Once upon a time, lipstick and I were good friends. We went everywhere together. It was always by my side, always there for me. But then something changed between us. It started with little things, like it would finds it’s way into my little lip wrinkles, coloring them. Then touch-ups during the day started to go bad. My lips would look cakey, dry and flaky. We just weren’t getting along, we couldn’t make it work. I needed a change.
I discovered lip stain!
Lip stain understands the needs of aging lips better than lipstick ever could. It stays out of my lip wrinkles and there’s no caking. Stains have staying power, so you can apply gloss over them throughout the day to refresh the look.
I have a few favorites, but Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture Vernis à Lèvres Glossy Stain is at the top of my list.
It is a stain and a gloss in one product. I think application can be tricky, so here’s what I do: I use the applicator to apply the stain to my lips, but I use a lip brush to blend the color around evenly. If I use the applicator to blend, I end up with way too much of the product on my lips, which is not a good look. The glossy look will wear off before the color does, so sometimes I just touchup with a clear gloss for some shine. YSL recommends one coat for a natural look, two coats for brighter color and coverage. I have found this to be true.
It’s a little pricey, around $35, but it’s worth it. I’m not getting lip injections any time soon, so I’ll pay for a good product. Let’s review: You get a gloss, a long-lasting stain, a natural look (with one coat) and a dramatic look (with two coats) all in one bottle!
You know what you don’t get? Dry, bleeding-lip-line lips. So lipstick, you can kiss off.
