Lately, I’ve been bombarded with videos showcasing women flaunting their perfectly painted lips, followed by a finger swipe that proves their lip color is impervious to smudging. This trend is largely driven by a brand called LipSense, which claims their lipsticks offer transfer-proof wear for an astonishing 18 hours. Sounds impressive, right?
However, the price tag associated with LipSense is quite steep. I wasn’t keen on shelling out a hefty sum just to try these products, especially since purchasing their lipstick also requires buying a gloss, totaling around $55. Like many multilevel marketing schemes, there’s usually a more affordable alternative available at traditional retailers. Thus, my quest began to find a similar product that wouldn’t put me in the position of feeding my family instant noodles for a week.
I ventured far and wide—well, I added a few minutes to my grocery shopping trip with my kids to browse through makeup aisles. Almost every brand I encountered had at least one long-wear lipstick. I focused on those promising 16-hour wear or more and bought a variety for under $15 each—an amount I could stomach tossing if they didn’t meet expectations. Overall, I collected six different lipsticks, each in vibrant shades, and committed to testing them from breakfast until bedtime.
1. L’Oreal Infallible Pro-Last Color Lipstick, Heaven to Henna
This shade turned out to be my least favorite, primarily due to my poor color choice—it was too warm for my complexion. Most of the lipsticks were two-step systems, requiring the application of a color followed by a clear topcoat. The application was smooth, but it felt overly heavy on my lips, leading me to avoid eating or drinking. By the end of the day, my lips felt miserable, and any color had faded away.
2. Revlon ColorStay Ultimate Liquid Lipstick, Ultimate Orchid
The only lipstick in my haul without a sealing gloss, this one applied matte and delivered a striking color. However, by nighttime, my lips were dry and peeling, with remnants of color clinging to cracks.
3. Revlon ColorStay Overtime Lipcolor, Relentless Raisin
This shade was my favorite initially, as I adore darker colors. However, by bedtime, it left me looking like I had old lip liner smudged around my mouth, and my lips felt far from comfortable.
4. Rimmel Provocalips 16hr Kissproof Lipstick, I’ll Call You
Awarded the title of worst lipstick, this one faded within an hour, leaving me with patchy, dry lips. I had to quickly wipe it off before a Mother’s Day event at my son’s school—definitely not a cute look.
5. Maybelline New York Superstay 24, 2-step Lipcolor, So Pearly Pink 110
While this lipstick did last until the end of the day, it felt the worst on my lips, leaving them dry and peeling, with an unpleasant gummy texture.
6. CoverGirl Outlast All-Day Lip Color, Your Classic Red
Of all the lipsticks I tried, this one held up the best. Even with a bold color, it faded more evenly than the others, and my lips were significantly less dry and peeling.
Each of these lipsticks managed to stay put through kisses with my family, but by the end of the day, my lips felt too unpleasant for any more intimacy. Perhaps we should reconsider the appeal of lip colors that promise 16 to 24 hours of wear. An eight-hour wear time, especially through daily activities, should be celebrated. If it meant reapplying every few hours to avoid the uncomfortable feeling of dried glue on my lips, I would gladly do so.
Of all the products, I would repurchase the CoverGirl Outlast. It performed the best, and while I wouldn’t push its limits for a full day, it’s handy for events when you want to avoid continuous touch-ups. As for LipSense? I’m still not interested. Reports indicate they have similar end-of-day issues, with the company attributing it to wax buildup on lips from years of using regular chapstick. I find this explanation hard to believe; lips naturally shed and renew themselves. Their formula includes synthetic beeswax, which is still wax.
For those seeking better alternatives, I recommend hydrating lipsticks and balms. The Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter is rich in pigment and moisture, making reapplication easy, while L’Oreal Paris Colour Riche Lip Balm offers sheer, vibrant color that keeps lips smooth. Above all, it’s wise to manage expectations for long-wear products.
In summary, while long-wear lipsticks may boast impressive wear times, they often come with a price: dry, uncomfortable lips. If you want to explore options for home insemination, check out this invaluable resource on pregnancy. For more insights on family planning, visit Modern Family Blog, which provides excellent information on this topic. And if you’re curious about home insemination kits, consider exploring the Impregnator at Home Insemination Kit for your needs.