Sephora Cream Lip Stain Is Opaque and Lasts Almost All Day

I’m on a lip stain kick because I love dark and bold colors but hate the way they always end up on my teeth or smeared onto my skin if I accidentally bump my lips with my hand. I like the Sephora Cream Lip Stains I just discovered, but I’ll warn you that they’re not the normal stain consistency you may be used to.

Usually, with stains, you can still see your lips. Those have a fairly liquid consistency and they soak into lips like spilled coffee or ink on paper. These are somewhere between a typical stain and a long-lasting lipstick you could get from brands like Cover Girl and Revlon (minus the moisturizing top coat).

These aren’t drying at all, but they are matte and you do need to exfoliate before you apply it so you don’t pick up the flakes on your lips. The color is opaque and most of the colors are on the bold side (I have the Strawberry Kissed shade, which is a matte pinkish red).

It spreads beautifully and it’s easy to get a precise line with the doe foot applicator. I’ve found that if you don’t touch your lips together while it dries, they stay evenly coated for six hours or more, depending on what you eat and drink. It’s lasted almost 10 hours on me, but I didn’t eat anything too oily.

These are priced at $13 each, and there are 10 colors, from the perfect classic red to the deepest almost-black purple. There are only two colors that most people would consider neutral, everyday colors: a matte, pinkish deep beige and a satin golden pinkish-peach.

Photo credit: Sephora