Collage: Paula Balondo; Source images: Courtesy of Allure editors and brandsSave this storySave this story
If you love the definition, color, and contour of a lip liner but want it to last all day, let us introduce you to the best lip liner stains. Combining the precision of a traditional liner with the staying power of a stain, these hybrid formulas help you shape your lips without worrying about your liner disappearing by lunchtime. Many offer comfortable, non-drying 12-hour wear time, but some of them even boast up to 24 hours—not that we’re ever awake that long, but good to know they’ve got us covered if our plans get a little crazier than intended. The shade ranges are impressive, too, ranging from natural, your-lips-but-better to bolder pigments.
Our Top Lip Liner Stains
- Best Overall: Summer Fridays Flushed Lip Stain, $22
- Best Peel-Off: Sacheu Lip Liner Stay-N Peel Off Lip Stain, $14
- Best Multitasking: Urban Decay Lip Toy Brush Staining Lip Liner, $25
- Best Drugstore: CoverGirl Outlast LipStain, $12
So, how do you choose between a lip liner stain or a traditional lip liner? According to New York City makeup artist Natalie Dresher, there’s room for both. While a classic liner delivers the sharpest, most precise outline, a lip liner stain leaves behind long-lasting pigment that stays put all day. A lip liner stain will “last through food, drink, talking, and kissing, but it might not have that super crisp edge a lip liner would provide,” she says. In other words, if you love a defined lip but hate constant touch-ups, a lip liner stain is worth adding to your routine. Swipe a gloss, lip oil, or lipstick on top of it, and you’re set for hours. Ahead, the formulas worth outlining and contouring your lips with.
Frequently Asked QuestionsLargeChevron
- How do you apply a lip liner stain?
- How do lip liner stains stay so long?
- Are lip stains better than lip liner?
- Meet the experts
- How we test and review products
- Our staff and testers
Best Overall: Summer Fridays Flushed Lip Stain
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Summer Fridays
Flushed Lip Stain
Sephora
Revolve
Allure commerce market editor Sarah Hoffmann applying the Summer Fridays Flushed Lip Stain
Why we love it: Rather than depositing bold pigment in a single swipe, the Summer Fridays Flushed Lip Stain builds gradually, requiring a few passes to achieve a more dramatic payoff. So if your ideal lip stain complements your natural lip color, but leans just a little rosier, this is the one to reach for. The marker applicator also makes the stain especially forgiving and easy to customize, especially for beginners: Apply all over for a subtle, just-bitten tint—or, if the formula leans too dry, stick to using it as a liner, as our editor in chief does. This lightweight stain melts into lips with the help of aloe vera gel to support lip barrier health and panthenol to boost shine, hydration, and softness.
Hoffmann immediately after applying the Summer Fridays Flushed Lip Stain
Hoffmann 4 hours after applying the Summer Fridays Flushed Lip Stain
Allure editor in chief Jessica Cruel applying the Summer Fridays Flushed Lip Stain
Jessica Cruel
Cruel after applying the Summer Fridays Flushed Lip Stain
Jessica Cruel
Tester feedback from editor in chief Jessica Cruel
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“When I first tried this lip marker (because that is exactly what it is), I tried it all over my lip as a stain. It had great lasting power, but it left my lips totally dried out. Now, I use it just as a lip liner, and it's top tier. The tip is the perfect size to get a precise line. The shade Mocha is just a touch darker than my natural lip so I get the definition I want. And it lasts long after the first round of lipstick has faded.” —Jessica Cruel, editor in chief
Tester feedback from commerce market editor Sarah Hoffmann
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"My natural lip color is quite pale, so the Summer Fridays Flushed Lip Stain in Almond is my platonic ideal of a lip shade. I have a double lip line, and I love using this stain to subtly bring color back to the parts of my lips that will literally disappear into the rest of my skin if I don't add a bit of contrast. I generally prefer a soft, blurred liner look, so I do tread carefully with this product and do a lot of finger smudging and blending along the way, but the fussiness is worth it. Lip gloss reapplication on top is a must, but it's not really until I hit the six-ish hour mark that I feel the need to redo my lip liner, which I find pretty impressive, especially because I am constantly working my way through multiple beverages." —Sarah Hoffmann, commerce market editor
More to know
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- Key ingredients: ink-dye technology, aloe vera gel, panthenol
- Shades: 6
Best Peel-Off: Sacheu Lip Liner Stay-N Peel Off Lip Stain
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Sacheu
Lip Liner Stay-N Peel Off Lip Stain
Amazon
Ulta Beauty
Revolve
Why we love it: Think of Sacheu’s viral Lip Liner Stay-N Peel Off Lip Stain as a lip liner that refuses to quit. Once it’s on, it’s on—no touch-ups every 25 minutes—yet it still feels hydrating thanks to hyaluronic acid and vitamin E. Application is simple: Trace the edges of your lips (the blue hue is temporary!), wait about eight minutes for it to dry, and then gently peel it off to reveal your-lips-but-better color payoff.
