Note – I purchased all of the products listed in this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Remember when I used to write about make-up? Yeah, I do too! It’s a topic that I love talking about and I don’t have a lot of people in my life to talk about it with, so you are going to be those people! Sound good?
Liquid lipsticks. I avoided them for the longest time. I have really dry lips and I’ve never really liked products that are known to be somewhat drying. (MAC’s Ruby Woo? I don’t even know why I own a tube of it. I should probably throw it away at this point, to be honest.) And when I first heard about liquid lipsticks, they brought to mind those double-sided long lasting lip products that drugstore brands used to release. Every once in awhile I’d try one and it felt like they just crumbled on my lips and dried them out even more.
So anyway, I didn’t think they were for me. And then I decided to try one. I think I heard great reviews about it, even from some who claim to have dry lips, so I gave it a shot. And I loved it! I decided to try a few other brands as well and here are my thoughts!
Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks
This was the first liquid lipstick that I tried and I absolutely fell in love with them!
Pros: This one is very long-lasting. I don’t know if I’ve ever eaten something that has completely taken it off. I have no issues with touching up if there is some fading when I eat or drink something. There have been times when I’ve noticed a slight transfer, but it’s not bad at all. Most of the time it’s very comfortable. This is my favorite of the three in terms of staying power.
Cons: This one can be a bit drying. I usually don’t have a problem with it, but there have been times when I took it off toward the end of the day because my lips felt a bit dry. There have also been a few times that I felt like it wasn’t sitting well because it felt dry, even after going through my usual liquid lipstick routine. I’d still recommend it if you have dryer lips, just know that if your lips feel particularly dry you might want to go with something else.
I’ve tried: Lolita 2 (the first liquid lipstick I tried!), Berlin and Bauhau5. My favorite of the three is definitely Lolita 2. It’s a nice every day shade and I regularly receive compliments when I wear it. I always misplace this one because I use it so much that I never know which bag it’s in or where to look for it. I had to search for it just to take this photo! 🙂 I wore Berlin a lot over the summer and it was featured in my Bogota Make-Up Bag. (I took Lolita 2 also, but I know that I used Berlin the most while I was there.) Bauhau5 shows up a little more on the pinky side of berry than I was hoping it would, but I still really love the color. It’s a recent addition to my make-up bag, so I haven’t worn it too much, but it’s one of the lip products I took to Ottawa. (There will be an Ottawa Make-Up Bag post coming soon!)
Ofra Long Lasting Liquid Lipsticks
This was the last of the three liquid lipstick brands that I tried and it’s tied with the Kat Von D as a favorite brand, but for different reasons.
Pros: This is the most comfortable formula of the three. I was on a staff retreat this summer and realized I forgot my chapstick. I had one of these in my bag so I ended up trying it out of desperation and it actually took away the dry feeling in my lips. They last a long time, though not always through a meal (I don’t have a problem with that). If I ever feel the need to touch up, I’ve never had a problem applying another layer over what I’ve already put on. I love the color range that they have and, if I had the money, would probably buy all of them. 😉 They have some seriously beautiful shades and I spent a couple of days deciding which three I’d get when I placed my order. I usually don’t see too much transfer with these, but I have more thoughts on this in the cons. I will say that all of the pros totally make up for the cons.
Cons: They’re not quite as long-lasting and transfer proof as the Kat Von D. There have been days that I’ve had more transfer onto a coffee mug than I’d like, but it’s not more than I’d get with a normal lipstick and it’s not all the time, so I still prefer these to a regular lipstick. It’s just something that I take into consideration when I think about which brand to go for.
I’ve tried: Miami Fever, Laguna Beach and Mina (I obviously had to get the lipstick with my pup’s name!). I actually placed the order for Miami Fever, because it’s such a pretty and unique color! I absolutely love it. It’s nice because it’s a pop of color, but not too over-the-top, so I can wear this when I want a bold lip color, but I don’t want it to be too bold. This was the one that saved the day at the retreat–my lips were so uncomfortable but this totally helped. Laguna Beach is a beautiful, every day shade so it’s the one that I wear the most. This is also the one that I’ve seen the most transfer with–I chalked it up to every day use, but maybe the formula of this one is slightly different? (It could be that I haven’t always allowed enough time for my liquid lipstick routine, which is listed below. I’ll have to think about that the next time I notice more transfer.) Mina is a gorgeous vampy shade and a must-have because it’s named after my dog. 😉 I wore this to a lot of fall outings and passed on some of my usual “fall” lipsticks because I knew I didn’t have to worry too much about transfer or the color disappearing throughout the event.
Stila Stay-All-Day Liquid Lipstick
This is a hard one to talk about, because it’s very hit or miss with me.
Pros: This one is very long-lasting and usually has very little transfer.
Cons: It highlights any dry spot that I have. The formula is really thick, so I always feel like it’s obvious that I’m wearing something on my lips and it doesn’t build well at all. The brush actually picks up a lot of product, so I always have to brush it off on the tube and it still feels like it deposits a lot.
I’ve tried: Patina. And this is where we discuss my mixed feelings. When I first got it, I didn’t like it. I felt like I could never get it to a point where it would look good and I always felt like I had something on my lips. It wasn’t comfortable. But it isn’t that way all the time and I have no idea why it works sometimes and doesn’t others. When it works, I absolutely love it! The color is beautiful and it can be comfortable. But when it doesn’t work, I usually take it off within five minutes because I’m that uncomfortable with it. Let me know if you like this one or if you’ve had an issues with it!
Liquid Lipstick Routine
Yes, I have a liquid lipstick routine. Since I do have dry lips, I feel like things always go better with the liquid lipstick if I prep my lips. When I wash and moisturize my face in the morning, I also put on a lip balm. I like to give my moisturizer time to sink in before I put on foundation, so I wait about ten minutes before I do my makeup. Liquid lipstick is usually the finishing touch in my morning routine, so the lip balm has plenty of time to set before I put on the lipstick. I also wipe off any excess before I apply the liquid lipstick. This typically allows me to make sure my lips are as moisturized as possible, while still allowing the liquid lipstick to set once I put it on.
What are your favorite liquid lipsticks?
