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TL;DR
Our favorite lip stain is the Fenty Beauty Poutsicle Hydrating Lip Stain, thanks to its pigmented formula that lasts all day without drying the lips. If you’re searching for a more natural-looking option in a balm-like formula, we recommend the Jones Road The Lip Tint.
If you’re the type of person who wants to swipe on a lip color and not even think about having to touch it up throughout the day (or worry about it smearing), a lip stain is the low-maintenance makeup product of your dreams. The lightweight texture sets it apart from other formulas, according to celebrity makeup artist Misha Shahzada. "Lip stains often come in gel and cream forms, which offer longer wear, less application, and don't transfer as easily," she explains.
While lip stains as a category aren’t new, tons of new options have recently launched. A group of testers and I tested dozens of old staples and new-to-market products to identify those that truly stand out from the pack. We wore them daily, eating, drinking, and blotting our lips. We considered finish, shade range, feel, application, and wear, and then narrowed it down to our top picks.
Our Top Picks
Best Overall
Fenty Beauty Poutsicle Hydrating Lip Stain
Feels hydrating on the lips
Rich, even pigmentation
Long-wearing
Has a glossy finish that transfers a bit
Shades: 6 | Finish: Glossy
The best lip stains go on smoothly, offer even pigmentation, and last all day; this one from Fenty Beauty checks those boxes and then some. The lightweight texture glides on effortlessly, coating the lips in rich color and leaving behind a hint of hydration and a glossy finish. The pointed applicator picks up the perfect amount of product, allowing for precise application. While one coat provides significant pigment, the formula is buildable.
Our tester loved how soft it made her lips feel, noting that it doesn’t fully dry down like most lip stains. Keep in mind that this glossy finish means it will transfer slightly, but you don't have to worry about this impacting its longevity—this stain maintains its color for eight full hours.
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Shauna Beni-Haynes, senior editor: “I would recommend this to anyone who's looking for a long-lasting lippie with very bold color. Also, if your lips get dry quickly, you will love this formula.”
Best Budget
e.l.f. Glossy Lip Stain
Buildable pigmentation applies evenly
Feels comfortable and nondrying
Doesn’t bleed or flake throughout the day
Glossy finish transfers slightly right after application
Shades: 6 | Finish: Glossy
If you’re ever looking for a budget-friendly beauty product that rivals high-end options, chances are, e.l.f. has you covered. This affordable lip stain thoroughly impressed us. The lightweight consistency applies evenly without emphasizing fine lines or texture, and it's buildable, initially going on sheer but offering full opacity with multiple layers. Our tester praised how comfortable it felt, noting that her lips were still smooth and soft at the end of the day. But perhaps the best part is how beautifully it wore. It didn’t become patchy or flake off, and the color remained vivid even after several hours of wear.
This is another lip stain with a glossy finish, so it does transfer a bit when you first apply it. However, once the gloss fades throughout the day, you’re left with a matte, even stain.
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Erica, tester: “Both the shine and the color faded evenly throughout the day, never smearing, flaking, or cracking. I honestly forgot I was wearing any product until I glanced in the mirror and noticed the natural-looking flush on my lips—zero touch-ups needed!”
Best Sheer Stain
Jones Road The Lip Tint
Lipstick-like formula creates a natural-looking stain
Feels hydrating on the lips
Available in 13 shades
Formula transfers
Shades: 13 | Finish: Natural
While Jones Road markets this lip stain as more of a tint or traditional lipstick, it offers the best of a lipstick and a classic lip stain. The formula goes on creamy like a lightweight lipstick, offering semi-sheer but buildable pigmentation, a boost of moisture, and a subtle, shiny finish. Plus, it’s offered in 13 shades, ranging from peachy coral to rich mocha brown.
Our tester, who tends to avoid lip stains because they can be drying, appreciated how this one felt comfortable on her lips and was easy to reapply and layer with other products if desired. She said that while it did transfer like a satin lipstick would, it’s a price she’s willing to pay since it didn’t dry out her lips. By the end of the day, the tint faded evenly, leaving her lips with a sheer veil of color.
