Product Placement: lip stains

I'm a big fan of the subtle, bee stung look of a lip stain. A touch of colour without the bold thickness of a lipstick or the added texture of a gloss.
It's entirely possible to wear bold eyes AND a lip stain without looking like you've overdone it.(Eyes or lips, people)
I just think there's something gorgeously natural looking about them and luckily you can now get a wide range of shades.


First and foremost though, a lip stain will only do nice things if you have looked after your skin. Colder temperatures are already taking their toll on my skin and I find I have to keep topping up the moisture already in the past few weeks. If you have dry chapped lips, deal with the condition of those first.

For lip conditioning I always choose Carmex. Soothing, healing, moisturising and lip tingling! If you leave on a good layer before you go to sleep and then give your lips a scrub in the morning it'll help get rid of dry skin (as well as general daily use).


For lip stains, the best trusted ones I know of are by Benefit: Benetint and Posietint. Paint on, well pigmented and quite durable.

 Benetint is very cherry red and you can layer up to make the colour stronger.

Posie Tint is quite a bright pink and the texture is thicker than Benetint.

Benefit also do a tinted lip balm, but for these purposes I find that too shiney. I'm all about that matt look.

My new novel lip stains are these: Maybelline Colour Sensational Lip Stains

They're a stain in pen/brush form - a huge range of colours and they all smell really fruity and delicious.

I tend to grab one on the way out the door to and quickly brush over the outer lip line as it gives a bit of colour without looking like you've tried!

Top up with some non shiney lip balm to avoid that dry tight feeling that used to come with Lipcote - who remembers that? Would love to know if anyone still uses it to seal their lipstick....