When I first started wearing lipstick I used to love putting it on. It was like a rite of passage to womanhood and I didn’t mind reapplying several times a day.
But times have changed and now I want my lipstick to look good when I first put it on, feel great and stay that way all day.
Choosing so-called long lasting lipstick doesn’t always help however.
They don’t all deserve the label (sometimes far from it). It’s just something that manufacturers use to sell more of their product rather than an actual feature of the lip color in many cases.
 How To Make ANY Lipstick last longerIf you have a favorite lipstick that you want to wear, but would like to keep it on your lips and not see it on your coffee cup, see the section below How to Make Any Lipstick Longer Lasting with tips and videos which will help your lipstick stay where you put it. |
They know it influences our decision to buy so they create names and ads that suggest the products will stay on our lips when they actually disappear with the morning coffee.
There have been quite a lot of tests going on recently to see which lipsticks have the best staying power and, thankfully, these almost always take into consideration whether the product feels great to wear.
The problem is that you can easily create a lipstick that lasts but dries your lips or one that will feel good with lots of moisturizers but doesn’t stick around. Finding both together in the same lip color is a much bigger challenge.
Despite that, there are some great long lasting lipsticks to choose from and surprisingly they are not usually the most expensive products on the market.
In any case, you save a fortune by only applying once or twice a day and not hourly so even the most expensive long wearing lipsticks are an affordable luxury and good value (so you can tell yourself).
To choose the best long lasting lipstick I looked at all the tests that have been carried out over the past year or so by magazines and websites and also researched the products which have been given the best scores by buyers on various shopping and review sites.
If you just read a few reviews you will get thoroughly confused because it seems like everyone has their favorite (different) lipstick but when you read a whole ton of lipstick reviews some clear winners emerge which are highly likely to please most of us most of the time.
Best Long Lasting Lip Colors
PAINT AND GLOSS TYPE LIPSTICKS
Max Factor Lipfinity
This lasting color lipstick is not so much a lipstick as paint for your lips which you apply in two steps.
First you add intense color with the paint and then leave it to dry for a minute or so and then you cover this with a top coat which acts as a moisturizing balm or gloss.
The great thing about these is that the color lasts all day. You will even have to remove it with makeup remover or baby oil when you want to remove it. You will need to reapply the top coat though to keep your lips moisturized as this will wear off, but as it is colorless it is easy enough to touch up your lips.
Lipfinity lipstick (the color part) is a little fiddly to apply as you have to be very precise as you paint. Make sure that you apply it to smooth bare lips, in a thin even layer and always add the top coat only once the first layer is completely dry.
| How To Apply Lip Stain and Gloss Type Lipsticks For 10 tips to apply these two step lipsticks properly, see the section below How to Apply Long Lasting Lipstick (Paint and Gloss type). You’ll like these lipsticks much better if you apply them right! |
That is the secret to loving this product. Some find it sticky (probably because they added too much and didn’t let it dry properly). If you put it on too thickly then you may also find that it crumbles off when it eventually wears off, which is not a good look.
The 21st Century Beauty Bible actually gave this product a very high 7.81 out of 10 and it lasted 7 hours of normal wear according to Good Housekeeping tests.
It is getting more difficult to find this Max Factor long lasting lipstick in stores as Max Factor is no longer distributed so widely. Fans can still buy most Lipfinity colors on Amazon though so no panic required. Amazon Lipfinity reviews and purchase here.
Maybelline Superstay 24 lip color
This Maybelline Superstay lipstick is the latest replacement for their 16 hour version so hopefully it will last even longer.
It has the same type of paint plus gloss methodology as Lipfinity. So far the reviews are pretty positive though many of them seem to be from those who have been given free samples which often makes opinions more generous than they might otherwise be.