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Ally Hirschlag, associate editorial director: “This lip stain applies more like a lipstick—it glides gently across the lips and feels nice and creamy. It leaves a little more room for error while keeping the lips feeling moisturized. It stained the lips very evenly and was definitely buildable.”
Best Long-Wearing
Fwee Stay-Fit Lip Tint
Pigment remains vibrant all day
Available in semi-matte and semi-glow finishes
Affordable
Only offered in pink shades
Shades: 20 | Finish: Semi-matte and semi-glow finishes
The best part about a lip stain is that you don’t need to reapply it throughout the day to maintain your lip color. But the truth is, some are more long-wearing than others. This one from Fwee remains pigmented from morning to night, fading just subtly (and evenly) throughout the day. In addition to its longevity, we love that it’s affordable, buildable without getting cakey, and super soft on the lips.
It comes in 10 semi-matte shades and 10 semi-glowy shades, though we wish it were offered in more than just pink hues. Our tester tried the semi-matte version and noted that it didn’t feel drying like many matte lip stains do, and didn’t settle into lip lines. If you’re looking for a long-wearing stain (especially in a pink color), this is the one for you.
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Shauna Beni-Haynes, senior editor: “I noticed very minimal transfer while eating and drinking throughout the day. The tint is very long-lasting and holds up well.”
Best Liner
Sacheu Peel-Off Lip Liner Stain
Can be applied precisely to line and contour the lips
Long-wearing
Offered in 10 shades
Long applicator takes some getting used to
Needs to set on the lips for up to 20 minutes
Shades: 10 | Finish: Matte
If you’re tired of your regular lip liner fading fast, opt for one in the form of a stain. This lip liner stain from Sacheu went viral on TikTok, making this type of product more popular. With a long, pointed applicator and a semi-thick formula that’s easy to control, you can apply the stain precisely to the borders of your lips (or fill them in entirely) for a defined and contoured look. Once you apply it, let it sit for up to 20 minutes before peeling it off to reveal your stain.
While the long applicator was a bit tricky for me to control at first, practice made perfect, and I now keep this stain in my top drawer. The consistency of the formula makes it easy to spread where you want it, and I love that the stain feels completely undetectable on the lips and lasts all day.
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Best Moisturizing
Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Tinted Lip Oil
Oil formula is moisturizing on the lips
Even pigmentation
Applicator makes it easy to apply
Transfers
Could be more long-lasting
Shades: 10 | Finish: Shiny
This pick isn’t your classic lip stain since it’s more of a lip oil that leaves a subtle tint behind, but it’s a great option for those who steer clear of true stains because they’re either too bold or too drying. With a lightweight, oil-based formula, it feels cushiony and soft on the lips and applies super evenly. Our tester loved the soft, pointed applicator, noting it dispersed the right amount of product and helped her achieve precise application. She also loved the buildability, saying one layer was great for a no-makeup makeup look, while two or three layers offered more opacity. Once on, it felt comfortable and nondrying, fading gracefully to leave a subtle wash of color behind.
This isn’t the most long-wearing option—the color lasted about three hours before totally fading—but the nondrying formula makes it effortless to reapply as needed.
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Katie, tester: “The application process was probably my favorite part. It was incredibly smooth and went on so evenly. It was also super buildable, so I'd do one layer for just a quick, casual run-out-of-the-apartment, and then a two to three layers when I was getting dressed up for work or going out.”
Best Drugstore
NYX Professional Makeup Lip IV Hydrating Gloss Stain
Can be worn as a pigmented gloss or as a stain if you wipe the gloss layer off
Rich, buildable pigmentation
Available in 16 shades
Gloss formula transfers
Has a strong coconut scent
Shades: 16 | Finish: Glossy
The drugstore is home to tons of great lip products, but if you’re perusing the aisles for a lip stain specifically, we recommend you pick up this one from NYX. Available in 16 shades ranging from caramel brown to deep wine, this stain features a glossy formula that can be worn as-is for a wet look or wiped off after 10 minutes to reveal just the color left behind.