In case you’re wondering: “Polyvinyl alcohol is the ingredient that gives the formula its peelable effect and lasting stain,” cosmetic chemist Laura Lam-Phaure previously told Allure. “It forms a flexible film that adheres to the lips and can be peeled away once fully dry.” Available in 19 shades, it delivers serious staying power—in our tester’s experience, the color lasted about 10 hours without fading. Dresher is especially a fan of the brand’s Noohde shade, noting it provides a “really versatile” stain on the lips.
Trakoshis peeling off the Sacheu Lip Liner Stay-N Peel Off Lip Stain
Angela Trakoshis
Trakoshis after applying the Sacheu Lip Liner Stay-N Peel Off Lip Stain with lip gloss
Angela Trakoshis
Tester feedback from former shopping market editor Angela Trakoshis
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“When I say this lip stain lasts, I mean it. I applied it in the morning, kissed my husband Matt goodbye as he left for work, drank my morning juice, went to the gym, ate lunch, and had a Diet Coke and a snack. Despite this, my lip line remained intact hours later—no reapplying necessary. It’s transfer-proof too, so I don’t have to worry about it rubbing off onto my Stanley straw, my face, or my Matt (bless). So when did it fade? Not until I scrubbed it off at 10 p.m.—impressive, I know.” —Angela Trakoshis, former shopping market editor
More to know
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- Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, polyvinyl alcohol
- Shades: 19
Best Multitasking: Urban Decay Lip Toy Brush Staining Lip Liner
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Urban Decay
Lip Toy Brush Staining Lip Liner
Amazon
Ulta Beauty
Sephora
Allure commerce editor Sarah Han applying the Urban Decay Lip Toy Brush Staining Lip Liner
Sarah Han
Why we love it: No need to choose between a lip liner stain and an all-over lip stain, thanks to Urban Decay’s Lip Toy Brush Staining Lip Liner. The multitasker features a clever tapered brush applicator that lets you customize your lip look with a single product. Use the pointed edge to define and shape your lips, or flip the brush and use the flat side to sweep the formula across your lips for an all-over stain (read: no need to carry a slew of lip products with you at all times). It offers a soft wash of long-lasting color that dries down to a transfer-resistant finish, and to add to its versatility, you can also use it to get the trending blurred lip effect thanks to the soft-edged brush applicator.
