For the past year or two I’ve switched from using lip glosses to lipsticks. I’m not a fan of the way lip gloss feels (I hate stickiness!), the unpelasant way my hair lodges itself to my mouth, dragging strips of gloss across my cheeks, and the fact that I have to reapply every 10 minutes (do you feel me?). The main problem with lipstick – as many of you will probably agree – is its drying effect. There is little worse than seeing cracks and grooves caked in color.
Enter Tarte’s natural lip stain pencil.
Tarte's Lip Stain in Amused
After a little browsing on Sephora, I came across this newly released product. Basically it’s part lipstick part gloss packaged into a cute pencil shape for easy application. It has a long-lasting formula that seriously lasted several hours before I had to reapply, AND it’s made from natural ingredients. I choose “Amused”, a bold pink color, that was bright but still soft enough for all day wear. While I’d still choose to carry around a chapstick with me, I could get away with using only this all day and my lips not looking dry and flakey (and my lips are perpetually dry). This product doesn’t really have much taste, but it does have a nice minty scent.
I adore a bright pink lip. The color remained very pigmented hours.
Now for the negatives. One thing is the packaging; you have to be careful when you place the cap back on, at least until the stick is far enough gone that you can twist it down. Otherwise it’s pretty easy to dent the tip. Also, online it claims to make your lips appear fuller – while my lips were definitely defined, don’t think of this product as a lip plumper. Finally, like mentioned before, I will probably still carry around a chapstick. While it definitely moisturizes my lips much more than a lipstick without the stickiness of gloss, it still doesn’t have the conditioning power of chapstick.
All six colors from left to right: Moody, Amused, Lust, Enchanted, Charmed, Joy
Overall, the staying-power, color, and moisturizing effects have definitely made this product my new go-to easy wear lip color by far! I’m probably going to purchase some of the other colors in the near future.
Are you a lipstick, lip gloss, or lip stain kind of girl? What are your favorite products? Let me know!
Katie
1 year ago
Those look fun! Definitely interested in them now.
Maria Reply:
July 2nd, 2010 at 1:30 pm
They are! I used it all week at camp and it worked out great!
carrie
1 year ago
you know i’m really glad you did this post. i’ve been walking by the tarte stuff and want to try it, but don’t wear much for make-up at all so don’t want to end up looking like a hooker. for the lips i stick with fresh lip gloss in sugar fairy, but now i might get brave. thanks!
Maria Reply:
July 2nd, 2010 at 1:31 pm
For sure! Tarte’s stuff always looks super pigmented but it’s actually pretty light coverage:)
Geraldine
1 year ago
How relevant! I too am making the transition, but I started because of Lady Gaga’s colab with MAC. How can anyone resist a pouty pink mouth? However, I coat over it with MAC’s “boy bait” gloss which in itself is an AMAZING color, but a lip stain sounds like a more functional alternative and will deff check out tart’s line. Thanks for tip!
Maria Reply:
July 2nd, 2010 at 1:31 pm
Definitely! I love MAC lipsticks as well, but I definitely need a gloss with those, they tend to dry my lips out like nothing else
Midnight Cowgirl
1 year ago
Great review! I’ll have to stop by Sephora to check this out.
Maria Reply:
July 2nd, 2010 at 1:32 pm
It was such a great purchase, I’ve been using it all week while I’ve been gone