The best lip stains have quite a few tricks up their tubes. Unlike your standard lippie, stains (or tints—they’re the same thing) deliver next-level longevity along with requisite hydration and hue. These buildable formulas are breathable—sometimes blurry, sometimes boldly matte—and often infused with skin-loving ingredients like hyaluronic acid, botanical oils, and complexes that fend off damage from pollutants. The result? A tint that withstands burrito bowls, makeout sessions, steam rooms, and back-to-back-to-back Zoom meetings. Our editors put some of the buzziest formulas to the test and got real about the stain-stamina, what they loved, and what they could do without. Scroll on for the best lip stains we’ve tried and not reapplied (in a good way…got it?).
Our Top Lip Stains
Frequently Asked Questions
Best Overall: Clarins Hydrating Water Lip Stain
Why we love it: Toronto-based makeup artist Andrea Claire loves the Clarins Hydrating Water Lip Stain’s transfer-proof formula. Its 75% water base leaves behind a hit of sheer color payoff as well as aloe vera, glycerin, and antioxidant-rich camellia sinensis leaf extract (a.k.a. green tea). This Best of Beauty-winning tint was recently revamped to include even more love for your lips, adding raspberry water and a free radical-fighting complex (hi, nipplewort) to the mix. Apply one coat for a subtle wash of hue or build to a brighter pop of pigment, and top the whole situation with the Clarins Lip Comfort Oil for even more moisture and a touch of glossiness.
Tester feedback from contributing commerce editor Deanna Pai
“I love a bold lip, but I find it too high-maintenance for everyday wear. This lip stain has pretty much changed my life: It stayed put through a Stanley tumbler’s worth of water, my soup-and-salad lunch, and even a hot coffee in the afternoon. After seven hours of wear, it still looked pretty vibrant and pigmented, and there were zero smudges to be found.”
Key ingredients, number of shades, and finish
aloe vera, glycerin, green tea extract; 3; glassy
Best Peel-Off: Wonderskin Wonder Blading Lip Stain Masque
Why we love it: Over the past year, TikTok has become totally taken with Wonderskin’s Wonder Blading Lip Stain Masque, but our editors have been fans of this peel-off tint since it won a Best of Beauty Award back in 2020 (*hair flip*). It’s one of our all-time favorite lip stains for its tri-phase, liquid lip-to-mask-to-tint formulation that leaves behind lasting pigment. Interestingly enough, every one of the 18 shades goes on blue and then peels off to reveal a range of pinks, peaches, and mauves. Let the mask sit for around 30 seconds before peeling or wiping away with a damp towel or tissue, and then enjoy up to 10 hours of budge-free, waterproof wear
Tester feedback from senior news editor Nicola Dall’Asen
“Stain is not an exaggeration when it comes to this funky little miracle product. Wonderskin’s formula—depending on what shade you have—goes on dark, thick, and metallic. Once you let it dry and peel it off, though, it leaves behind bold transfer-proof color that truly feels like nothing and lasts for hours on end, fading into soft pinks and nudes (the proof is in the picture).”
Tester feedback from former commerce writer Jen Hussein
“The mask dries in less than five minutes and peels off way easier than other lip tinting masks I’ve tried. A fair warning: There is a small learning curve when figuring out how much to apply and how long to leave on the mask, but once you crack the code to your desired results, it becomes second nature. And, just a heads up—this applicator isn’t the most precise, so be intentional about your strokes.”
Key ingredients, number of shades, and finish
glycerin, seaweed extract, squalane; 30; sheer but buildable
Most Pigmented: Peripera Ink Velvet Lip Tint
Why we love it: Who else remembers the (not so bygone) days when you couldn’t scroll through your FYP without catching a glimpse of Peripera’s Ink Velvet Lip Tint? This high-payoff, long-wearing, and Best of Beauty-winning formula works wonders as full-coverage color or a barely-there, blurry stain. Complete with marine collagen, jojoba oil, and hyaluronic acid, this formula goes on as a velvety matte texture and absorbs to leave behind hours of vibrant color. If you want something a little less creamy, try the lighterweight, fluffier Peripera Ink Airy Velvet Lip Tint. Or, for a touch of dewiness, go for the Ink Mood Glowy Tint.
