There's a reason so many of us require new lipsticks to pass the coffee cup test: It's easy and it works. My favorite place (shoutout to Gregory's Coffee) has black lids on the cups, so when I take my first few sips, I can easily identify if my lip product has transferred. My go-to liquid lipsticks only give off the faintest flicks of pigment, while some of the less long-wearing contestants leave full-on, detailed marks.
I've determined a hierarchy in my makeup bag via this method, as one of my primary concerns is wear time, especially through my coffee and cinnamon raisin toast. I don't like to reapply less than two hours after initial application, so I find myself sticking to the tubes that have passed the test.
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The only issue with some of my long-standing faves is that they're a bit heavy for the summer, and can dry my lips out if I wear them daily. So when I heard that YSL launched matte liquid lip stains earlier this month, I thought they might be the perfect middle ground. I wasn't wrong.
My shade of choice is Rose Illicite, a creamy, dusty pink. Upon application, which was a breeze with the spatula-shaped wand, I was surprising by how refreshing and comfortable the product was. After applying a few coats of the stain (it starts a bit sheer but can build to opacity), I felt it dry in less than 60 seconds, and headed out to get my morning caffeine fix. My lips felt smooth, with a nice sort of slip to them, but the true test was yet to come.
I cautiously took my first gulp, then pulled away. This is what I saw:
There was next to no color deposit on the cup, and hours later, my lips still felt plump, pigmented, and hydrated. Even as the product began to wear throughout the day, it did so evenly and without cracking or peeling. YSL, you just earned yourself a perfect score.
YSL Beauty Tatouage Couture Lip Stain, $36, available at YSL.com.
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