Best Lip Stains and Tips

Personally I am a big fan of the easy, natural, fresh look when it comes to makeup and beauty. This includes minimal face makeup, preferably tinted moisturizer or nothing at all, a tinge of mascara, and a berry stained lip. I love the berry stained lip especially. The infamous makeup artist Pat McGrath described it as looking as if you were sipping on red wine.

Some perks about lip stains are that they offer longer coverage than lip gloss without being so time consuming or overdone like lipstick. Also, it is buildable. You can do one coat for a sheer wash or more coats until it is opaque.

Another great thing is that if you find that when you wear lipstick it fades in the middle with the lip liner still remaining, lip stain can fix that. You first apply lip stain, then lip liner, then lipstick. This way, if your lipstick wears off, you still have color underneath.

A common complaint about lip stains is that they are too drying. If you find this is true with you, you can always remedy that by applying Chap Stick or lip gloss over the lip stain. Also, always remember to exfoliate your lips before you apply lip stain for two reasons. One, you don't want flaky stained lips. It won't apply smoothly. Second, it will last longer if you exfoliate first. You can either buy a lip scrub, gently use a soft toothbrush on your lips, or make your own lip scrub with sugar and honey.

Below I will list my favorite lip stains.

Urban DecayLip Envy in Greedy

This is my favorite lip stain. It is a beautiful berry color without being too purple. It is not drying which is a common problem with lip stains. It has pretty darn good lasting power and smells delicious. My favorite perk is that it has a small applicator wand that is perfect for precision application.

Lorac Sheer Wash

Talk about lasting power! This lip stain will not wash off your finger after applying it. It is a tad drying, but you can always apply lip balm or gloss over it. It has great color payoff and will last throughout the day.

NARS Lip Stain Gloss in Dare Devil

Fabulous! This lip stain has a creamy consistency unlike the usual liquid lip stain which makes it much more hydrating but yet it stills gives a matte finish. It is very buildable should you choose to go for a dramatic look.

Benefit Benetint is a very popular tint that many people swear by for lips and cheeks, however I have never used it. Its reputation makes it worth looking into though.