Matte

A matte surface scatters light evenly instead of reflecting it in highlights, so the colour reads on the lips very close to the shade’s measured hex. That makes matte the most predictable finish: what the swatch shows is close to what appears on the lips. The same colour also looks slightly deeper and more defined in matte than in a satin or gloss finish, and it loses the sparkle a shimmer adds.

Matte formulas are usually opaque, with full colour in one layer, and many liquid lipsticks and long-wear formulas dry down to a matte finish. With no shine to soften the edges, a matte lip shows the lip line clearly, which is why it is often paired with lip liner.

Matte formulas can feel drier than creamier finishes, and some wearers apply a thin balm first. On this site, matte swatches are drawn as the plain colour with no highlight.