Lip stain

Stains come as liquids, gels, markers and balms. They use dyes or very fine pigments in a light base that dries quickly, so the colour stays after the product itself has worn away. The finish is usually close to bare lips, neither matte nor shiny, and the colour can be built from sheer to stronger with extra layers.

A stain differs from a lip tint mainly in strength and wear. The terms overlap, but a stain usually lasts longer and looks more like the lips’ own colour, deepened. It also differs from a liquid lipstick, which leaves an opaque film.

Because a stain is translucent, the colour on the lips mixes with the wearer’s natural lip colour, so the same stain can look different from person to person and often reads lighter than its listed hex. Stains are often used for a just-bitten berry or red look, or under a gloss for shine.