I’ve just ordered some in Pink Spice so I’ll reserve judgment until I receive it then give it a good workout with plenty of coffee and wine drinking and a plate of spaghetti or two. Always a good test. I might even kiss my husband LOL
In any case I like how you can get refills of the conditioning balm as you tend to go through that quicker than the lip color with these products. You can get this Maybelline superstay lipcolor in local drugstores or in quite a few colors on Amazon here: Maybelline Superstay Lipcolor
Revlon ColorStay Overtime Lipcolor
Revlon Colorstay lip color also uses a similar system to Lipfinity. The two elements are delivered via a double-ended wand one end, with with paint-on color and the other with gloss.
This product stays on the lips all day with very little transfer. (It lasted 7 hours of normal wear according to Good Housekeeping tests).
Reading all the reviews for these paint on products like the Revlon Colorstay lipcolor, it almost seems with these lipsticks that you either love them or hate them – how you apply them, how they look, the feel on your lips but you can’t deny that once you have them looking good, the color stays and they continue to look and feel good if you do a quick and easy application of the top coat to keep your lips hydrated. There’s not even any need for mirrors.
You can buy the Revlon Colorstay Lipstick in lots of colors here on Amazon: Revlon Colorstay Lip Color
TRADITIONAL LIPSTICKS
If you’re not into actually using paint or hate the feel/application method of those lip colors and would like a traditional lipstick then you have a more difficult job on your hands finding a lipstick that lasts. Here are the ones that came out best after reading the whole stack of lipstick reviews online.
Stila Long Wear Lip Color
These Stila lip colors are lovely looking long wear lipsticks in thin distinctive packaging in beautiful colors.
Although they will not last as long as the “paint on” long wearing lipsticks, they have good staying power compared to most traditional lipsticks and most buyers say that they are moisturizing rather than drying.
According to the tests and reviews at totalbeauty.com for example your lipstick will last about four hours and hold up to kissing and sipping a hot beverage but not all the buyers on makeupalley.com found this. It is still a favorite with most reviewers there though as it scores an average 3.7 out 5 from over 38 buyers and over 70% would buy it again (it seems like several already have bought from the list of Stila lip colors buyers they were reviewing). If you would like to try these, Stila products are available in the beauty departments of larger department stores or you should be able to find your own favorite color on Amazon : Stila Long Wear Lip Color
Christian Dior – Rouge Dior Replenishing Lipcolor
This Dior lipstick is pretty good for a standard lipstick in terms of staying power but of course it will not last like the paint on lip colors and you do have to apply it the right way (see tips and videos below).
It is also quite pricey compared to lesser brands.
Nevertheless we all deserve a bit of luxury in our lives and I think all of us deserve a Dior lipstick at some point or other. The sooner you try them the sooner you will be hooked so watch out if you’re on a budget as you will never want to go back to cheap lipstick again.
The staying power rests in the fact that it is highly pigmented so that even when it wears off you will still have a bit of color remaining but you will also love how it makes your lips feel as it goes on smoothly and leaves your lips feeling light and beautifully soft.
This lipstick scored a massive 4.7 out of 5 with 91% wanting to buy again on Makeup Alley and in the lipstick category where no one can seem to agree on what is good and what is not, that is pretty significant.
Of course, I can’t guarantee that you will mot be one of the unimpressed but I think you deserve the chance to find out. You can buy a lot of Rouge Dior Replenishing Lipcolor shades on Amazon though you might have trouble deciding which one to go for first!
How To Make Any Lipstick Longer Lasting
If you already have a lipstick you love and don’t want to swap it for a long lasting version, you can make it long wearing by applying it in the right way.
Make sure that your lips are soft and moisturized before you begin. Get rid of any flakes of skin by brushing lightly with a soft toothbrush dipped in Vaseline. Blot or wipe off any excess.
Add good base with a clear lip primer. You will find that some beauty experts recommend you cover your lips with foundation or concealer but I prefer to leave the lips natural under my lipstick.
| How to Avoid Getting Lipstick on Your Glass or Coffee Cup Just before you take a sip, lightly and discretely lick your lips so there is a layer of moisture between your lipstick and the glass or cup. |
When the lip color eventually wears off (and it will) you look a bit ghostlike with such a light base. A foundation base on your lips is fine for photographic sessions but not for real life in my view.
