I used to love rocking a bold red lip to the office, out to drinks with friends, and on date-night with my boyfriend. But once the pandemic hit, I pretty much stopped wearing makeup altogether. Now that things are starting to reopen in New York City, I've started to venture outside more (sometimes, I even put on some mascara).
As for my lips, I've found myself gravitating to lip stains over lipsticks, due to the whole face mask situation. For starters, lip stains are low maintenance and natural-looking. They require minimal effort to use but still help me feel like I'm pulled together. Plus, they're longer-lasting, so I don't have to worry about touch-ups when I do take my mask off. They also seriously don't budge, meaning I don't have to sit there trying to scrub any stains out of my mask.
But which lip stains are truly the best to layer on under a face mask? I put quite a few to the test in the name of journalism, and these five were the standouts.
Makeup mogul Anastasia Soare introduced this lip stain in early August, and during a virtual press event where she debuted the product to beauty writers and editors, I was totally sold on its transfer-proof abilities. I've been wearing this perfect-for-fall shade underneath my mask on long walks and it stays put even through my sweating. It feels lightweight, and even though it has a matte finish, it's not drying.
This neutral hue is the perfect pick for everyday wear. I use it on weekdays when I have Zoom calls and need to look profesh and also on weekends when I spend time walking around my local park. The precision applicator makes it easy to apply, and the comfortable matte formula is totally smudge-proof under my beloved Hello Kitty face mask.
Ah, this lip stain transports me back to happier, pre-pandemic times. I bought it before heading to France last summer, and back then I marveled at how I could sightsee all day without needing a touch-up. Now I wear it under my face mask whenever I need a pick-me-up. The bright orange-coral shade boosts my mood, even if no one can see it under my mask. While the formula is more emollient than many other lip stains out there (it's made with coconut oil, sunflower seed wax, and passionflower oil), it still doesn't transfer.
I love that this lip stain is made from actual fruit. Yep, it gets its semi-sheer color from beets, blueberries, and pomegranate. I also like that I can layer it (on both lips and cheeks) for more intensity if I want, and no matter how much I put on, it never ends up on my face mask. The lip stain does have a slightly tart taste from the fruit, but it dissipates rather quickly.