Tester feedback from commerce editor Sarah Han
“While I’ve dabbled in many K-beauty lip tints over the years, I have a very soft spot for Peripera and consider it my desert island lip stain. They’re incredibly affordable (you can build a collection without feeling too guilty!) and last the entire day—even after plentiful smooches (TMI?) and messy meals. The wear is super comfortable, despite how long-lasting the formulas are. However, prepping my (very dry) lips with a clear lip balm (I sometimes wipe away the excess after a few minutes) is non-negotiable for an even finish—otherwise, your lip lines will likely show through.”
Key ingredients, number of shades, and finish
marine collagen, hyaluronic acid, jojoba oil; 27; matte
Best for Dry Lips: Kulfi Beauty Lassi Lips Staining Lip Oil
Why we love it: You know what’s better than oil stains? A lip-oil-lip-stain. Kulfi Beauty’s Lassi Lips Staining Lip Oil kicks things off with a glassy, non-sticky finish and matures into a velvety stain that really lasts. Use it like an oil and reapply when you want a bit of hydrating glossiness, or treat it as a traditional tint with a one-and-done application, letting the sheen give way to stain.
Cosmetic chemist Amanda Lam explains that, ultimately, the formula behaves more like a stain than an oil. “It contains film formers and solubilizers that deliver color to lips and create that staining effect,” she says. “It probably won’t feel as thick and moisturizing as a traditional lip oil, but it should have a better shine than a regular lip tint.” And while it’s not the longest-lasting among its peers, the slippery, hydrating feel of the formula (enriched with mango seed oil) is motivation enough to reapply when color starts to fade.
As soon as McGrath got her hands on Lassi Lips—a full month ahead of its launch—it “immediately became the most-used lip product in my arsenal,” she vouched in our multi-editor review. “The shade Rose is almost an exact match for my natural lip color, so it works just as well for a minimal makeup day as it does for a more dolled-up night out when I want my eye makeup to hold most of the focus. I also love how hydrating it is; my lips seem to absorb most oils pretty quickly, but this formula keeps them soft even after the shine has worn off.”
Key ingredients, number of shades, and finish
mango seed oil, glycerin, coconut oil, vitmain E; 6; satin
Best Sheer: Benefit Cosmetics Benetint Cheek & Lip Stain
Why we love it: A roundup of lip stains wouldn’t be complete without this classic. Benefit Cosmetics’ Benetint Cheek & Lip Stain is a mainstay (that actually stays) on the lips of K-pop stars and common folk alike, applying and wearing subtly and comfortably for an all-day tint. The brand kicked off the line with its eponymous liquidy, red-pink hue but has since expanded into corals and roses—some of which feature a slightly creamier texture. This product also wears nicely on cheeks for a tied-together look that won’t transfer, pill, or patch. Word to the wise: This formula dries down quick (especially the Benetint hue), so blend it out swiftly before the color dries in the shape you applied it.
“For years, I have seen Benetint everywhere, but it wasn’t until recently that I decided to take TikTok’s advice and add it to my routine. Initially, it creates the most beautiful flush of color that lasts around three hours (even after a matcha and bagel!). The hue does fade slowly throughout the day, but it’s still a pretty, my-lips-but-better stain!”
Key ingredients, number of shades, and finish
Best Semi-Matte: Dior Addict Lip Tint
Why we love it: Yes, we’re primed to adore anything emblazoned with the Dior logo, but when it comes to the brand’s Addict Lip Tint, there’s a lot more than aesthetics to love. Every tube of this sheer, buildable formula is spiked with cherry oil, squalane, hyaluronic acid, and glycerin. Lips are left feeling kissably smooth and flake-free for up to 24 hours, with color that hangs around for 12. And, with 13 hues, you have options. We’re talking pretty peaches and muted berries, ranging from the brick-hued Natural Tea to the ruby-toned Natural Berry.
