Allure/Soleil Summer
On the long list of South Korea's many fine exports — including, but not limited to, sheet masks, pimple patches, and K-pop — are lip tints. These days, some of the best lip stains for no-fuss, long-lasting color are coming straight from Seoul, thanks to Tonymoly, Innisfree, Etude House, and more. Luckily, you don't need a plane ticket to shop for them, and one is just $7. Several Western beauty brands have also mastered the K-beauty staple in their own ways. For example, L'Oréal Paris makes an editor-adored stain; Buxom has a lip-plumping variety; and Armani mastered a gloss that wears down to a wash of color.
"Unlike lipsticks that add a layer on top of the lips, stains are absorbed into the outer layers of the skin for a sheer pop of low-maintenance color," explains makeup artist and Guide Beauty founder Terri Bryant. Remember, they're called lip stains for a reason: As such, these products are especially ideal for mask-wearing.
When you're ready to apply the stain, makeup artist Andrea Claire recommends drawing a "V" at the bow and outer corners of your lips and a "U" towards the bottom of your lips. Then, connect the dots, fill in the lips, and voíla. For a natural-looking finish, makeup artist Geneivive Garner advises tapping the product directly onto your lips using your fingers. Claire recommends applying the stain straight from the tube for a more saturated look.
"To ensure the longest wear, make sure you apply your stain on clean, dry lips," Garner tells Allure. What’s more, according to Claire: "A lip mask or a light clear balm will help even out the lips hydration levels, prepping them for a more even application." Claire also recommends using a lip liner as a base, which helps extend the stain's wear time. To seal the deal, both Claire and Garner suggest laying a one-ply tissue over your lips before dabbing a small amount of translucent powder on top.
No matter which lip-stain iteration you're into, these products are sticking with you for the long haul. Expect not a single drop of color to travel to your teeth, and post-meal reapplication won't be a concern. You'll be committed to the hue for hours.
Intrigued? Read on for the complete list of our favorite lightweight, low-maintenance lip stains.
All products featured on Allure are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
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Clarins Water Lip Stain
Claire loves the Clarins Water Lip Stain's transfer-proof formula — comprised of 77 percent water — as well as its slightly sheer finish. Key ingredients in the Best of Beauty winner include soothing aloe vera, moisturizing glycerin, and antioxidant-rich camellia sinensis leaf extract (aka green tea). Red Water (a candy-colored red, seen here) is one of four fun shades.
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Smashbox Always On Liquid Lipstick
Smashbox Always On Liquid Lipstick is one of Bryant's favorites. Not only is the stain waterproof, but it's also infused with a blend of moisturizing jojoba, apricot, and sunflower oils. Choose from 18 shades, which include beautiful browns, deep reds, and rich berries. For a true stain-like finish, Bryant recommends blotting it down after applying.
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Benefit Cosmetics Benetint Cheek & Lip Stain
A list of lip stains wouldn't be complete without this classic. These days, K-pop stars are helping Benefit Cosmetics's Benetint Cheek & Lip Stain make a comeback, tapping this on the center of their lips before hitting the stage to make their lips look more luscious. Plus, it won't wear away no matter how strenuous the choreography is. While the original Benetint is the most popular shade, several others are available, such as Gogotint (a bright cherry red) and Playtint (a cheery hot pink).
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Buxom Serial Kisser Plumping Lip Stain
Makeup artist Cara Lovello is a fan of Buxom's Serial Killer Plumping Lip Stain, which is spiked with plumping and hydrating hyaluronic acid. The formula draws moisture to the lips, keeping them looking and feeling supple for hours on end. Choose from eight hues, including this Beso (deep cherry) shade, Makeout (a neutral mauve), and Smooch (a peachy coral).
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InnBeauty Project Glaze Lip Oil
Makeup artist Tarryn Feldman recommends InnBeauty's Project Glaze Lip Oil for its juicy finish. The non-sticky formula, infused with lip-plumping actives, also features antioxidant-rich pomegranate seed oil and moisturizing jojoba seed oil. Glaze #1 is Feldman's current favorite thanks to its dark tint; however, you can also snag it in Frosé, a frosted pink.
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Colourpop Fresh Kiss Glossy Lip Stain
Glossy formulas don't always have the staying power of a more matte finish, but Colourpop's Fresh Kiss Glossy Lip Stain shines and doesn't budge. The water-based tint keeps lips hydrated even after it dries down. The stain also has antioxidant-enriched guava and lychee extracts to protect the skin in this area from free-radical damage.
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Pure Theory Love x Life Lip Tint
Pure Theory Love x Life Lip Tint, which took home a 2021 Best of Beauty Award, was an instant hit among Allure editors. The creamy lip color, which comes in five vibrant shades, dabs on as sheer or dense as you want. The buildable hues double as blush, too.
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L'Oréal Paris Rouge Signature Matte Lip Stain
L’Oréal Paris Rouge Signature Matte Lip Stain is a drugstore staple — and for good reason. Makeup artist Keka Heron describes the tint as a cross between a lip stain and lipstick due to its pigment-packed formula that’s lightweight yet long-wearing. The wallet-friendly price tag is an added bonus.
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Nars Powermatte Lip Pigment
Garner raves about Nars Powermatte Lip Pigment, telling Allure its lightweight texture is "dreamy" and doesn't dry out your lips. "Once it starts to wear off, which will take a while, it leaves a beautiful wash of color behind," she adds. The Best of Beauty Award winner comes in 14 full-coverage shades.
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Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain Liquid Lipstick
Makeup artist Brittany Lo is a "huge fan" of the Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain Liquid Lipsticks. The inky lip color is available in a whopping 72(!) shades, including matte and metallic finishes. Its non-sticky, transfer-proof formula is enriched with avocado oil, which adds moisture to your lips, thus preventing them from drying out.