Our tester loved the pointed applicator, saying it was essential given how pigmented the formula is. She was able to achieve bold color and an even application in just a coat or two, and found the color lasted beautifully all day. Because the gloss transfers (like any gloss would), she preferred wiping it away after 10 minutes to sport just the low-maintenance stain. All-in-all, she was super impressed with this drugstore lip stain; her only real qualm was the strong coconut fragrance.
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Erica, tester: “This product packs all the punch of lipstick in a lower-maintenance format. I think it’d be a great lip product to turn to for summer events like weddings, where you’ll be sipping a lot and don’t want to worry about touch-ups!”
Best Shade Range
Wonderskin Wonder Blading Lip Stain Masque
Available in 30 shades
Long-wearing
Nondrying
Needs to be wiped off, which isn’t ideal for application on the go
Shades: 30 | Finish: Matte
You’ll find that most lip stains lean red or pink in color, so we love that Wonderskin created this gem in 30 shades, including your classic reds and pinks with additional nudes and pops of color. In addition to the shade range, we’re impressed by the stain's high performance. The creamy formula goes on blue so you can see exactly where you’re placing it, but when you wipe it off after letting it dry, it reveals an even-looking stain.
Our tester said it felt comfortable and nondrying; the matte, natural-looking color lasted for several hours without fading. This isn’t ideal for on-the-go application since you have to let it set and then wipe it off, but if you’ve got some time to kill during your makeup routine, we think you’ll love this option as much as we do.
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Teodora, tester: “The stain applies very evenly across the lips, giving a beautiful color. The longer you leave it on, the more vibrant it is, so I wouldn't leave it on too long because I preferred a lighter shade.”
Best Multipurpose
Milk Makeup Jelly Tint Lip + Cheek Blush Stain
Looks beautiful on lips and cheeks
Long-wearing
Quick and easy application
You have to work quickly on the cheeks to avoid patchiness
Shades: 7 | Finish: Matte
This viral lip and cheek stain from Milk Makeup is worth the hype. While many lip stains come with pointed applicators that make them difficult to apply evenly to the cheeks, this one is in the form of an easy-to-use stick. Just tap the stick directly on your lips in one or multiple layers, depending on how opaque you want the color to be. For the cheeks, you can apply it directly from the stick, but I prefer tapping a synthetic blush brush onto the product and then diffusing the color on my skin. You’ll want to work quickly on the cheeks to avoid patchiness, but once applied, this vibrant stain lasts all day long with very minimal fading. It also layers beautifully under lip gloss and powder blush.
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What to Consider When Buying a Lip Stain
Finish: While you don't have as many choices as you would with traditional bullet lipsticks, most stains come in either a matte or glossy finish. Some are in between, offering a semi-matte or natural-looking finish. Shinier formulas typically wear off a little quicker (or at least the glossiness of them), leaving behind a flat wash of color.
Hydrating Ingredients: Like full-coverage liquid lipsticks, lip stains also have the potential to leave the lips feeling dry. Shahzada recommends looking for formulas with added moisture. "I always suggest a lip tint that contains hyaluronic acid, which helps keep the lips hydrated for longer," she explains. Glycerin, plant oils, and shea butter can also prevent a dry feeling.
How We Tested Lip Stains
Our main priority is to recommend products we've actually tried, which is why we test them in our everyday lives and in our NYC-based lab.
- Lip Stains Tested to Date: 32
- Testing Period: 4 weeks
- Methodology: Lip stains were tested by different testers with varying skin tones and textures in our NYC-based lab and at home in real life. Testers applied the stains and wore them throughout the entire day.
- Factors Considered: Application, feel, pigment, transfer resistance, wear/longevity, shade range.
Meet Our Expert
To gain a well-rounded perspective on selecting the right lip stain, we consulted the following expert.
- Misha Shahzada is a celebrity makeup artist based in New York City.
Why Trust Byrdie
Alyssa Kaplan is an editor on Byrdie, an experienced writer in the beauty industry, and a product tester specializing in cosmetics. She has been using and testing lip stains for many years, trying nearly 15 options in search of those that last all day and don’t dry out her lips. Alyssa received a bachelor’s degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she studied marketing and product development in the cosmetics industry as well as fashion business marketing. She has been at Byrdie since 2022, where she covers all things beauty.