Lip liner stains are the new long-lasting innovation set to shake up your make-up routine. Here are our favourites
Lip liner stains are the latest beauty innovations set to shake up our make-up bags. Here, our director explains why you need one, and the best ones to try.
Having worked as a beauty journalist for well over a decade, I’ve been lucky to try all sorts of make-up products, from cloud foam primers to peel-off lipstick. But just when I think I’ve seen it all, the industry manages to bring out a new form of innovation that excites me and leaves me wondering how I managed without it for so long. The most recent formulation to do this comes in the form of lip liner stains. Yep, stains.
We’ve seen lip stains do the rounds on social media as being a brilliant solution to long-lasting colour. So, it makes complete sense that brands are now applying the same long-lasting technology to our lip liners. Over the years, lip liners have (rightly) received the praise they deserve as a make-up bag stalwart. As well as making it easier to apply lipstick, they add definition and, most importantly, help make your lipstick last longer and prevent feathering. Traditional lip liners do eventually fade, and incorporating a lip liner stain into your make-up routine can help to make your lip products last even further.
Many of these new formulations come in a form that resembles a felt-tip marker, but don’t let that intimidate you. They have a steady flow of ink, meaning your lips won’t look like you’ve suddenly gone heavy-handed with a Sharpie. And while they do require a slightly steadier hand, you’ll find you quickly get the hang of them. If you’re ready to shake up your make-up bag, here are some of my favourites…
NYX Professional Makeup Lip Lingerie Lip Liner Stain
The product that first put me onto the wonders of a lip liner stain, and I wasn’t exaggerating when I said this transformed my make-up. It dispenses the perfect amount of pigment with each stroke, meaning you don’t have to go over any lines.
Shop NYX Professional Makeup Lip Lingerie Lip Liner Stain at Cult Beauty, £10.99
Summer Fridays Flushed Lip Stain
So while Summer Friday hasn’t created this to be used solely as a lip liner, I’ve found that it works brilliantly as one. Each one of its delightful hues delivers a soft wash of pigment that stays put.
Sephora Lip Tint Felt Liner
The ballpoint tip of this liner pen glides over skin, meaning zero dragging and no mishaps with dodgy, wonky lines. Plus, I can confirm it’s transfer-proof, meaning you can sip your morning coffee knowing you haven’t lost all of your lip make-up.
Kiko Milano Long Lasting Colour Lip Marker
Another option that can be used all over the lips, this marker feels incredibly lightweight on the lips but still packs a punch in the pigment department. Plus, each shade has a fruity scent, bringing the ultimate nostalgia hit of gel pens (but for your lips) any time you use it.
Shop Kiko Milano Long Lasting Colour Lip Marker at Lookfantastic, £11.99
Huda Beauty Lip Contour Stain
This dual-ended pen has one tip with a lip liner stain to outline your lips, and the other with a lip stain to fill them in, meaning you get the perfect match and the ultimate long-lasting formula. Just a heads-up: Huda Beauty has since confirmed you need to store it with the lip liner tip facing downwards, to prevent it from drying out.
Images: courtesy of brands
