Stains, Sticks and Glosses: Explained

It seems that we rarely encounter a babydoll that doesn’t have her lips dolled up. Whether its stain, gloss or stick, pigmented pouts are everywhere, and we’re pretty excited about it. There are many options for lip products on the market and navigating which ones we should wear can prove challenging.

To help you make sense of all of the different ways to accessorize your lips, we’ve pulled together a guide of which products to use when. We’ve also added tips on how to make sure the look lasts. Whether you’re going for a matte look, nude gloss or a bombshell red lipstick, we’ve got you covered.

Lipstick:

First and foremost, find the lipstick consistency you love. Creamy, shiny or matte, lipstick’s options are endless. If you are using a bold color it should be the focal point of your look. For longer lasting color, match the shade with liner, or use a nude liner around the outer edges of your lipstick so that the color won’t bleed. When using red, keep the rest of your makeup somewhat natural – minimal mascara, no eyeshadow and a hint of blush to keep from seeming overly done up.

Lip Stain:

A lip stain look can be achieved by using either a stain or applying lipstick with your finger over lip balm.  Save this look for when you want a hint of color, but you don’t want to look dramatic. Stains tend to stay on longer than glosses and creams, so use a stain when you’ve got a long day (or night) ahead.

Lip Gloss:

Lip gloss is good for days when your pout is a bit dehydrated. We do, however, advise against wearing gloss on windy days while your hair is down. Even the least sticky of lip glosses will attract your hair!