power of a stain.
Price at time of publish: $31
Size: 0.18 fluid ounce | Finish: Glossy and semimatte | Shades: 6 | Cruelty-Free: Yes I Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Splurge
Dior Addict Lip Tattoo
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Long-lasting
Leaves lips feeling super smooth
Gives great pigment
Hard to remove
For a lip stain that’ll stay in place for 10 hours while looking natural and feeling weightless, you’ll want to reach for this pick from Dior. The tinted ink lightly adds a healthy wash of color and lasts through drinking, sweating, and kissing without budging an inch. Wear it alone for a neutral-looking hue or use it as a primer underneath your favorite gloss. “Compared to the other lip stains, this one is more of a velvet stain,” says Synnott. “It's got a bit more pigment and long-lasting wear and leaves your lips feeling really smooth.”
Price at time of publish: $35
Size: 0.20 ounce | Finish: Luminous | Shades: 4 | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No
Final Verdict
Our best overall pick is Ere Perez Beetroot Cheek & Lip Tint. It can be used as a lip stain or blush and gives off a gorgeous vibrant wash of color. For a more affordable pick, consider L’Oréal Paris Rouge Signature Matte Lip Stain, a drugstore pick that stacks up incredibly well in comparison to its pricier counterparts.
Meet the Expert
- Steve Kassajikian is an Urban Decay Global Makeup Artist.
- Kate Synnott is a celebrity makeup artist and beauty creative director at RÓEN.
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 the latter will eventually wear off (much like a regular lip gloss) and the stain left 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 formulas that contain hydrating ingredients to avoid this issue. Alternatively, another great way to avoid dryness and help lock in color is to apply a thin layer of balm once the stain dries down.
Waterproof Formula
The whole point of wearing a lip stain is to provide 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.
Why Trust Byrdie
Byrdie contributor Rachel Dube has written for some of the biggest beauty publications out there. As someone who’s always running from place to place, she often doesn’t have time to reapply lipstick or gloss, which is when she decided to turn to lip stains.
According to our Diversity Pledge, 15% of products in our newly-published market roundups will feature Black-owned and/or Black-founded brands. At the time of publishing, we were not able to find any lip stains from a Black-owned and/or Black-founded business. If you know of one we should consider, please email us at contact@byrdie.com and we will evaluate the product ASAP.
Meet the Expert
Steve Kassajikian is Urban Decay’s global makeup artist.
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