9 Best Lip Stains of 2025, According to Professional Makeup Artists

The Benetint sealed its viral fame on TikTok with a cherry kiss. Its sheer, water-like formula paints a stunning flush of color — that builds up with more swipes — onto lips and cheeks. One GH editor swears by it. For a natural look, she swipes on one coat, lets it sit for a couple of minutes, then wipes it off to lessen some of the intensity. She found that just one coat lasted about six hours. Swiping on a clear gloss added extra hydration and shine.

The doe-foot applicator helps precisely swipe on the Colourpop Glossy Lip Stain that also happens to be under $10. Note that it's more creamy than a typical lip stain, offering longwear glossiness. After applying a layer, online reviewers enjoyed blotting it to reveal a shiny, non-drying pigment. It's worth noting, though, that many shoppers complained about the scent.

Get the high shine of gloss without the added layers. In a stroke of brilliance, this formula from L’Oréal feels lightweight with the staying power of a stain, says Hart. It comes in 12 pigmented colors, each at a budget-friendly price. The brand claims its precise applicator helps contain feathering and smearing, a common qualm with lip stains.

Yves Saint Laurent completely subverts the belief that lip stains are drying and uncomfortable. Of all those he's tried, Guerra found a staple in the brand's "water-enriched" aloe vera formula. "These shades are beautiful neutrals on deeper skin tones and are highly pigmented, lightweight and luminous," he says.

Making the rounds on TikTok for its innovative design, Wonderskin claims to layer lips with pigments that are then sealed in to prevent feathering, fading or budging. Its purple layer peels off to reveal a water-resistant lip stain that lasts 10 hours, according to the brand. Those who want a bit more variety than a pink pucker can choose from any of its 30 color options.

Line your lips and fill all in one go: This Stila pen features a unique blade-like tip for precise application. "I love how thin the tip is," raves GH Beauty, Health & Sustainability Lab Reviews Analyst Chiara Butler. "It makes creating the perfect lip shape much easier." The stain comes in a range of brown and nude shades (plus light and deep shades for different complexions) — a rarity for lip stains. The only con worth noting is that some of the stain can get messy on the inside of the cap.

Rare Beauty's lip oil made lip stain believers out of our beauty pros: "I love the innovative texture of this product, something I have not seen in this space before," says GH Senior Chemist Danusia Wnek. We found its gel-like formula left a smooth, lightweight coat of moisture on lips. Once the coat wore away, a nice pigment assumed its position. "It doesn’t bleed, and it stays put where I lay it. I keep reaching for it because it is easy to wear!" Wnek adds. Just note that it has a slightly intense cooling sensation upon application.

Dior's lip tint strikes a balance between long-lasting semi matte finish and hydration, says Hart. Its cherry oil helps nix the drying feeling that manifests as a cracked texture. "The color range is just as impressive as its wearability," adds Guerra. The Natural Poppy hue stands alone as a stunning pop of color while the Natural Tea gives a mauve-y lip that's reminiscent of '90s makeup trends.

Add a punch of color to your makeup look with Fenty Beauty's vibrant, long-lasting lip stains. The line includes bright fuchsias and deep berries, which pop against olive-y to deep skin tones. After just one application, a GH editor found it left a smooth, highly pigmented stain. Some staffers found it clung to dry patches. Guerra recommends prepping by exfoliating with a lip scrub or gently massaging skin with a soft toothbrush, which removes dry or flaky skin. Afterward, "apply lip balm to keep your lips moisturized until application time," he advises.