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Rare Beauty Lip Soufflé Matte Cream Lipstick
The Rare Beauty Lip Souffle Matte Cream Lipstick offers a smooth, velvety finish. It's also infused with free radical-fighting vitamin E. The 12 shades include Inspire (a bright red known as "Selena Gomez's go-to"), Heroic (a rich berry), Thrilling (a stunning brown), and Motivate (a watermelon-hued hot pink). Feldman likes to blot the lipstick down, consequently transforming it into a true stain.
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YSL Vinyl Cream Lip Stain
Claire describes the YSL Vinyl Cream Lip Stain as "a high-impact pigment with a glossy shine that would have Studio 54 partygoers jealous." Its creamy formula is designed to last up to 10 hours, while the diamond-shaped tip allows for precise application. It comes in seven colors, including 409 Burgundy Vibes (rich red), 417 Nude (classic nude), and 412 Rose Mix (rosy pink) pictured here.
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Espoir Couture Lip Fluid Velvet
One of K-pop star Tiffany Young's favorite red lipsticks isn't actually a lipstick at all. It's the Espoir Couture Lip Fluid Velvet in Chilling. "It makes your lips look full and plump," she tells Allure. "I like that it's buildable because I can change it up, depending on the time of day, and it's a great shade to use every day."
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Dior Dior Addict Lip Tattoo
The Dior Dior Addict Lip Tattoo grips onto lips for almost two days straight — it's that deserving of its body art-inspired name. Pick from playful pinks, peaches, deeper berries like Natural Berry above, and browns for lips that stay pigmented for at least 10 hours.
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Armani Beauty Ecstasy Mirror Lip Gloss
Although Armani Beauty Ecstasy Mirror Lip Gloss isn't technically categorized as a lip stain or tint, it acts like one. When you first coat your lips, there's a high-shine finish, but blot it and the texture will shift from glossy to matte. The subdued hue stays the same and sticks to lips.
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Amuse Dew Tint
The fruit jelly-like consistency of the Amuse Dew Tint somehow someway persists for hours and is the perfect accompaniment for a glassy-glow makeup look. Swipe the K-beauty pick onto your lips after dabbing your cheeks with a dewy highlighter and cream blush.
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Tonymoly Liptone Get It Tint
The Tonymoly Liptone Get It Tint is a lightweight stain that made its debut in Korea with an endorsement from beloved K-pop group Monsta X. The product, which comes in reds, berry, and coral shade made its way to American shortly thereafter. Keep a tube in your purse because you never know when you're going to need a lip product that dries down instantly for a transfer-free finish.
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Maybelline New York SuperStay Ink Crayon Lipstick
The Maybelline New York SuperStay Ink Crayon Lipstick is incredibly creamy and intensely pigmented like a traditional matte lipstick, but it stays put like a stain and doesn't dry out lips. Hence why it scored a 2021 Allure Best of Beauty win. There's also a built-in sharpener on one end.
Among the dozen hues to choose from, we're fans of Live on the Edge (chocolate rose), Laugh Louder (a tomato orange), and Speak Your Mind (this vibrant berry).
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Innisfree Vivid Cotton Ink
The fluffy texture of the Innisfree Vivid Cotton Ink gives lips a dreamy, velvety matte finish. You'll notice marks will be left on your mug if you take a sip of coffee right after putting it on. (This may be due to the bevy of oils, like avocado and mango seed, on the ingredient list.) But after the initial layer of pigmentation wears away you'll be left with a stunning stain for the rest of the day.
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Bite Beauty Outburst Longwear Lip Stain
Looking for a way to ease into the neon makeup trend of the moment? Try Bite Beauty Outburst Longwear Lip Stain, which comes in a hot pink called Strawberry Frozé, as well as an electric orange dubbed Orange Fizz.
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WakeMake Water Tok Tint
K-beauty brand WakeMake first appeared on the radar after we heard about its full-coverage, acne-fighting Defining Cover Concealer from editors at Allure Korea. Its Water Tok Tint is just as heavy-duty despite the water-like consistency.
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I'm Meme I'm Tic Toc Tint Lip Cashmere
Click the bottom of the I'm Meme I'm Tic Toc Tint Lip Cashmere once to dispense the perfect amount of product. The tint is like a balm, so it won't cling to dry patches on your lips, but instead, the cream will keep them soft and supple.
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Peripera Ink The Airy Velvet
The Peripera Ink The Airy Velvet is a best seller at Olive Young (basically Korea's version of Ulta Beauty) for a reason: It has a hollow applicator to ensure the lightest, most feathery finish. You can also add a dab to the apples of your cheeks for a soft monochromatic look.
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The Etude House Dear Darling Water Gel Tint
The Etude House Dear Darling Water Gel Tint could withstand a zombie apocalypse if you ask Allure contributor Sable Yong. And you'll have plenty of product to hold you over because a little bit of the pigmented, gel-like formula goes a long way. Yong likes to blend it into lips with a cotton swab to avoid the formula from staining her finger.
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Winky Lux Flower Balm
Don't let this clear bullet fool you. Seconds after you swipe on the flower-spiked stick, you'll notice your lips transformed into a custom shade of pink. The Winky Lux Flower Balm reacts to your lips' pH, so the color will be brighter or more subtle depending on the day. It's like the mood ring of lip tints.
Keywordslip tintlip stainPinterestkorean beautyMaybelline New Yorkrevlondrugstore makeuptonymolyBuxomYSL Beautykorean makeupkorean productskorean beauty productsshoppingshopping guideL'Oreal ParisinnisfreeColourPopSephoradior