Few lip product formats can give you a truly natural, your-lips-but-better finish. One of the formats that does tend to get this right every time, though, is lip stains. Lip stains work by staining your lips to enhance their natural hue and give you long-lasting, all-day color. Here, we’re sharing what to look for when purchasing a lip stain, plus the best 16 lip stains to add to cart for a natural, pigmented, sheer, or glossy just-bitten look.
Our top 16 lip stains, at a glance:
- Best overall: Wonderskin Wonder Blading Lip Stain Peel Off Masque, $22
- Best drugstore: Milani Color Fetish Lip Stain, $10
- Best for deep skin tones: Fenty Beauty Poutsicle Hydrating Lip Stain, $28
- Best splurge: Dior Beauty Dior Addict Lip Tint, $40
- Best K-beauty: Etude Dear Darling Water Tint, $7
- Best long-lasting: Victoria Beckham Bitten Lip Tint, $38
- Best lightweight: Peripera Ink Airy Velvet Lip Tint, $10
- Best natural finish: Milk Makeup Cooling Water Jelly Tint Lip + Cheek Blush Stain, $24
- Best cheek + lip: Benefit Cosmetics Benetint Liquid Lip + Cheek Blush Stain, $26
- Best moisturizing: Clarins Water Lip Stain, $31
- Best sheer: Caliray Socal Superbloom Lip + Cheek Tint Soft Stain Blush, $28
- Best with hyaluronic acid: Pixi Fixing Lip Tint Hydro-Matte Lip Stain with Hyaluronic Acid, $14
- Best travel: Kaja Jelly Charm Glazed Lip & Blush Stain, $25
- Best glossy: e.l.f.Beauty Glossy Lip Stain, $6
- Best pen: r.e.m beauty Practically Permanent Lip Stain Marker, $17
- Best with shimmer: af94 Lava Lust Lip Stain, $10
Shop the 16 best lip stains
Best overall: Wonderskin Wonder Blading Lip Stain Peel Off Masque — $22.00
You may recognize this lip stain from your TikTok FYP—this viral formula allows you to customize your lip stain look with peel-off mask technology. Leave it on for 15-20 seconds and peel off for a more natural lip look, or 30-60 seconds for a bolder finish. It comes in over twenty shades to suit all lip tones and is completely transfer-proof, which earns it best overall.
Shades: 27
- Over twenty shades
- Budge-proof and long-lasting
- Cruelty-free
- Some reviewers report that the formula is drying
- Not the easiest to re-apply on the go because of the peel-off mask format
Best drugstore: Milani Color Fetish Lip Stain — $10.00
This lip stain proves that a long-lasting and nourishing formula doesn’t need to break the bank. It contains hyaluronic acid plus squalane for a moisturizing finish, plus powerful matte pigments in a variety of hues, from reds to browns and pinks.
Shades: 6
- Vegan and cruelty-free
- Available at the drugstore
- Some reviewers share that the pigment only lasts a few hours
Best for deep skin tones: Fenty Beauty Poutsicle Hydrating Lip Stain — $28.00
For a long-lasting lip stain made with deep skin tones in mind, opt for this hydrating pick that comes in six shades and matches a variety of lip hues. The stains have various undertones as well, which make them suitable for cooler or warmer-toned skin, and give you a true-to-your-lips, bleed-resistant finish.
Shades: 6
- Long-wearing
- Effortless finish
- Vegan and cruelty-free
Best splurge: Dior Beauty Dior Addict Lip Tint — $40.00
If a lip stain is an everyday staple in your beauty routine, consider this lip tint formula if you want treat yourself. It comes in four shades and leaves behind a semi-matte, natural finish. The formula also contains cherry oil to keep lips looking plump and hydrated for hours.
Shades: 4
- Transfer-proof
- Nourishing for the lips
- Expensive
- May contain ingredients that are not considered clean
Best K-beauty: Etude Dear Darling Water Tint — $7.00
Lightweight and long-lasting, this K-beauty lip stain is a must-try. It comes in five hues: cherry, strawberry, grape, grapefruit and orange for vibrant color. The formula is extremely saturated and dries down quickly with a non-sticky finish.