Han immediately after applying the Urban Decay Lip Toy Brush Staining Lip Liner
Sarah Han
Han 4 hours after applying the Urban Decay Lip Toy Brush Staining Lip Liner
Sarah Han
Tester feedback from commerce editor Sarah Han
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“I like filling in my lips slightly instead of only outlining, which is why Urban Decay’s brush applicator caught my attention right away. I trace my lip line all around with the pointed edge before using the flat side to fill my lips about a third to a half of the way towards the middle. The pigment can be a little subtle at first—think watercolor—but it’s somewhat buildable. It gives me a lovely, blurred finish that pairs beautifully with just about any lip formula—I’ve been into pairing the liner with anything from a lip stain (for longer wear time) to a glossy lip balm (on a casual day).” —Sarah Han, commerce editor
More to know
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- Key ingredients: glycerin
- Shades: 6
Best Long-Lasting: Maybelline New York Super Stay Peel-Off Lip Liner
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Maybelline New York
Super Stay Peel-Off Lip Liner
Amazon
Walmart
Allure commerce editorial assistant Hailey Roy applying the Maybelline New York Super Stay Peel-Off Lip Liner
Hailey Roy
Why we love it: Remember the lip-blushing tattoo trend, the semi-permanent treatment that enhances the color and definition of your lips? Well, if you’re not a fan of the permanence or needles of it all, you can get similar results with Maybelline New York’s Super Stay Peel-Off Lip Liner. Designed to last up to 24 hours, you get the look, feel, and staying power of lip blushing without the downsides. It’s also easy to use: After drawing it onto your lip lines, let it sit for five minutes before peeling it off. Offered in five buildable, natural shades, you can add anything from a little contour to bold definition to your lips.
Roy immediately after applying the Maybelline New York Super Stay Peel-Off Lip Liner
Hailey Roy
Roy 4 hours after applying the Maybelline New York Super Stay Peel-Off Lip Liner
Hailey Roy
Tester feedback from commerce editorial assistant Hailey Roy
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“As someone with slightly shaky hands, this liner took me a few days of testing to master the perfect double lines. But once I got the hang of the tricky application, I was obsessed. The long-lasting formula left a stain on my lips for hours, making the extra effort worth it. The applicator is on the thicker side, which definitely adds to the learning curve, especially if you have thinner lips. But being able to eat, drink, yap all night, and still have my lip liner intact makes it all worth it. I recommend pairing it with a pigmented lip gloss or lipstick to better match the deeper color around the edges.” —Hailey Roy, commerce editorial assistant
More to know
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- Key ingredients: glycerin, vitamin E
- Shades: 5
Best Drugstore: CoverGirl Outlast LipStain
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CoverGirl
Outlast LipStain
Amazon
Ulta Beauty
Allure contributing commerce writer Christa Joanna Lee applying the CoverGirl Outlast LipStain
Christa Joanna Lee
Why we love it: When CoverGirl’s Outlast LipStain first graced our lips in the late 2000s, it became an instant classic. It was one of the first major drugstore felt-tip lip marker formulas, and shades like Iconic Ruby and Iconic Darling were hugely popular. Now, it’s back with an extended shade range (nearly 20 options!), a vegan formula, and the same long-lasting all-day performance that made it so widely loved. It’s designed to be transfer-proof and lightweight (read: you can wear it as a liner or all over your lips for a natural wash of color), and it counts Dresher amongst its legion of fans.
Lee immediately after applying the CoverGirl Outlast LipStain
Lee 4 hours after applying the CoverGirl Outlast LipStain
Tester feedback from contributing commerce writer Christa Joanna Lee
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“I've never been much of a lip liner person, mostly because I don't have the patience (or the steady hands) to carefully trace the exact outline of my lips. CoverGirl's Outlast Lipstain was basically made for newbies like me. Instead of a pencil, it uses a marker-like applicator that's much more forgiving, making it easy to sketch on subtle definition without feeling like you'd have to start all over if you mess up a little. I reached for Sugey Girl, a soft nude shade that gave my lips a your-lips-but-better look. On me, the color stayed noticeable for about four or five hours before fading, which I thought was respectable. I also tested the much bolder hot pink shade, Epic, and that one barely budged from morning until dinner—which makes sense given the deeper pigment. My favorite part, though, is the formula. It never felt drying, chalky, or sticky—it was so lightweight that I forgot I was wearing it.” —Christa Joanna Lee, contributing commerce writer
More to know
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- Key ingredients: glycerin, plant-based acacia tree extract
- Shades: 17
Best for Dry Lips: Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Stain
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Tarte
Maracuja Juicy Lip Stain Liner
Tarte
Allure senior beauty editor Jesa Marie Calaor applying the Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Stain
Jesa Marie Calaor
Why we love it: Tarte’s Maracuja Juicy Lip Stain Liner stands out for its impressive list of moisturizing and hydrating ingredients (maracuja oil, hyaluronic acid, and castor oil, to name a few) to keep lips looking plump and pillowy. The 2025 Allure Best of Beauty Award winner also boasts a super-pigmented shade range and staying power, lasting through heat and humidity and only requiring a touch-up after several hours. Plus, its felt-tip design allows for precise definition, and the formula doesn’t add any extra texture to the lips—instead, it invisibly hydrates with maracuja oil, hyaluronic acid, and castor oil. It can be layered effortlessly with any lip product on top (sans smudging). After using the felt tip to trace your lip line, hold the tip at an angle to fill in your lips easily and quickly.
