Lipstick FAQs
Q: What Lipstick Color Is Best For Me?
A: To figure out which lipstick color is best for you, you’ll want to consider your skin tone and undertones, what kind of look you’re going for, and the occasion.
- Warm Undertones: If you have warm undertones such as yellow, golden, or peach, opt for warm-toned hues like orange, red, coral, and pink lipsticks.
- Cool Undertones: For those with cooler undertones, you likely have blue-toned veins, and your skin may have a pinkness to it, so go for blue-based pink, purple, and berry lipsticks. Our Super Stay Vinyl Pink Mix line offers a great selection of pink and fuchsia options to choose from.
- Neutral Undertones: For those with neutral undertones, experiment with a variety of lipsticks of all shades and undertones.
Within the lipstick color family you choose, you can always choose to go brighter or darker depending on the occasion.
If you’re looking for a nude lipstick for an everyday, natural look, the trick is to choose a shade that has the same undertone as your skin, but is one or two shades deeper, which will help enhance your complexion rather than wash you out.
For lovers of classic red lipstick, which is especially great for date night or a night out, check out our Color Sensational® Made For All Lipstick, which features universal shades specifically designed to flatter all skin tones.
Q: What Lipstick Finish is Best for Me?
A: The lipstick finish that’s best for you will depend on the look that you’re going for and your lip needs.
- Blurred Matte Lipstick Finish: A blurred matte finish creates a velvety, soft-focus lip effect with diffused edges. If you prefer a softer, matte blurred lip appearance, you’ll love a blurred matte finish. Our Super Stay Teddy Tint Liquid Lip Tint offers buildable color with a hazy, plush lip effect.
- True Matte Lipstick Finish: Matte finishes offer a classic, timeless two-dimensional look that is shine-free. Matte lipsticks tend to be longer-lasting and are great for bolder looks. For a long-lasting matte lipstick, try our Super Stay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick.
- Satin Lipstick Finish: Satin lipstick finishes are somewhere between a matte and glossy lipstick finish, with a subtle shine. For a creamier texture that feels cushion-y on your lips , a satin or cream finish lipstick, like our Color Sensational The Creams Lipsticks, is the one for you. Satin finish lipsticks tend to work well for everyday wear.
- High Shine Lipstick Finish: Lipsticks with a high shine finish are lipsticks that reflects light, almost like lip gloss, providing dimension that can help make your lips look fuller. For a high shine look, choose Super Stay Vinyl Ink, which features a long-wear vinyl finish for glassy lips up to 16 hours.
Also consider whether you have dry lips in need of hydration. Since matte formulas tend to be more drying, consider a satin or glossy liquid lipstick like Super Stay 24® 2-Step Liquid Lipstick.
Q: How Do I Choose a Lipstick Formula?
A: Choosing the right lipstick formula depends on your desired finish, wear time, and preferred application.
- Longwear Formulas: For long-lasting wear, liquid lipsticks offer intense, lasting pigmentation and can range from matte to glossy finishes. For a classic, long-lasting look, a matte liquid lipstick is ideal, offering rich color payoff with no shine. Maybelline's Super Stay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick is a great choice for long-lasting staying power. Matte formulas can be more drying, so be sure to moisturize your lips first.
- Creamy Formulas: If you prefer a balance of color and comfort, satin or cream bullet lipsticks provide a softer finish with a slight sheen and are more moisturizing. Color Sensational The Creams offer comfortable wear.
- Sheer Formulas: For a more subtle hint of color, lip tints are perfect. Maybelline's Teddy Tint Lip Tint offers a blurred matte finish and can be worn sheer, blurred, or bold by building up layers.
Consider your personal style and what features you prioritize to find your perfect match.
Q: How to Apply Lipstick:
A: To apply lipstick, follow these steps:
- It’s best to start by lining the lips with lip liner, which helps keep your lipstick in place and ensures a clean border and prevents feathering. Line your lips slightly outside your natural lip line if you want your pout to appear plumper.
- Take your lipstick bullet or applicator and swipe it between the lines, starting from the middle of your lips and working outward.
- To remove any excess lipstick and to prevent it from getting on your teeth, smooch your lips around a tissue.
