If there's one thing I look for in a lip product, it's staying power. Ideally, I'd like to avoid constantly re-applying through the day or night — so, naturally, lip stains are my be-all, end-all lip product. I've found that lip stains last much longer than lip glosses or lipsticks. Moreover, I love that I always have the option to layer them under lip balms and glosses for a shiny finish. And after trying out numerous options in recent weeks — from budget-friendly buys to more expensive BeautyTok favorites — I've finally found the best lip stains.
Based on weeks of testing, my top pick is the Kulfi Lassi Lips Staining Lip Oil. It serves as a nice hybrid between a stain and an oil. It never feels dry on my lips and still leaves me with some nice color even after a big meal.
That said, my other favorites are worth adding to your makeup bag. Here are the best lip stains I've found in a range of price points and finishes.
Our top 3 picks for the best lip stains
This lip stain has a leg-up due to its plethora of moisturizing ingredients — it provides plenty of pigment without drying out the lips, leaving behind a gorgeous glossy finish.
Don’t be fooled by this stain's low price tag. The formula feels luxurious thanks to ultra-moisturizing ingredients. While it has a glossy finish at first swipe, it dries down to a demi-matte that still looks bold and feels nourishing.
This lip tint from Dior offers a wide range of colors in its extremely long-lasting matte formula.
Best overall
This lip stain has a leg-up due to its plethora of moisturizing ingredients — it provides plenty of pigment without drying out the lips, leaving behind a gorgeous glossy finish.
- Very moisturizing ingredients
- A lot of color options that are buildable
- Cruelty-free
- Doesn’t last quite as long as some other stains
My one complaint about lip stains is that they tend to make my lips feel like the Sahara desert, which is problematic given that I already struggle with dry skin (particularly during the brutal New England winter months). Fortunately, that's not an issue with the Kulfi Lassi Lip Staining Oil.
This stain also has my favorite available colors. Many stains tend to have only ultra-vibrant, eye-catching hues that can sometimes be a bit too loud for my liking, but this one is available in nine universally flattering, natural-looking shades like dusty pink and mauvish brown. It's hard to come by a nude stain, and I loved Kulfi's take with "Caramel" — a deep peachy nude that works for any outfit and any season.
While there are other stains on this list that lasted a tad longer, my lips still had plenty of color hours later, even after eating a big meal. Over time, the stain takes on more of a demi-matte finish than when it was first applied, but I didn't mind it because it didn't feel drying whatsoever.
Best drugstore
Don’t be fooled by this stain's low price tag. The formula feels luxurious thanks to ultra-moisturizing ingredients. While it has a glossy finish at first swipe, it dries down to a demi-matte that still looks bold and feels nourishing.
- Cruelty-free
- Hydrating
- Long-lasting and fades nicely
- No lighter color options
I picked up this lip stain on a whim at my local CVS, and I'm so glad I did. The formula features hyaluronic acid, a research-backed skincare ingredient that draws moisture into the skin, and squalane, a naturally occurring oil that locks moisture into the skin. I could definitely feel the benefits of both upon my first application. Like the Kulfi staining oil, this one starts with a glossy finish and then dries down to semi-matte over time. Milani promises eight hours of staying power, but I'd say I probably got about five hours or so — which is still impressive.
One coat offered plenty of pigment, but I wanted a bolder look, so I applied two coats. My lips felt super nourished all day after I applied this one. Another perk? This stain takes some time to set, so I found that I had enough time to fix any mess-ups after I applied it.
Honestly, my only beef with this one is that all the color options are pretty dark. Even though I love a deep berry lip, I wish it was available in some softer pink or nude shades.
Best luxury
This lip tint from Dior offers a wide range of colors in its extremely long-lasting matte formula.
- 94% natural-origin ingredients
- Super long-lasting
- Not too drying for a matte stain
- Can fade a bit patchy
This lip stain was my go-to during my grad school years — in fact, I always kept at least two shades in my bag. That said, I hadn't worn it in at least seven years, so I was curious to see whether the formula held up or had changed at all.
The first thing I noticed is that the doe-foot applicator makes the Dior Addict Lip Tint easier than some other stains to apply precisely — which is good because once the pigment sets within a minute or so, it isn't budging. That's actually an advantage, though, because it lasted me through two meals. I will say it faded a bit patchy, but I'm unsure if that's because my lips were a bit chapped on the day I applied this one. On my next application, I tried layering a clear lip balm over it, which helped it fade more evenly but also affected its longevity. I like that this formula contains moisturizing sweet cherry seed oil and hyaluronic acid because most matte stains tend to be pretty drying.
Something worth noting: This tint leaves a slightly tingly, minty sensation after application that I enjoyed but might not be for everyone.
Best glossy
With the high-shine finish of a gloss but the staying power of a stain, it’s easy to see why this best-selling tint has so many rave reviews. Plus, it comes in a jaw-dropping 22 shades, so you’re bound to find at least one that suits your complexion.
- Fades nicely
- Glossy without being sticky
- Tons of color options
- Color swatches aren’t all super accurate
- Contains artificial fragrance
It was pretty tough to settle on a color when snagging this lip stain — it comes in nearly two dozen different options, and there are so many stunning pink shades to choose from. I ended up testing a few, but my favorite by far was the bestseller "Rose In Mind," a true petal pink with peachy undertones.