Calaor before applying the Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Stain
Jesa Marie Calaor
Calaor after applying the Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Stain
Jesa Marie Calaor
Tester feedback from senior beauty editor Jesa Marie Calaor
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“I keep at least two beverages with me at all times—a matcha latte for energy and water for real hydration—which means most lip products don’t last more than just the selfie I put them on for. This tint, though, actually survives constant contact with straws. It dries down quickly, staying put once it’s set (even under layers of gloss). It does fade eventually (I noticed it was gone after a few hours and a snack), but I always keep the slim pencil with me for quick touch-ups.” —Jesa Marie Calaor, senior beauty editor
More to know
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- Key ingredients: maracuja oil, superfruit complex, hyaluronic acid, castor oil, olive oil
- Shades: 12
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you apply a lip liner stain?
According to New York City-based makeup artist Crystal Gossman, the way you apply a lip liner stain depends on its form. “If the applicator is a felt-tip pen, I draw it on and use a hydrating lip balm on top,” she says. On the contrary, if it’s a lip stain that you’re using as liner, she would use a lip brush to create a fine liner on the outer lip and then go in with her finger to pat the stain across the lips until the coverage is even and diffused.
How do lip liner stains stay so long?
Gossman explains that lip stains last longer because they’re mostly alcohol- or water-based rather than emollient-based. Cosmetic chemist Kelly Dobos adds that the key is pigment concentration: The more pigment a lip color contains, the more it can actually stain the lips. That’s why lip stains typically pack a higher pigment load than traditional lipsticks.
Are lip stains better than lip liner?
One isn’t inherently better than the other—it all depends on what you’re looking for in your lip product. “Both serve a purpose,” says Dresher. In fact, they actually play well together, and using both can be more beneficial than using just one or the other: “I personally love using a lip stain in the morning, and then sharpening the corners with a lip liner [or lip liner stain] and touching up throughout the day as needed with a lip liner,” Dresher adds. However, if you prefer more natural, subtle contouring, Dresher says a lip stain is the way to go rather than a sharp lip liner.
Meet the experts
- Natalie Dresher is a New York City-based makeup artist.
- Crystal Gossman is a New York City-based makeup artist.
- Laura Lam-Phaure is a Los Angeles-based cosmetic chemist.
- Kelly Dobos is a Cincinnati-based cosmetic chemist.
How we test and review products
Before reviewing any makeup, we ask questions about a number of factors: What ingredients are in it? Does the brand offer a wide shade range inclusive of consumers with all skin tones and undertones? Is it safe for readers who have sensitive skin or wear contact lenses? Is it on the affordable side or more of a splurge? Is its packaging consciously designed or needlessly wasteful?
For our review of the best lip liner stains, we enlisted the help of multiple editors, writers, contributors, and makeup artists to review the products. This ensures our testing base spans different skin tones, genders, and dermatological conditions. We considered each product's performance across four primary categories: ingredients, wear and longevity, packaging, and inclusivity. For more on what's involved in our reporting, check out our complete reviews process and methodology page.
Our staff and testers
A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.
After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the "best" for people over 50 if the only testers we've solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it's never been tested on curls? We're proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.