Shades: 5
- Non-sticky
- Vibrant pigment
- Users share that the formula is a little watery
Best long-lasting: Victoria Beckham Bitten Lip Tint — $35.00
For a lip stain that will give you a satin, long-lasting and natural finish, look no further than this luxe formula. It dries down quickly and leaves your lips plump and soft for hours. It comes in five shades that live up to its just-bitten name.
Shades: 5
- Budge-proof
- Natural finish
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Best lightweight: Peripera Ink Airy Velvet Lip Tint — $10.00
A great lip stain should offer color and a barely-there feel. This pick does this and more with its light as a feather formula that comes in fourteen shades. It’s super affordable at $10, and a little of this one goes a long way.
Shades: 14
- Barely-there feeling
- Semi-matte finish
- Some users report that the formula is drying
Best natural finish: Milk Makeup Cooling Water Jelly Tint Lip + Cheek Blush Stain — $24.00
For a natural flush of color, try this cooling water jelly tint that’s suitable for the cheeks and lips. It’s longwearing and contains vegan collagen, aloe, and seawater to give your skin a hydrated, plump finish. We also love how buildable the formula of this one is: you can apply one swipe and blend for a more subtle finish, or layer on more for a boost of color.
Shades: 4
- Buildable
- Vegan and cruelty free
- The formula is a little sticky and takes a little time to dry down
Best moisturizing: Clarins Water Lip Stain — $31.00
For a water-based lip stain that’s completely transfer-proof, opt for this pick that has aloe vera and raspberry water. It soothes and hydrates the lips and leaves behind a soft, matte pink, orange, red, or violet hue.
Shades: 4
- Some users report that it that it takes multiple layers to build up the color
Best travel: Kaja Jelly Charm Glazed Lip & Blush Stain — $25.00
Stain your lips on the go with this keychain lip and blush stain that you can clip onto your bag. It comes in six shades and contains lemon fruit extract plus olive squalane for a hydrating, buildable and blendable finish.
Shades: 6
- Travel-friendly
- Cruelty-free
- Users report that the formula is a little sticky
Best glossy: E.l.f Beauty Glossy Lip Stain — $6.00
Add a glossy stain to your makeup look with this formula that comes in eight shades, from pinks to browns, to reds. It has a super comfortable finish, longwearing, and is completely budge-proof. It’s great if you love lip gloss but are looking for a formula that also stains the lips.
Shades: 8
- Under $10
- Vegan and cruelty-free
- Users report that the formula doesn’t hold up well throughout a day
Best pen: r.e.m beauty Practically Permanent Lip Stain Marker — $17.00
This pen makes lip stain application a breeze—it has a fine tip that allows you to get into every lip curve, nook, and cranny. It comes in four hues that are suitable for multiple skin tones and leaves behind a soft, plush and matte finish.
Shades: 4
- Easy to apply
- Vegan and cruelty-free
- The formula is a bit drying
Best with shimmer: af94 Lava Lust Lip Stain — $8.00
For an eye-catching lip stain finish, we love this shimmery pick. It comes in six stunning shades: a deep berry, bright violet, soft pink, hot pink, brown, and orange, and gives you a sparkling lip finish that dries down matte.
Shades: 6
- Lightweight
- Vegan and cruelty-free
- Users report that the pigment is drying
What to look for in a lip stain
Superior lip stains have a few characteristics in common: they are usually long-lasting, have consistent, saturated pigment, and dry down quickly for a natural finish. Here’s what to look for when shopping for a lip stain:
The pigment
A great lip stain has consistent pigment. Whether you want to opt for one swipe for a more subtle finish or a few for a more enhanced look, the pigment in a lip stain should be easy to customize and reliable to apply.
The longevity
Lip stains are unique to other types of lip products because they’re typically made to last. They should be able to carry you from day to night, and should hold up against various factors like food, sweat and humidity. Lip stains should do exactly as they suggest: stain your lips!
The finish
Look for a lip stain that has a particular finish (glossy, matte, or sometimes even shimmery) to level up your look. A great lip stain should also dry down quickly and give you a smudge-proof look, and are so lightweight, you won’t feel like you’re wearing any lip product at all!
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