A NEW category of lip stains has popped up.
Lip liner stains give the same longevity as a stain and have a precise tip so you can line your lips seamlessly.
Lip liner stains give the same longevity as a stain and have a precise tip so you can line your lips seamlessly
I put three to the test . . .
BUDGET
The Essence Line n’ Stain! tattoo lip liner has excellent staying powerCredit: Unknown
Essence Line n’ Stain! tattoo lip liner, £2.49 for 2.5ml, boots.com : Given this costs less than my usual coffee order, my expectations were low.
Having said that, I’m a huge fan of the brand’s mascaras, so I did harbour hope it might surprise me.
Of the three I tried, the formula is the most watery and the felt-tip pen is the biggest. The latter makes it the least precise and means you have to work harder to get an even coverage.
That aside, the staying power is brilliant – it lives up to the “tattoo” name, as it took multiple attempts to remove it at the end of the day.
If longevity is your priority, you’ll be quids in.
MID-RANGE
The NYX Professional Makeup Lip Lingerie lip liner stain gives a smooth applicationCredit: Unknown
NYX Professional Makeup Lip Lingerie lip liner stain, £10.99 for 1ml, asos.com : I’ve not seen an applicator like this – it’s almost a hybrid of a ball-point pen and a felt tip, with a tiny sphere at the end of the nib.
I worried this would make the application tricky but, if anything, I think it holds on to more product than a traditional fine line point, so you can get a smooth, pigmented application around your whole mouth without it drying out.
The formula doesn’t dry instantly, making it easy to clean up mistakes with a cotton bud. It’s dries down matte so the finish looks natural.
And it didn’t leave an imprint on my coffee cup!
LUXURY
The Summer Fridays flushed lip stain makes it easy to contour the lip lineCredit: Unknown
Summer Fridays flushed lip stain, £22 for 1.1ml, sephora.co.uk: This tip is more pedestrian than the NYX, but the angled end is still something I’ve not encountered in a lip liner before, and it makes it easy to contour the lip line if you want to cheat the appearance of a fuller pout.
Plus, as the opposite side is a traditional felt tip nib, it makes quick work of filling in the whole lip if desired.
The formula contains aloe vera and panthenol, which help hydrate skin and also makes it easier to blend if you want a blurred finish.
It’s completely transfer-proof, like the others, although it disappears slightly quicker.
That being said, I still got a good half a day out of it which is plenty enough for me.
PICK OF THE WEEK
THERE are loads of great new face masks, but my main obsession recently is Byoma Bio Collagen Mask, £16.99, which launched this week.
It applies as a thick pink gel, then sets into a clear film before you peel it off to reveal smoother, brighter skin.
The mask is clinically proven to increase radiance and improve texture in just 20 minutes, as well as strengthen the skin barrier thanks to the ceramide complex.
You can buy it now at Boots.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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