What lipstick finish do you gravitate toward the most?

I’m all about a lightly pearlized finish–the kind that adds luminosity and shine but doesn’t look frosted or metallic. I find they’re more forgiving of lip texture, lip lines, and give my lips a smoother, more voluminous appearance overall. Plus, they’re usually hydrating formulas!

— Christine

29 Comments

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Seraphine Avatar

I used to love satins the best, but now I find that many of the ones I used to love emphasize the wrinkles in my lips and feel dry, so nowadays I tend toward slightly creamier finishes. The trick is finding the perfect ones. They have to be creamy enough to not show the lines on my lips, yet aren’t so creamy that they feather outside of my lips.

Lauren Avatar

Definitely sheer and cream. I have a handful of mattes that I like the colors of, but I have pretty dry (not chapped, just sensitive to drier formulas) lips and don’t like making them feel even drier. Some of the comfort mattes are fine, but a true matte will never be something I reach for. I only own 4 liquid lipsticks and they are 3 of one brand and 1 of another – the only two brands that have ever not made me feel like I wanted to wipe my lipstick off within 30 minutes. If I get other formulas in boxes or as gifts and such I’ll play around and see what I think, but unless it is a sheer, cream, or the two liquid lip brands I trust I will not go out of my way to purchase another formula 99% of the time.

Ana Maria Avatar

I like a matte finish, no shine, no pearl, no gloss, no frost. Also, good pigmentation and a color that fades uniformity it’s a must for me.
But I do like a matte that it’s still creamy and non-drying, without being a formula that `moves` easily. I found my perfect match in MAC Matte finish, other matte formulas I tried in the past were too drying for me.

Mariella Avatar

I dislike matte and those liquid matte lipsticks very much – they feel so uncomfortable and don’t look the most flattering. I love cream type finishes – I think MAC’s Amplified Cream is probably the perfect example of the type of finish and wear I like best (I only wish they had more shades that appeal to me); I also loved the old “Revolution” formula from Urban Decay so, of course, they discontinued/replaced it.

Nancy T Avatar

Either creamy ones like PMG Luxetrance, MAC Amplified or UD Cream finish, or a luminous semi-sheer or buildable finish like UD Broken or MAC Ultimate Lipstick in Marque. What is strange is that I do continue to purchase mattes…and then have a habit of applying a thin coat of gloss on top of them? Yeah, kinda defeats their purpose, I know.

Mags Avatar

Creamy mattes all the way! I’m not big on shine on the lips, personally. Like others, I don’t care for drying matte formulas, but have found certain brands like MAC, Charlotte Tillbury, NYX Powder Puffs, some NARS work well for me.

Deborah S. Avatar

I would say that I am a true lipstick junkie, so I have a lot of lipsticks and a lot of finishes. I have de-cluttered most of my liquid lipsticks simply because I have to work too hard to be able to stand wearing them. There are a couple of shades from ABH and KVD that I have kept because I like the shades. Oh, and Jouer which was actually the first liquid lip I ever tried and has been a favorite formula for a long time. As I have said many times on the blog, I always add a balm under/over my liquid lipsticks. I would have to say that the finish I prefer more than any other is the PMGL LuxeTrance formula. Super comfortable to wear and lasts a long time for a more traditional bullet lipstick. I really haven’t been into sheer lipsticks since high school when Bonnie Bell was all the rage, but I have been enjoying sheerer formula’s and particularly those that leave a little stain behind. Like others have noted, I have to be careful regardless of formula because I have a lot of lip lines and don’t want bleeding out of those lines or lipstick collecting in the lines. I also have to avoid all of the foundation lip shades as they don’t flatter me and I have very pigmented lips.
So basically, almost any formula goes as long as it meets the above requirements.

Amber Avatar

I don’t really have a lipstick finish preference but after looking at my lipstick collection I a have A LOT of matte lipsticks. And to be honestly I don’t like satin finishes. II will but it if I like the color but honestly sometimes it is just too shear and looks/feels like nothing is on.

Mary Avatar

I absolutely love It Christine when you review a lipstick and say “ It made my lips look smooth , plump and full.” That’s what I look for…. a flattering finish . I also appreciate a non drying velvety matte especially with a deeper shade.

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