Do you like mini lipstick sets?

Mostly! The only issue I’ve had with mini sets is that they can be more prone to breaking compared to full-size, but I like being able to to try more shades for less money (or the same as one full-size shade).

— Christine

15 Comments

Comments that do not adhere to our comment policy may be removed. Discussion and debate are highly encouraged but we expect community members to participate respectfully. Please keep discussion on-topic, and if you have general feedback, a product review request, an off-topic question, or need technical support, please contact us!

Please help us streamline the comments' section and be more efficient: double-check the post above for more basic information like pricing, availability, and so on to make sure your question wasn't answered already. Comments alerting us to typos or small errors in the post are appreciated (!) but will typically be removed after errors are fixed (unless a response is needed).

We appreciate enthusiasm for new releases but ask readers to please hold questions regarding if/when a review will be posted as we can't commit to or guarantee product reviews. We don't want to set expectations and then disappoint readers as even products that are swatched don't always end up being reviewed due to time constraints and changes in priorities! Thank you for understanding!

Leave a Reply

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Mariella Avatar

Not really. If I like a lipstick, I REALLY LIKE A LIPSTICK (MAC Craving is a case in point) and so I don’t want a mini…I want a full size (or 2 or 7!) – go BIG or go home. Most mini lipstick sets contain colours I don’t like along with the ones I do like so that’s an additional issue for me.

Ana Maria Avatar

I like the idea of a mini lipstick set. It offers variety while size make it easy to use up.
But the issue is it’s a good idea most don’t implement it properly. The lipsticks are most times too tiny to use or break. The brands rarely allow you to pick the shades (they are mini, but it’s still wasteful if I only like 3/5 colors).

realitygreene Avatar

No. Lipsticks are the only category where I do not like mini versions. I really like how luxury and weighted a full size lipstick tube feels in my hand. Most mini lipsticks have cheap packaging and the bullets break off. I’ve also had caps break on me and closing mechanisms malfunction. I would much prefer to have a few carefully curated lipsticks in colors that I know I will wear over a ton of tiny little lipsticks that will get lost or neglected.

The one exception is a tiny 100 point perk from Sephora of the Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk lipstick. The quality of the packaging is actually really nice and it was great to be able to try such an expensive lipstick for basically free.

I also received an Armani lipstick for free from Sephora by using a beauty offer code. I don’t remember the shade name/number, but it’s a red and at the time I didn’t have ANY red lipsticks nor did I know what kind of red would be flattering. Cashing in 100 points to try out a high end formula in a red shade was worth it to me. The packaging isn’t my favorite (it feels cheap, but I can’t really complain since it was free) mostly because the click mechanism feels very weak. If I ever travelled with it I would probably put it in a very tiny ziploc bag in case the cap popped off.

Laura Avatar

Yes, with the caveat that it needs to be something I was already considering buying or trying out. I’m really working on being more mindful with my purchases, and this time of year- when all the holiday and mini sets start coming out, and everything is on sale- can be a difficult period to navigate!

Genevieve Avatar

No I have never really liked mini lipstick sets because usually the shades are not my sort of colours. The last time I purchased a mini lipstick set – from PMG – it was a disaster and a waste of money. One lipstick broke at the base and the other two were just so hard to apply – not creamy or hydrating at all.

BrandiD Avatar

I love liquid minis and the larger mini gloss sticks, like Clinique often offers for Black Honey. What I don’t like are the hard, tiny minis like MAC has started offering. They’re too small, too hard and don’t go on evenly — not to mention, they’re sometimes a bad representation of the color in question. My last few mini sets have all been glosses.

Susan Nevling Avatar

I started using minis for mascara due to the short life after opening. Now, since I’m retired, I wear makeup less often and prefer minis in everything.

kjh Avatar

If it’s a somewhat HE brand and usually if new to me, and the colors skew red, nude…anything but coral and pink, then might indulge. I’ve liked MUFE, UD, Sephora, Bite, and 3CE. Took back KVD and Sephora due to damage in product, packaging, illegible labels. Minuses: must be handled with care. The tubes pop open and the tips break off easily. You have to really secure them to use them,

TAJ Avatar

It’s a def a yes.. Which beauty junkie would finish a full-size lipstick in her lifeime? Plus, new shades and formula come out more often than we expect. Well, it’s true not every colour in the mini sets would suit one’s taste, but never hurts to walk out of comfort zone to try something not-so-me.

We try to approve comments within 24 hours (and reply to them within 72 hours) but can sometimes get behind and appreciate your patience! 🙂 If you have general feedback, product review requests, off-topic questions, or need technical support, please contact us directly. Thank you for your patience!