Choose a lip liner which matches the natural color of your lips to outline them, then fill in the lips with the same lip liner.
Always apply your lipstick with a fine lip brush for better control and apply over the whole area.
Blot the lipstick with a thin layer of tissue and brush translucent powder over the tissue to set the lipstick, or just brush them if you don’t have a thin enough tissue.
Apply a final coat of lipstick to give a glossy finish (if you lipstick is creamy) or add just a touch of gloss to your bottom lip
Long Lasting Lipstick Video Tutorials
No time to view? Here are the tips you’ll get in this video
- if you want to moisturize your lips, do that an hour or so before you apply lipstick otherwise it wil cause your lipstick to slide off.
- Create a base by lining your lips in the same color as your lips and filling in the color over your whole lips.
- Add lipstick then blot with a tissue.
- Brush with a light dusting of translucent powder
- Add another layer of lipstick.
- Brush foundation or concealer which matches your skin around your mouth so that the lipstick does not travel beyond your lips (I like this tip. I’m going to add it to my box of tricks 🙂 )
- Add lip gloss
The makeup artist in this video has the following tips
- Add moisturizer before your lip liner so you get a smoother line with your liner. I think this is a good tip only if you moisturize sometime before you apply lipstick as instructed in the previous video or you take care to blot off any excess.
- Use a brush to apply your lipstick and emphasize the cupid’s bow. Don’t go over the lip line as in the previous video. (I must admit I prefer to follow the natural lines too)
- Don’t rub your lips together as your top lip is NOT the same same as the bottom. (Do people still do that???)
- In this video the makeup artist does not blot and add a second coat of lipstick but she does brush translucent powder around the lips to prevent the lipstick bleeding.
How to Apply Long Lasting Lipstick (Paint and Gloss type)
If you have the kind of lipstick (as most of the long wearing lipsticks are) that you use in two stages, you’ll have a lot more success with it if you apply it properly.
Make sure that your lips are moist and soft before you begin. Invariably the bottom coat – the layer with the color – is quite drying with these long lasting products so any dryness in your lips will cause it to crack and crumble.
Don’t just plaster on the lip balm before you begin though. You don’t want an oily surface for the lip color to adhere to. Moisturize in advance or make sure you get rid of the excess before you begin painting.
Line your lips with a lip pencil in your natural lip color using a fine line. (You’ll need to make sure your pencil is sharp) This will give you a defined area for painting with the lip color whereas the natural lines around your mouth are not always easy to see. You don’t want a thick layer of pencil that you have to paint over, just a line to paint up to.
Paint on a thin layer of color keeping within the lines you just drew and making sure you cover all your mouth without stretching it out too much or puckering up. If you create a layer that is too thick the substance will be sticky and unpleasant on your lips, take ages to dry and tend to peel.
Deal with any mistakes right away before the lip color dries. A cotton bud dipped in makeup remover lotion is handy for this. Repair your lip liner too if you have had to remove that.
| Take Care with Oil Based Foods Take care with oily dressings in salads in case the oil attacks your lippie – you should be OK though if you get the dressing in your mouth and not all over it! |
Wait until the bottom coat is completely dry after applying. This is essential and may take a full minute or two – more if you have added too much. This is where patience is a virtue if you want your lip color to last and look good all day.
Add the glossy top coat. This layer WILL wear off so you may have to keep reapplying it to keep your lips in good condition. Just see how you get on and how often you need to use it. In some ways it might seem to defeat the purpose of long lasting lip color but this will be a very quick repair rather than a full-out reapplication of lipstick.
Remove the lip color with a gentle makeup remover and don’t scrub at your lips or you may make them sore!
These lipsticks are long lasting but they are not concrete so don’t bite or pick at your lips if you want the color to stay on though the lip color may feel a bit strange at first.
If any of the lipstick peels off, you can’t really do a retouching job part way through the day without making a mess – you just have to start again. As you need an oil based remover you may like to have some removal pads on hand just in case.
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