The Best Matte Lipsticks for Faking a French-Girl Pout

Matte lipsticks can evoke a bit of a love or hate response. The best matte lipstick can give you that just-blotted, blurred French-girl pout in an instant. However, some formulas can be dry and make you want to steer clear of mattes in favour of a lip balm or gloss.

But in the quest for faking that low-maintenance French-girl vibe, we Byrdie editors have tried out a lot of matte lipsticks in our time. From pencils to liquids (and everything in between), we'd like to think that we've the best matte lipsticks down to a T.

So, in order to save you time and money, we've rounded up the best matte lipsticks we know deliver. No dry and flaky lips in sight.

Debuted on the Chanel S/S 19 runway, this is the perfect matte liquid lipstick for getting a modern, blurred-lip effect. 

Charlotte Tilbury lipsticks are gorgeous whether you blot them on for a sheer coverage or really layer them up for a full-on matte effect. This shade called The Queen is a beautiful posy red.

Violette is the epitome of French-girl chic. Want to re-create her classic red lip like above? This Estée Lauder lipstick is one of her go-tos.

RiRi's Stunna Lip Paints have garnered cult status overnight for their long-lasting, non-drying pigments. Uncuffed is the perfect dusky-pink nude.

This tomato-red shade in 401 from Armani Beauty is universally flattering. Pat it on the lips for a powdered finish.

Everyone knows about Ruby Woo already, but MAC's Chili shade is our favourite for a cool-girl look. It's a slightly browner brick red that looks gorgeous smudged into the lip.

A backstage must for many a fashion week show, Maybelline's Superstay Matte Ink is a long-lasting option that's super affordable.

Scribble this velvety formula over lips and blend in with your finger for the easiest matte-lip look ever. We love this wine-stained shade called Cruella.

YSL's The Slim is perfect for creating a perfectly carved-out lip thanks to its genius straight edged tip. Nude Antonym is a dark pinky nude that looks beautiful in winter.

Next up: "Fairy Dust" Is the Biggest Winter Makeup Trend, Says This French MUA…