Who doesn’t love a set-it-and-forget-it? Lip stains certainly fall into that category, which is why they’ve been on the up and up. “Beauty is always a bit cyclical — of course trends come and go — but there’s a certain timelessness to a lip stain,” says Violette Serrat, founder & CEO of VIOLETTE_FR. “People will always crave makeup that lasts — something low-maintenance that keeps up with real life. A lip stain gives you that effortless wash of color that actually stays put without needing much thought. You can eat, drink, live your life and your lips still have that little something.”
Lip stains have been celebrated for their staying power for ages, but that has been overshadowed in the past for leaving lips feeling parched. “The reason is that most stains rely heavily on water-dominant formulas,” Serrat explains. “When water evaporates from the lips, it actually pulls the lips’ own moisture with it, leading to increased dryness over time. That’s what makes a hydrating stain so tricky because in order for it to be a stain, it must contain water.”
But formulations have come a long way. Take the VIOLETTE_FR Lip Nectar, for example. Serrat formulated it as a unique oil-in-water emulsion, where tiny oil droplets are dispersed in water. “This allows the formula to deliver lasting color with a hydrating, non-greasy feel, so it adds moisture as well as stain,” she explains. “When applied, the saturated pigment sinks beneath the lipid layer, while nourishing ingredients like squalane, shea butter, ceramides, and hyaluronic acid remain encapsulated in the water phase, creating a protective cocoon that locks in hydration and comfort.”
Swipe on the following lip stains for color that lasts and lips that stay hydrated.
Introduced in 1976, this OG lip stain can also be applied on cheeks. Benefit recently introduced two new shades, bringing the grand total to three hues. All are universal, buildable, and deliver a natural flush.
Keep painting on layers until you reach your perfect hue — this goes from sheer to bold without ever feeling heavy. The transfer-proof stain has 24-hour wear and a matte finish. Clarins’ exclusive Water-Shot Complex leaves lips hydrated and soft with the combo of hyaluronic acid and organic raspberry water.
Serrat says it took years to get this unique high-shine stain just right. “I wanted something with the ease of a stain and the comfort and hydration of an oil, but in chic shades you don’t see everywhere,” she shares. “That nectar-like texture, the bloom of color — it feels like nothing else I’ve used. It’s also the only stain I’ve ever tried that actually leaves my lips feeling better afterward, not worse.”
There’s a reason this cheek and lip stain went viral, starting with its fun, bouncy texture that feels cool as it glides onto skin. Available in seven shades, it’s sheer and buildable, plus packed with skin-loving ingredients including vegan collagen, aloe, and seawater.
Talk about a triple threat — this is a lip gloss, stain and oil in one, so you get all the lasting power, hydration, high-wattage shine, and color. The wide shade range of 16 hues means there’s a color for everyone, plus it nourishes with magnesium, B12, and coconut water.
Of course Rihanna would never stand for dry lips, so her stain brings on the hydration with squalane and an oil-in-water innovation. All six shades will stay put thanks to the formula being feather- and bleed-resistant. Initially it goes on glossy and when the shine fades it leaves a soft tint behind.
Boasting 12-hour wear that’s transfer-proof, it has a semi-matte finish and delivers bold color. Infused with cherry oil to keep lips happy and hydrated for 24 hours, its clever applicator delivers precise application in a single swipe.
If a lip oil and a stain had a baby, this would be it. Made to last all day, it won’t flake or feather, and keeps lips comfy. The glossy finish dries down into a matte stain in all nine shades, including neutral and light options.
As low maintenance as it gets, the pen format makes it perfectly portable for on-the-go yet offers precise application. Infused with acacia tree extract to smooth skin, it’s never drying or sticky. The 14 shades are beautifully buildable.
Get the best of both worlds with this dual ender that has a stain liner on one end and a gloss on the other. Use the liner to fill in lips, let it dry for 30 seconds, then add the gloss for moisture and shine. Made to last all day, the formula includes over 10 superfruits and hyaluronic acid to plump and pamper.
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