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A ranking of ALL the best liquid lipsticks (and what they look like IRL)
From Kat Von D to Kylie Cosmetics, I've reviewed them all.
There's no denying it, matte liquid lipsticks are having a moment right now. But the rise in popularity has meant a rise in production, and now there are just soooo many brands to choose from. Where do you start? Well, we've reviewed them all, from Stila to Too Faced and Kylie Cosmetics to Kat Von D.
So, you can read up on everything from how long-lasting the formula is, to the best shade range. Finding the best liquid lipstick just got a whole lot easier.
Pictures courtesy of King Of The Booth
Best Liquid Lipstick: Stila
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Stila's Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Beso: Overall Rating: 8/10
Formula: First things first, this smells very strong, think cake batter mixed with plastic (lurrvely) personally i'm not a fan of the scent, but thankfully it doesn't linger. The formula itself is thin and liquidy meaning it dries very fast (good if you're in a rush, bad if you're rubbish at applying lipstick in 5 seconds). It's super-pigmented which allows the red formula to swipe on evenly but it is a tad drying on the lips so not the best if you're prone to chaps.
Shade Range: There's a whopping 20 shades on Stila's website, ranging from the palest nudes to deep burgundy hues, so you'll have plenty to choose from.
Applicator: There's a long flexible doe-foot applicator which allows precision.
Lasting Power: It lasted around 6 hours (yes, through lunch) with just a little flaking toward the centre of my lips.
Price: £16
Best Liquid Lipstick: Maybelline New York
Maybelline New York Superstay Matte Ink in Ruler: Overall Rating 8/10
Formula: The inky formula is everything you'd expect from a traditional matte liquid lipstick, it offers a serious punch of pigment from the first swipe and dries down quickly and evenly - with barely any transfer. The colour wears well, even when eating and drinking - for the price, I was really impressed.
Shade Range: There are 18 shades, so you're bound to fall in love with one (at least).
Applicator: An oval applicator with a hollow well in the middle to deposit extra pigment in the centre of lips (aka, the fullest point).
Lasting Power: 7+ hours, although you should expect a little fading when eating and drinking.
Price: £9.99
Best Liquid Lipstick: Huda Beauty
Huda Beauty Liquid Matte in Bombshell: Overall Rating: 10/10
Formula: Out of the bunch, Huda Beauty have managed to strike the perfect balance between a long-lasting formula that's also non-drying (yes, really). The lightweight liquid has slight sheen but this dries down to a matte finish after around 15 seconds. There's a very slight tackiness to the finish but this keeps it flexible and helps you avoid the dreaded crumbliness.
Shade Range: CultBeauty is the best place to get your hands on Huda Beauty and they stock 14 shades in a beautiful range of hues.
Applicator: A small doe-foot spongey applicator that applies perfectly.
Lasting Power: All day (8+ hours)
Price: £18
Best Liquid Lipstick: Too Faced
Too Faced Melted Matte in Sellout: Overall Rating: 9/10
Formula: Being a Too Faced product the formula of this matte liquid lipstick is impeccable, it applies flawlessly, stays perfect and the shade selection is epic. It loses a point for the slightly chemically scent.
Shade Range: There are 18 shades available and they cover every hue from fuchsia pink to jet black.
Applicator: There's a small doe-foot applicator but the lack of suction at the top of the bottle means you could end up with quite a lot of excess product of the wand.
Lasting Power: All day (8+ hours), oh and it even stays perfect through a greasy pizza - I can attest to that.
Price: £19
Best Liquid Lipstick: GOSH
GOSH Liquid Matte Lips in The Red: Overall Rating 7/10
Formula: This rich red has a creamy formula that finishes matte, but never fully dries down, so you do have to be aware of smudges. That being said, the creamy texture gives lips a matte sheen whilst seamlessly gliding over any dry patches or chaps.
Shade Range: Superdrug stock 8 shades of the Liquid Matte Lips, all of which are traditional easy-to-wear shades ranging from nudes, pinks and reds.
Applicator: The thin, flat applicator makes applying product easy, whilst the small rounded tip gives control when it comes to a precise lip line.
Lasting Power: 4+ hours, the formula is long-lasting but the cream formula can move, so watch out for smudges and transfer.