Pro Tip: Refresh your lipstick as needed throughout the day by simply wiping away any excess old lipstick, then reapplying from the center of your lips outward.
Q: How To Apply Liquid Lipstick:
A: To apply liquid lipstick, follow these steps:
- First, apply liquid lipstick in the center of your upper lip and follow the contours of your mouth.
- Then glide the liquid lipstick across the entire bottom lip.
- Allow product to dry and avoid eating or drinking until it dries fully.
Pro Tip: Make sure to exfoliate your lips before applying liquid lipstick to have a smooth base.
Q: How Can You Prevent Lipstick from Smudging?
A: If you want to prevent lipstick from smudging or feathering, it’s smart to start with a lip liner to create clean, crisp borders around your lips– this will help to keep your lipstick from running or settling into fine lines. It’s also important to choose a long-wear lipstick that’s formulated to stay in place, like our Super Stay 24, which can last for a whopping 24 hours.
To really lock in your lipstick look, a tried-and-true makeup artist hack is to place a tissue over the lips and dust setting powder over the top. The powder works to absorb any oil and acts as a barrier to prevent smudging.
Q: What Is Matte Lipstick?
A: Matte lipstick has a smooth, even finish without shine and tends to be highly pigmented. Often more long-wearing than its creamier, glossier counterparts, matte lipstick comes in both liquid and bullet lipstick formulas and leaves an opaque pigment on the lips that’s less likely to smudge. Matte lipsticks are a great option for those who want a cushion-y feel without a shiny finish. Our Super Stay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick is a great example of bold color that glides on easily, stays in place, and has a velvety or suede effect to it. Other matte lipsticks from Maybelline include:
- Super Stay Ink Crayon
- Teddy Tint Blurred Matte Lip Tint
- Color Sensational Ultimatte Slim Lipstick
- Color Sensational The Mattes
Q: What Is A Lip Crayon?
A: A lip crayon is a hybrid between a lipstick and a lip liner. Like a lip liner, it has a precise tip for easy lining and swiping. But like a lipstick, it offers creamy coverage that can be used to fill in your entire lips. Draw it on for a rich layer of long-lasting matte color with effortless control.
Our Super Stay Ink Crayon Lipstick is formulated to withstand up to eight hours of wear, plus it has a built-in sharpener that helps keep the point sharp for the most defined and budge-proof lip looks. And because it’s creamy, it feels comfortable on the lip and allows for layering to build color intensity, without feeling cakey if you touch up with another layer throughout the day.
Q: What Is Liquid Lipstick?
A: Liquid lipstick is a liquid formula that is a hybrid between a lip gloss and a bullet lipstick, that provides full pigmented color and adheres to the lips like a lipstick bullet. Liquid lipstick is a great choice for a lightweight feel that is still highly pigmented.
Liquid lipsticks also tend to be more long-wearing than traditional lipstick bullets. The liquid formula dries down and adheres to lips more strongly than the creamy formula of most traditional bullet lipsticks. Take our Super Stay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick, for instance. It's formulated to stay on day and night with up to 16 hours of wear.
Q: What Is Lip Tint?
A: Lip tints offer a sheer wash of color for a more subtle lip look than traditional lipstick. Lip tints like Teddy Tint are a good choice for long-lasting color and versatile application, due to the buildable formula that can offer lip looks from sheer and subtle to bold color. Learn more in our guide to “What Is Lip Tint?”
Q: How Long Does Lipstick Last?
A: How long lipstick lasts depends on the kind of lipstick you're wearing.
- If you're wearing traditional creamy lipstick, it may stay on anywhere from 3-6 hours, depending on whether you're eating and drinking (which will make it wear off faster). However, our Super Stay Ink Crayon Lipstick lasts for up to an impressive 8 hours.
- Liquid lipsticks are designed to be much more long-wearing, like our Super Stay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick, which is formulated to stay put for up to 16 hours. For an even longer wear time, our Super Stay 24® 2-Step Liquid Lipstick Makeup is formulated with up to 24 hours of staying power.
- Teddy Tint Lip Tint lasts for up to 12 hours, for a more sheer lip look that lasts all day.
