Our testers were unimpressed with the Anastasia Beverly Hills Matte & Satin Velvet Lipstick when it was put up against other lipsticks in its price range.
We tested three Bobbi Brown options — Crushed Lipstick, Luxe Cashmere Matte Lipstick, and Luxe Lipstick. And they didn’t deliver the color payoff our testers expected: The Crushed option wasn’t buildable, the Luxe Cashmere Matte dragged and felt powdery, and the Luxe lipstick was described as “average.”
The E.L.F. Cosmetics O Face Satin Lipstick lacked a strong color payoff, felt greasy on our lips, and settled into fine lines. Also, some of our testers found that it had an off-putting powdery smell. Panelists appreciated the E.L.F. Cosmetics Glow Reviver Slipstick’s flattering, sheer color payoff and affordable price, but its overly slick feel and sugary-sweet scent were polarizing.
The Estée Lauder Pure Color Creme Lipstick had a balm-like texture, and it took multiple swipes to cover our lips. And the Pure Color Matte Lipstick clumped on dry lips and made them peel. The case snaps securely shut, but people with dexterity issues may find it hard to open.
The Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Stunna Lip Paint Longwear Fluid Lip Color felt good on our lips, but the watery-thin formulation is prone to messiness. Plus, the lipstick wasn’t as durable as other longwear lipsticks we tried.
Hourglass Unlocked Satin Crème Lipstick’s strong underlying pigment stayed on one tester’s lips overnight! But in that same vein, other testers thought it was too difficult to remove.
The shape of the Ilia Balmy Tint Hydrating Lip Balm’s bullet was too large and flat for precise application, and testers complained about the smell.
The Kosas Wet Stick Moisturizing Shiny Sheer Lipstick with Ceramides was overly slippery during application, and the color migrated into fine lines almost immediately.
Our testers described the L’Oreal Glow Paradise Balm-In Lipstick as “meh,” “okay,” and “fine.” It didn’t make much of an impression against the rest of the sheer lipsticks we tested.
We found that the L.A. Colors Matte Lipstick felt rough going on and looked very patchy.
Like our MACximal Matte pick, the MAC MACximal Sleek Satin Lipstick felt nice and hydrating. But within an hour or so, it tended to settle into fine lines and clump on dry spots. Some testers also detected (and disliked) a vague chemical scent. Our testers loved the opaque pigment of the MAC Retro Matte Liquid Lipstick, but the formulation felt heavy and uncomfortable on the lips.
The Mary Kay Gel Semi-Matte Lipstick had great color payoff, but otherwise it did not stand out in any way.
Testers deemed the Maybelline New York Color Sensational The Creams Cream FinishLipstick too sticky (one tester likened it to glue). While the Maybelline New York Color Sensational Ultimatte Slim Lipstick Makeup has a great selection of shades and an impressive color payoff, it made our lips feel stiff and dry. And the Maybelline New York Super Stay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick went on comfortably, but it settled into lip creases over time and became crumbly after eating.
The Merit Signature Lip Lightweight Lipstick comes in a great color selection, and testers said it had a nice, lightweight feel. But one said the bullet felt wobbly in the tube, and it wasn’t particularly special in comparison with our picks. We also tested the Merit Signature Lip Lightweight Lip Blush, but its waxy, dry finish put our testers off.
We liked the packaging of the Nars Explicit Lipstick, but it went on a little sticky and left lips dehydrated. Meanwhile, the Powermatte Lipstick was dry and hard to apply.
The Nyx Professional Makeup Suede Matte Lipstick went on patchy, and it parched our lips.
The Revlon ColorStay Suede Ink Lipstick was polarizing for testers: Some loved the colors and the weightless texture, but others found the formula too drying. Our testers particularly liked the color selection and payoff of the Revlon Super Lustrous Glass Shine lip balm, but it went on goopy.
The Rimmel London Lasting Finish Lipstick went on very shiny, but it bled into lip lines and made lips feel dry.
One tester said the Sephora Collection Matte Velvet Lipstick was so dry that it skipped, jumped, and dragged during application, and it didn’t deposit color well. Also, while the Satin Hydrating Lipstick felt more moisturizing, it sat on top of our lips instead of sinking in, and it was prone to feathering. We also tested the About That Shine Sheer Lipstick for our sheer category, but it was more shimmery than sheer. Plus, it felt sticky on the lips.
The Urban Decay Vice Lipstick (cream formulation) felt sticky and looked unnaturally thick on lips. The matte formulation was more comfortable and wearable, but it settled into lines and felt greasy. Plus, almost every tester complained about the packaging: The cap slid onto the tube only when it was aligned at a particular angle; this struck us as supremely annoying and potentially messy.
The Violette_FR Bisou Balm has a lovely cloudlike, blurred finish, but our testers said it was a little too sheer, even for our sheer lipstick category.
The YSL Loveshine Lip Oil Stick was an old favorite of many of our testers, but compared with other sheer lipsticks we tested, it was too slippery and a little too opaque. And the color quickly migrated outside of lip lines.
We also ruled out a number of other lipsticks in various finishes from Armani, Black Radiance, Bobbi Brown, Burt’s Bees, Chanel, Charlotte Tilbury, Clinique, CoverGirl, Dior, E.L.F. Cosmetics, Elizabeth Arden, Essence, Estée Lauder, Fenty Beauty, Freck Beauty, Givenchy, Glossier, Gucci, Haus Labs, Hourglass, Huda Beauty, Hung Vanngo, Ilia, Isamaya, Jones Road, Juvia’s Place, Kiko Milano, Kosas, Kulfi, Kylie Cosmetics, L.A. Colors, L’Oréal Paris, Laura Geller, Laura Mercier, Lawless, Lisa Eldridge, Lys Beauty, M.Ph, MAC, Maed, Makeup By Mario, Make Up For Ever, Mary Kay, Maybelline New York, Milani, Nars, Natasha Denona, NYX Cosmetics, Palladio Beauty, Pat McGrath Labs, Patrick Ta, Prada, Rare Beauty, Refy, Revlon, Sarah Creal, Sephora Collection, Smashbox, Stila, Tarte, Tom Ford, Urban Decay, Valentino, Violette_FR, Westman Atelier, Wet N Wild, Winky Lux, and YSL Beauty. We chose not to test them for a variety of reasons, including insufficient or unfavorable reviews, low color payoff, or concerns related to value.
This article was edited by Rory Evans and Jennifer G. Sullivan.