Price: £8.99
Best Liquid Lipstick: Sleek Makeup
Sleek Makeup Matte Me in Velvet Slipper: Overall Rating 5/10
Formula: Yep, it's budget-friendly, but this is hella drying and it's a tad on the watery side which means it's tricky to get an even colour. It dries matte after a couple of seconds but if you press your lips together they will feel kinda sticky.
Shade Range: There's 12 shades from neutrals to dark, inky colours.
Applicator: Standard doe-foot.
Lasting Power: 8+ hours, but it will start to crumble.
Price: £4.99
Best Liquid Lipstick: Zoeva
Zoeva Pure Matte Lips in About Turn: Overall Rating 7/10
Formula: The liquid formula dries down quickly and comfortably, it's uber-pigmented, so one coat are you're good to go. The orange-brown looked great and enhanced the blue of my eyes, but the warm undertone wasn't the most flattering against my teeth, as it made them look a little yellow.
Shade Range: The shade range is... interesting. There's a definite grunge feel to this lip collection, with cool browns, ashy lilacs, and stone greys, the 90s vibes are strong.
Applicator: The small doe-foot applicator applies evenly and precisely.
Lasting Power: 8+ hours (all day).
Price: £9.80
Best Liquid Lipstick: Jeffree Star Cosmetics
Jeffree Star Cosmetics Velour Liquid Lipstick in Watermelon Soda: Overall Rating: 7/10
Formula: The texture feels a little oily at first, which makes it a good option for dry lips, but it can mean the product takes a couple of layers before you have a perfectly even finish. It smells uh-mazing, like fresh watermelon (and not in an artificial way), but try not to eat it peeps.
Shade Range: There are 31 shades... yes, THIRTY ONE. Including a sky-blue and khaki green.
Applicator: The applicator is a little off putting as it's kinda on the fluffy side which means it's hard to be precise along your lip line, I'd recommend opting for a lip brush if you want a perfect finish.
Lasting Power: 5+ hours, it's not quite as long-lasting as some of the others.
Price: £24.35
What it looks like on
Jeffree Star Cosmetics Velour Liquid Lipstick in Watermelon Soda
Best Liquid Lipstick: Tanya Burr Cosmetics
Tanya Burr Cosmetics Matte Lip in Martha Moo: Overall Rating 9/10
Formula: This pale peachy-pink shade isn't my fave, but there's a couple of other colours in Tanya's range to choose from. The formula is pigmented and goes on evenly, the only downside is the scent, which kinda reminds me of children's play-doh.
Shade Range: Superdrug stocks three shades of the matte lip formula.
Applicator: This has a flat bendy applicator which deposits plenty of product but it's not as precise as i'd like it to be.
Lasting Power: 5+ hours, but it will start to crumble.
Price: £5.99
Rimmel London Provocalips 16 Hr Kiss Proof Lip Colour in Play With Fire
Rimmel London Provocalips 16 Hr Kiss Proof Lip Colour in Play With Fire: Overall Rating 7/10
Formula: This is incredibly long-lasting, but it's almost too much, I struggled to get it off with a makeup removing oil. On the plus side, if you need a lip colour that will hold up through literally anything, this is for you. The formula is pigmented and the shade range is dreamy. I'd definitely recommend topping the lip colour with the balm on the opposite end, as otherwise your pout will feel dryer than the Sahara.
Shade Range: There are 11 pretty shades (mostly pinks and reds) to pick from.
Applicator: This has a rounded doe-foot applicator which makes it easy to apply, especially along the cupid's bow.
Lasting Power: Forever, good luck getting it off. Oh and if you skip the lip balm topcoat it will start to flake.
Price: £6.99
What it looks like on...
Rimmel London Provocalips 16 Hr Kiss Proof Lip Colour in Play With Fire
Victoria Jowett is an award-winning journalist and the former Beauty Director at Cosmopolitan UK. She was named one of PPA’s 30 Under 30 for her work in beauty journalism and oversees the skincare, hair, makeup and fragrance content across all of Cosmopolitan’s platforms. She's worked in the beauty industry for over 13 years (and tested 1000s of products), making her an expert when it comes to recommending beauty brands that truly work. Having started her career working weekends on a makeup counter, Victoria began interning at the likes of AnOther and IDOL magazine, before landing her first Beauty Writer job at weekly fashion magazine, LOOK. Joining Cosmopolitan in 2016, Victoria has always remained a beauty fanatic and has been lucky enough to interview everyone from Britney Spears to Kourtney Kardashian about their beauty routines. Follow her on LinkedIn.
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