In terms of how long you should keep a lipstick, it will depend on whether the lipstick has been opened and if it’s being used or not– exposure to air and bacteria will cause it to expire more quickly. So, if you’re actively using a lipstick, it’s wise to toss it after one to two years, while a sealed lipstick can last up to three years, depending on where you store it– a lipstick left in a humid environment, such as a bathroom cabinet, will spoil faster. If you’re not sure how long you’ve had a lipstick, look for signs that it may have gone bad, such as a change in color, texture, or smell.
Q: Are Maybelline Lipsticks Affordable?
A: Maybelline lipsticks are affordable with options both under ten and under fifteen dollars. You can find them online or at the drugstore for convenience. While our lipsticks have a budget-friendly price tag, they don’t compromise on efficacy or performance. Maybelline lipsticks are designed to rival many prestige offerings and are formulated to provide impressive coverage, longevity, color payoff, and quality.
Q: What Does Transfer-Proof Mean for Lipstick?
A: Transfer-proof lipstick is designed to stay on your lips instead of transferring to other surfaces like drinking glasses. These lipsticks contain a film that seals lipstick onto your lips, preventing it from smudging around your lips or lifting off and adhering to other surfaces. Lipsticks like Super Stay Vinyl Ink that are transfer-proof and smudge-proof do not transfer onto cups and food and don’t smudge on your lips.
Q: How Do You Refresh Your Lipstick During the Day?
A: To refresh your lipstick during the day, simply blot off any excess old lipstick, then reapply to the middle of your lips and press them together for a color refresh. For a more precise reapplication, try following these steps:
- Remove Old Lipstick: Gently wipe off any existing lipstick with a tissue.
- Hydrate: This step is especially important for matte or drying lipsticks. Apply lip balm to moisturize and smooth your lips, then allow it to sink in for a few minutes before proceeding.
- Blot: Blot off any excess lip balm with a tissue.
- Reapply Lipstick: Apply a new coat of your lipstick for a fresh new look.
Q: What Are the Different Lipstick Collections Maybelline Offers?
A: Maybelline’s two main lipstick collections are Super Stay and Color Sensational.
The Super Stay collection includes longwear lip products such as:
- Super Stay Teddy Tint Liquid Lip Tint
- Super Stay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick
- Super Stay Vinyl Ink Liquid Lipstick
- Super Stay Ink Lip Crayon
- Super Stay 24 2-Step Liquid Lipstick
The Color Sensational line includes more traditional bullet lipsticks, including:
- Color Sensational The Mattes Lipstick
- Color Sensational The Creams Lipstick
- Color Sensational Ultimatte Slim Lipstick
- Color Sensational Made for All Lipstick
Q: What Lipstick Shades Are Popular During Different Seasons?
A: The most popular shades of lipstick often vary by season.
- Spring lipstick colors often include corals and pinks.
- Summer lipstick colors usually include floral and berry tones.
- Fall lipstick shades include rich, often warm shades like terracotta, brick red, and lipsticks with orange undertones.
- Winter lipstick colors tend toward cooler jewel tones, deep berry and plum, and a classic red lip.
Q: Which Longwear Lipstick Formulas Are Best for Sensitive Skin and Lips?
A: If you’re looking for a longwear lipstick formula but you have sensitive lips, it’s best to seek out lipsticks with moisturizing and nourishing ingredients. For a satin finish, Super Stay 24 2-Step Liquid Lipstick is a great choice, offering up to 24 hours of wear while delivering the pigmented color of a lipstick and moisturizing lips like a lip balm.
Q: How Can You Try On Lipstick Shades Online?
A: You can try on different Maybelline lipstick shades online using our Virtual Try On Tool. Simply use a photo of yourself to try on different lipstick shades and products to find the perfect one for you.
Q: Where Can You Buy Maybelline Lipsticks?
A: Maybelline New York lipsticks can be purchased at mass market retailers, drugstores, and supermarkets nationwide. To locate a specific lipstick, head to maybelline.com and click on the product you are interested in. Find the shade you are looking to purchase and select it. You will have a choice to buy from our online retailers, or you can enter your zip code in the FIND IN STORE field to find stores in your area that have your product in stock so you can shop lipstick in person.
