This legacy post has been given a facelift. Opinions remain the same but content has been edited for flow and clarity.

I can’t quite pinpoint where the madness took hold. Liquid lipstick isn’t really a new product or idea; nay, Stila has offered their Stay All Day Liquid Lipsticks for several dozen moons. At some point within the last two years, though, liquid lipstick exploded. Most companies offer them now, and those that already had them expanded their lines, and companies who weren’t really on the lip game (like Anastasia), got involved.

And ultimately, I don’t get the obsession.

Needy

Let’s face it – although the point is that they shouldn’t be high maintenance, they are.

They require meticulous lip prep; scrubbing to exfoliate is not ever optional when you’re rocking these.

You need to moisturize before application…but not too much, or the product won’t properly adhere to your lips!

To put the icing on the cake, they tend to be drying as all hell to the lips…and then settle awkwardly in your lip-lines.

It’ll last a looong time, but if you ever feel like you need to reapply? More often than not, you’re better off removing it entirely and starting from square one.

temptalia – stila beso swatch

Even if you have the time (after all, not everyone works a full+ time job), though, how do you deal with the other issues? It doesn’t remove quickly or easily. It is SO drying!

I like Stila Beso, yes. It is a lovely, rich red. It is also a color I wore 3-5x per year because even though it is super lovely, it is a pain in the ass. It takes me a good 3-5 minutes just to apply it; liquid lipstick requires painstaking precision lest you stain your skin. It does last for a good while through food and drink. Your worries are minimal (but not non-existent).

You need to carry makeup wipes or oil to remove it before evenly reapplying. It seems to take a solid two days after wearing for my lips to return to their pre-liquid lipstick moisture level, even in spite of balm. It’s too high maintenance for me to own more than one of.

The Bottom Line

I’d wear it more if it weren’t such a hassle. I simply will not make time for that. I don’t have time to remove and reapply when I feel it needs refreshed. At least with a regular lipstick, you can more-or-less do it mirrorless, at least a passable job. Liquid lipstick, however, is not so forgiving.

How about you? Are you the, “beauty over discomfort or inconvenience,” sort, or do you not get the hype either?