Let's Talk About: Matte Lip Stains

If I'm being completely honest I did not know that so many companies were getting in on the matte finish lip stain. I was under the impression that this was some new invention created by Lime Crime that I so happily stumbled upon a year or so ago. It could be that other brands took notice after the explosion of underground lippy companies, but either way there are now a ton of different options if you are looking to purchase a matte lip color.

First, what is it? A matte lip stain is is exactly what it sounds like. They typically come in a tube with a wand just like a normal lipgloss, but after the product glides on your lips as a liquid, it then dries to a matte finish that in most cases does not budge throughout the day. My first experience with matte gloss was with Lime Crime's Red Velvet Velvetine Lip product and from then on I was hooked. It was very pigmented, easy to apply and lasted all day. Through work, through meals, drinks, all of it. I might have to re-apply a bit on the inside of my mouth but that was about it. Since purchasing this product I've used a couple other brands that offer a similar finish and I am now happy to say that I can find a matte lippy at a few locations with a wide range of price points that offer a very similar product. I'm going to give a list of the ones that I've used as well as the pros and cons of each with the price point. If you've used any other brands please feel free to share. I've heard that hourglass and Stila make ones that I would love to try...

1. Lime Crime Velvetine, $20.00 for 0.088 ounces of product. I would still have to say that this is my favorite product even though you get WAY less in a bottle to the rest that I'm comparing. It is so pigmented and long lasting and the finish is very smooth. It doesn't feel sticky at all. The only con would be that it can be a bit drying, but compared to others this really isn't bad. If you don't mind the price, I would make this your first choice when purchasing a matte lippy.

Above: Lime Crime Velvetine in Pink Velvet

2. NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream, $5.99 for 0.27 ounces of product. The best thing about this product besides the great price is that NYX has expanded their color selection and you can get this matte finish in almost every color ranging from nude to a very deep burgundy. It's not as pigmented as the Velvetine so when I use this product I have to apply a few coats, you can see in the photo that the look is very soft. I would recommend using a lipliner with this product because on its own it isn't pigmented enough for me. But for the price and the color range this is still worth it.

Above: NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Amsterdam

3. Sephora Cream Lip Stain, $13.00, for 0.169 ounces of product. This would really be the second best to the Lime Crime product, their "Always Red" shade is very comparable, just a bit brighter and the pigmentation is just as good. The only think I don't like it about it is it can feel a bit sticky as a finish. It doesn't feel totally matte on your skin, you can kind of feel that it's there and it makes me want to put a balm over it but I can't because that will ruin the finish. I still really like it though, and it's worth noting that when I was trying all these products together this one was the one that dried the fastest.

Above: Sephora Cream Lip Stain in 01

4. Kat Von D, Everlasting Love Liquid Lipstick, $19.00 for 0.18 ounces of product. This one is also really good, very pigmented. But it does have the similar issue as the Sephora brand one is that it is really heavy on the lips and can feel a tiny bit sticky. I also found that it dried pretty quickly and if I didn't get even coverage on my lips before that happened you could see where some parts were more pigmented than others. When I was testing this one with the others I found that it was the most difficult to take off. I used a makeup remover wipe and really had to wipe hard to get all the color off, so it is very long lasting.

Above: Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Vampira

Above: Here's a comparison of the lipsticks after I did one hard swipe of a makeup wipe (Kirkland Brand). The Kat Von D lipstain barely budged. 

Again, these are the only 4 I have tried out of the many different ones offered so if you have any feedback on others don't be afraid to share! All I know is that I have at least one of these in my purse at all times and make rocking a bold lip much easier.