When you apply this stain, you’ll notice a subtle minty flavor, but don’t get it twisted—this stuff doesn’t plump or tingle. Make sure you apply evenly and with enough product to mitigate any patchiness, and top with your favorite gloss for a bit of sheen.
“I love the glassy finish Dior’s Addict Lip Tint leaves behind initially but appreciate that it dries down to a semi-matte finish pretty quickly for longevity. Two pointers: Prep your lips with a hydrating balm and make sure the layers go on evenly, otherwise you’ll see uneven color/texture peek through as the day goes on. The cooling feeling is priceless—like a wake-up call for my lips—and Natural Sienna is a cute muted berry I often find myself reaching for on any given day.”
Key ingredients, number of shades, and finish
glycerin, squalane, sodium hyaluronate, sweet cherry oil; 8; semi-matte
Best Glossy: Nyx Professional Makeup Lip IV Hydrating Gloss Stain
Why it’s worth it: A drugstore delight, Nyx’s Professional Makeup Lip IV Hydrating Gloss Stain is what it sounds like and then some. Yes, it brings the gloss, and it brings the stain, but it also imparts a hearty dose of skin-care ingredients like vitamin B12 and coconut water for extra juiciness. The application starts as a glazey gloss, and as the day goes on, it soaks into your lips to settle into a stain for 12 hours of saturation. We love how this shade range occupies the darker, moodier end of the spectrum, plunging all the way into an almost-black purple via Grape Gushin. Of course, you can also sink your teeth into more neutral hues with 90s-core pinky-browns.
Tester feedback from contributing commerce writer Annie Blackman
“I was really impressed with how this lippie transitioned from a gloss to a stain and actually held color. I’m always a bit skeptical when a stain says it’s hydrating, but this actually left my lips feeling low-key pillowy the entire day. The pigment faded from a brown-pink to more of a straight-up pink as the day went on, but I wasn’t mad about it. The gloss lasted a pretty long time (especially considering I drank my iced coffee without a straw), and once it faded into a successful stain, I was quite pleasantly surprised.”
Key ingredients, number of shades, and finish
magnesium, vitamin B12, coconut water; 16; glossy
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a difference between lip stains and lip tints?
Here’s the deal: There is no difference between a stain and a tint—it all comes down to marketing, according to Lam. “The formulas for both are usually the same and give the same effect of long-wear staining without being opaque and are water-based with water-soluble pigments,” Lam explains.
Cincinnati, Ohio-based cosmetic chemist Kelly Dobos adds that, depending on composition, just about any lip product can act as a stain or tint. “The color additives are the primary determinant of whether a color actually stains the lips,” she says. “So balms, glosses, and lipsticks can all be lip stains,” depending on how much pigment they’re formulated with.
How to apply a lip stain
If you have dry lips, “A lip mask or light, clear lip balm will help even out your lips’ hydration levels, prepping them for a more even application,” Claire says. She also recommends using a lip liner as a base, which helps extend the stain’s wear time.
Once you’re ready to apply your lip stain of choice, Claire recommends drawing a “V” at the bow and outer corners of your lips and a “U” towards the bottom. Then, connect the dots, fill in the lips, and voíla. For a natural-looking finish, Garner advises tapping the product directly onto your lips using your fingers. For a more saturated look, Claire recommends applying the stain straight from the tube.
Meet the experts
How we test and review products
Before reviewing any makeup, we ask questions about a number of factors: What ingredients are in it? Does the brand offer a wide shade range inclusive of consumers with all skin tones and undertones? Is it safe for readers who have sensitive skin or wear contact lenses? Is it on the affordable side or more of a splurge? Is its packaging consciously designed or needlessly wasteful?
For our review of the best lip stains, we enlisted the help of multiple editors, writers, contributors, and professional makeup artists to review the products. This ensures our testing base spans different skin tones, genders, and dermatological conditions. We considered each product’s performance across four primary categories: ingredients, wear and longevity, packaging, and shade range. For more on what’s involved in our reporting, check out our complete reviews process and methodology page.
Our staff and testers
A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.
After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the “best” for people over 50 if the only testers we’ve solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We’re proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.
Give your lips the extra love—and spotlight—they deserve:
