BeautyTok, aka the TikTok community dedicated to all things beauty, can be a hit or miss. On one hand, some of my favorite new beauty products and perfumes are TikTok-viral. On the other, there's been far too many times I've bought the thing everyone is talking about, only to wind up disappointed. However, I can happily say that TikTok did not steer me wrong with the Huda Beauty Lip Contour Stains.
The thought of not having to apply lipstick for hours on end sounds like a dream come true, but the stains I've tried in the past did not live up to expectations. Some have left my lips dry and patchy, and others failed to stay past my morning coffee. While I've had better success with lip liners, the picks I've tested still don't have the staying power of my dreams—then along came Huda Beauty's latest launch, which combines both formulas into one to create my new lip holy grail.
Think of the Huda Beauty Lip Contour Stains as a lip liner with the intense staying power of a stain. Its innovative formula comes in a pen with a marker-like felt tip, which you can use to draw thick or thin lines or to fill in your lips with the highly pigmented colors (my personal preference). The best part? It's non-drying thanks to its argan oil-infused formula. This ingredient is full of hydrating vitamin E and fatty acids, so this stain leaves lips feeling nourished and soft all day long.
I'm not one for a dramatic lip color—I blame it on my small, thin lips—but the good thing about these lip liners is that you can play around with them to achieve the opacity you want. I tested the shade Rosewood, a rosy pink, and where it looks dark and bold on the online swatches, I was able to achieve a more natural-looking pink. I've found that the trick is to work in short strokes and blend out the pigment with your finger. The color dries down fairly quickly, so you'll want to work fast if you want a more blended look. Be sure to store this pen cap side down so the felt tip stays nice and saturated, too.
I also couldn't resist the Soft Nude shade, aka the perfect nude lip color for my fair skin. I applied it at about 8 a.m. for a day in the office—after an iced coffee, mid-morning snack, lunch, and a couple of happy hour drinks, my lips still looked softly defined. In fact, this lip stain didn't budge or fade until I went to remove it before bed, which I did so with my favorite Korean cleansing oil without a problem.
If budge-proof, long-lasting (and non-drying!) lip color is your M.O., then get your hands on Huda Beauty's Lip Contour Stains, and do it quickly—multiple shades are already sold out. And if you're curious what other lip stains hold up in my sweat-proof makeup routine, then check out my recs, below.
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I blame MC's beauty editor, Siena Gagliano, who uses this pick in her soft glam morning routine, for my love of this lip stain. It, too, comes with plenty of hype on social media, and it's well worthy of it. Leave it on for about a minute, then peel it off for the prettiest base color.
Just one coat of this liquid-y stain is all you need for all-day color, but you can amp up the boldness easily with more layers. It's made with good-for-lips ingredients like hyaluronic acid and raspberry water so lips always feel comfortable and soft.
E.l.f. created a lip stain with the feel and finish of a gloss and I'm obsessed. It never leaves my lips dry, but instead it applies smoothly and wish a nice cushiony feel. The shade Pinkies Up is my favorite for a natural-looking pink.
An oldie but a goodie, Benefit's Benetint is one of the first stains I've ever tried, and it still holds up in my extensive collection of lippies. The watery formula can be built up to your desired shade, and I love how it works just as well on cheeks, too.
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