There are a few beauty items we simply cannot live without: a fresh mani, waterproof eyeliner, a little somethin' to zhuzh up our locks, and an A+ lip stain. The first three are normally pretty easy to nab at our local CVS or Sephora, but the lip stain is almost always a struggle to find. In our experience, stains tend to be drying and patchy — two qualities we do not like in our lip products. In an attempt to find the perfect lip stain, we turned to the folks at Rank & Style to help us out.
The site uses customer reviews, editors' picks, and overall buzz to figure out which products are going to work the hardest for you. (Consider its authors beauty lovers with a penchant for math.) After crunching the numbers, Rank & Style has named Yves Saint Laurent's Vernis À Lèvres Glossy Stain the winner for its rave online reviews and popularity among editors and consumers alike.
On Nordstrom.com, user Mimilou wrote, "I am a lipstick fanatic, and this is one of the best stains. It truly is hydrating [on the lips], but the stain stays on. I love putting it on — the applicator is fantastic [for] making a precise line every time, [and] just enough product gets picked up. Also, you don't have to worry about when the product gets low in the tube because, somehow, it manages to get every last drop. No weird smells — just great color! Love this!"
Everyone and their mother is head-over-heels in love with this product, and for good reason: The gloss can deposit either a subtle hint of color, or a vibrant pop when layered. And unlike most glosses and stains, which dry out our lips on contact, this one feels smooth and comfortable. (We swear it even has a plumping effect!) But the best part is definitely the wear time — one application won't budge for hours and hours. So if you're in a rush and don't have time to touch up your lips before going out for drinks, there's no need to worry because this formula stays put — whether you're sipping a mug of coffee or a glass of wine.
Yves Saint Laurent Glossy Stain, $36, available at Nordstrom.
Yves Saint Laurent Glossy Stain, $36, available at Nordstrom.