Satin

A satin finish keeps the full colour of a matte and adds a gentle glow where light catches the lips. The sheen is diffuse rather than wet, so it does not turn the colour sheer the way a gloss can. The result is a shade that reads slightly brighter and softer than its hex, with the lip line a little less sharp than in matte, and without the sparkle of a shimmer.

Many bullet lipsticks labelled cream or creme have a satin finish. Satin formulas tend to feel more cushioned than matte ones and fade more evenly as they wear, though they transfer more readily than transfer-proof formulas.

On this site, satin swatches are drawn with the shade’s colour plus a gentle top-to-bottom sheen, so they look a touch lighter at the top than a matte swatch of the same hex. When comparing a satin shade with a matte dupe, expect the matte one to read slightly deeper and flatter on the lips.