This one leaves a high-shine glossy finish but doesn't feel sticky on my lips whatsoever. It's definitely pigmented enough that one coat is sufficient, but I added a second for more opaque coverage. It lasted for about four hours, faded like a dream, and left a subtle, muted pink flush on my lips as it started to wear off.
Best precision applicator
This lip stain is applied with a unique felt-tip pen, which you can use to define your lips with a neat, thin line or fill them in with the flat edge of the marker. It has a vibrant matte finish and is a solid foundation of a long-lasting lip combo.
- Double-edged marker defines lip edges
- Stain lasts up to 24 hours
- Wide color variety
- Contains alcohol, which feels drying
My everyday lip combo starts with this calligraphy pen in a peachy rose shade called "Maya." Before I put it on, I make sure my lips are scrubbed and balmed, as this formula is somewhat drying. Some dead skin will start to pill if my lips aren't hydrated first. The alcohol content of this formula makes it less suitable for people prone to chapped, flaky lips.
Like a real marker, I have to shake the pen a bit to get the ink to flow to its tip — then I can start drawing on my lips for the day. Mine are asymmetrical, but the thin side of the tip lets me draw a defined line around my lips without any blurred edges. This way I can make my Cupid's bow look defined or into a more trendy, rounded shape.
I let the outer lines dry before I sweep across the rest of my lips with the broad side of the pen. Finally, I top it with a lip serum so the stain lays more evenly. I've been so impressed with how the color doesn't budge for hours, even after eating a bagel and sipping from a glass. In fact, if I don't take care to remove it with micellar water before bed, the tint around the edges of my lips lasts into the next day. — Gabrielle Chase, senior associate style editor, Insider Reviews
Most long-lasting
It’s no surprise why this waterproof lip stain has generated so much hype: it provides rich, lasting pigment — and you can adjust the intensity of the color depending on how long you leave it on for.
- Alcohol-free
- Customizable coverage and buildable
- Waterproof
- Need an oil-based remover or cleanser to get it off
- A tad drying
- Fades a little patchy
I had to see what all the hype was about with this TikTok-popular lip stain, which initially goes on as a dark, iridescent royal blue. You leave the stain on your lips for 10-30 seconds and then wipe it away with a damp cloth to reveal the true color underneath.
One thing I really appreciate about this product is that the applicator has a thin edge, which means I can use it to line my lips first before filling them in. The longer you leave the stain on before wiping it away, the deeper the pigment. I like that I can leave it on for 10 seconds if I want a more muted look or leave it on for a full 30 seconds to get a more intense color payoff. Another huge advantage here is that there are 18 different color options — I opted for "Whimsical," which turned out to be that perfect my-lips-but-better rosy shade.
This stain lasted a full six hours, making it the longest-lasting one I tried. Even after I applied a lip balm or gloss on top, it didn't fade or run, which is pretty impressive. That said, this one did seem to fade pretty unevenly — particularly if I didn't add that extra layer of balm or gloss.
Best buildable
This lip stain has amassed a cult following for a reason: It’s transfer-proof, buildable, and fades like a dream.
- Long-lasting
- Buildable
- Fades fairly evenly
- No soft or muted color options
- Not super moisturizing
Benetint is largely considered the OG lip stain — and it's actually the first product Benefit Cosmetics introduced. But here's a fun fact for you: It was originally sold as a nipple tint for exotic dancers back in 1976 when it launched. It's since been renamed and reformulated, and the brand has added a small handful of new color options as well. I decided to try Floratint, which Benefit describes as a desert rose, but I found it to be closer to a bright coral.
The formula is definitely a lot thinner and more watery than other tints. It dries down to a matte finish, and once it sets, it's pretty tough to get off, so I learned to fix any mess-ups quickly. This one didn't feel super drying on my lips, but it also doesn't contain a lot of the other ultra-nourishing ingredients that other stains on this list feature, so I did find myself yearning to layer it with a balm. If you like that just-ate-a-popsicle look, this stain is definitely for you.
By far, the biggest perk with this stain, though, is that it's pretty buildable. One coat leaves a sheer wash of color, while two or three coats provide a richer and more vibrant pop of pigment. It's a multitasking product, too: Reviewers say they also use it as a blush or staining lip liner, although I haven't yet tried to apply it either of those ways.
Most moisturizing
This super affordable stain may only come in four shades, but it’s packed with moisturizing ingredients like hyaluronic acid, jojoba oil, and squalane — leaving lips feeling nourished and looking dewy.
- Angled applicator is helpful for application
- Lots of moisturizing ingredients
- Only four color options
- Applicator may be a little too large for some
I first spotted this budget-friendly stain on BeautyTok, where I saw countless influencers raving about the dewy finish and impressive color payoff. They weren't wrong. This one felt incredibly moisturizing thanks to ingredients like hyaluronic acid, jojoba oil, and squalane in the formula — but it also offered long-lasting, rich pigment. I'd certainly be adding more of these stains to my collection if there were more than four color options. I loved the wine-red shade I tried: "Berry Drops."
My first observation after applying this stain is that it smells a bit like a cherry coughdrop — I happen to like the scent, which I imagine comes from the sweet cherry seed oil in the formula.
The doe-foot applicator on this one is a tad larger, making it a bit more tricky to apply with precision, but the angled shape definitely helps.
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Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@businessinsider.com.
