Pucker up

A buddy came up to me a couple of weeks ago and said, "I hear you're the one to talk to about liquid lipsticks" and I guess in some circles, I am. I've tried A LOT of liquid lipsticks over the years, because I really like the fact that they set, making them pretty transfer-resistant (so in theory you could make out with someone and not leave them covered in your lipstick) and you don't have to worry about reapplying every couple of hours, or every time you take a sip of water. So because I wasn't prepared to sit her down and go over the finer points of all liquid lipsticks at the time, I wrote this instead.

I will say that although I have tried tons of different lipstick formulas, there are many I have not tried. Believe it or not, I do refuse to spend over a certain amount of money on a lipstick, and I hate being forced to buy products in kits. So everything below are products that can be found in stores or online, sold individually.

The issue with liquid lipsticks in general is that the longer lasting they are, the more they tend to dry out your lips, so that is something to keep in mind. I would definitely recommend exfoliating your lips regularly when using liquid lipsticks, because they cling and tend to highlight any cracks or flakes. I've tried to make note of which formulas I personally find to be the most drying. Below are my thoughts - my recommendations are in bold.

1. Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick - of the ones I've tried, these might be the cream of the crop when it comes to being long-lasting - the couple I have tried DO NOT BUDGE. But I also find them to be super drying - you definitely have to exfoliate and put on some lip balm before applying, and I would stay far away from them if your lips tend to be dry/chapped on the regular. My favorite shade is Patina - and they are so long lasting that despite everything else currently in my collection, I'm tempted to repurchase since I had to throw out my old one. (It was past it's expiration date/drying out.)
2. Too Faced Melted Matte I find these to be pretty comfortable, but they do transfer and aren't as long-lasting as others. I like the Queen B shade A LOT. Like so much I actually finished a tube, which is unheard of for me.
3. Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick great color selection, long lasting, but also very drying and pretty unforgiving if you don't apply them very carefully. The shades I've tried perform pretty well, but are not my favorite.
4. Coloured Raine Matte Lip Paint - I've been trying to sample more indie brands lately, and came across these on my favorite site for makeup deals, Hautelook. These definitely set, but I also find them to be incredibly drying. I think these require a lip balm before applying, but they are also one of the longest lasting formulas I've tried, and they have a fun selection of colors.
5. Tarte Lip Paint I haven't been crazy about the couple of tried of these - though the formula isn't overly drying, they can apply patchy and I don't think they last as long as other matte liquid lipsticks. I've only tried sample sized ones that came in kits or gifts with purchase, but they haven't impressed me enough to buy a full size.
6. Milani Amore Matte Lip Cremes long-lasting, affordable, with a nice shade selection, but super drying, and I find they tend to flake off as they wear, and they are pretty unforgiving - they will highlight any crack or flake on your lips.
7. Sephora Cream Lip Stains I love these, and I was a extremely happy when they came out with even more shades a few months ago. Super pigmented, long lasting, yet not so drying your lips feel like they went through the Sahara, these are some of my favorite liquid lipsticks. They're not fully transfer-proof, but as their name implies they do stain the lips, which means I think they're one of the best in terms of how they wear off- they don't peel or crumble like some liquid lipsticks do, they wear off/fade pretty nicely and leave color behind as they do. 
8. theBalm Meet Matt(e) Hughes long lasting liquid lipsticks are another fav of mine – I think they apply easily, with great pigmentation and a smooth, even finish. Although they don’t set fully transfer-proof, they also don’t feather, migrate, or fade for hours, and aren’t as drying as other formulas. They don’t have any crazy colors, but the ones they do have are very flattering, and I love their scent, which is like Thin Mints. I scoop them up whenever I see them on sale.
9. ColourPop I think takes the cake for shade selection, but I have to admit that although very long lasting, I find their matte liquid lip formula to be super drying, and can be a bit patchy depending on the shade. I much prefer their Ultra Satin Lip formula, which doesn’t fully set so is no way transfer proof, but is longer lasting than a standard lipstick, and they do stain like the Sephora ones, so they wear off pretty nicely. Dopey and Panda are favorite shades. They are so affordable and come in so many colors, it’s hard not to get hooked.
10. NYX Liquid Suede these are super affordable, can be found at a variety of different retailers, have good lasting power, and come in quite a variety of shades. I think pigmentation varies a lot on these - some of the darker/brighter shades can be a little streaky, and I don't like the way these wear off. OK overall.
11. Hard Candy Velvet Mousse – I believe these are sold exclusively at WalMart, and let me just say what really stands out here is the packaging. The shade selection isn’t too varied, but each shade comes in a beautiful metal tin with a different watercolor floral design, plus there's a mirror inside the lid. Nice mousse-y texture that isn’t super drying, but also isn’t the longest lasting. 
12. Ofra Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick - I'd heard a lot about these from online beauty bloggers, so when I saw them on sale on Hautelook I decided to give them a try. (They are sold at Ulta now too.) They come in a nice variety of shades, apply and wear nicely, and aren't overly drying. Not bad, but not my favorites either. 
13. Wet N Wild Liquid Catsuit is the best bang for your buck in my opinion. Not the longest lasting, and I wish they had more shades, but it's pretty darn good for like $5, less if on sale. 
14. Smashbox Always On Matte Liquid Lipstick I've only tried sample sized ones that came in kits or gifts with purchase, but they haven't impressed me enough to buy a full size, and if you're asking me to spend over $20 on a lipstick, it better be impressive.
15. Dose of Colors Matte Liquid Lipstick is my most recent find - and a quick favorite. They apply nicely, wear well, aren't super drying, and you can re-apply easily, which is not always the case with liquid lipsticks (especially the more drying formulas.) I'd heard about this indie brand for awhile, and was super excited to see they are sold at Ulta now. Looking forward to trying more from them.