A GUIDE TO LIPSTICK, LIP STAIN AND LIP GLOSS

Adding a swipe of colour to your lips is the perfect way to step out into your day (or night) with confidence. Lip colour is an essential addition to every outing and can take your look to a whole new level. Even better, recent advances in lip colour formulations have seen them enriched with caring and nourishing ingredients, as well as the usual powerful pigment.

However, when it comes to finding the perfect pigment for your pout, it can be tricky to decide what kind of lip colour will suit you best.

Between lipsticks, lip stains and lip glosses, there’s a whole suite of varied textures, formulas, pigment strengths and shine levels to explore. Our complete guide to lip formulas break down the differences between each type and their unique benefits, to help you choose your perfect match.

The unique benefits of lipstick vs lip gloss vs lip stain

Choosing your perfect lip colour formula is an inherently personal experience, as it depends on your own individual preferences, needs and lifestyle. You might be looking for a long-wearing colour that will last all the way from the office to after-work drinks. Or perhaps it’s the opposite – you just need an easy-to-wear colour that’s simple to remove at the end of the day.

Whether you’re looking for a deeply pigmented formula or something more shimmery, there’s something in the world of lip colour for everyone. Between lip gloss, lipstick and lip stains, each formula has its own set of differences and benefits.

Lipstick has the widest range of textures and finishes of all and is renowned for its lasting power, while a lip stain will give you deep, lasting pigment like nothing else. Lip gloss provides the most eye-catching shine out of the trio and is definitely the easiest to apply.

Characteristics of lipstick

Lipsticks are the classic longwearing lip colour option, but don’t make the mistake of thinking that means they’re old fashioned. Advances in cosmetic science have transformed the lipstick game over the years, with new innovations leading to an impressive array of lipstick colours, textures and finishes.

The key differences between the lip products comes down to the formula. The two key ingredients of any lipstick are waxes and oils – that’s what gives lipstick its smooth and creamy texture. Alongside those main ingredients, lipstick formulas also include emollients to help hydrate the lips and, of course, a punch of pigment. Lipstick benefits allow the wearer to have a choice of finishes and textures, while balancing between staying power and hydration.

Liquid lipstick
Liquid formulas like our Tatouage Couture Velvet Cream Matte Liquid Lipstick offer solid, highly pigmented colour that last hours. While liquid lipstick application demands a little more finesse than a traditional bullet lipstick, the payoff is truly worth the practice. Soon enough, you’ll be ready with a simple swipe across the lips.

High shine finish
When you want a luscious, light-reflecting finish but can’t decide between lipstick vs. lip gloss, a high shine lipstick gives you that dewy, kissable pout with rich colour. Offering 24-hour drip hydration, YSL Loveshine lipsticks epitomise high shine. The unique formula glides on like a cream lipstick and transforms to a wet-shine lip oil for truly remarkable shine.

Sheer finish
This type of lipstick finish offers a sheer tint rather than a solid colour. However, you can build up a few layers to customise your preferred shade. Our Rouge Pur Couture Slim Sheer Matte range goes on sheer, allowing you to build a custom pigment level.

Cream finish
Perhaps the most common finish, cream lipstick formulas are as smooth and sumptuous as they are versatile. Cream lipsticks like our Rouge Volupté Shine collection provide a solid colour and a light shine, in a texture that’s easy to apply.

Matte finish
Something different, something bold – that’s the look a matte finish lipstick will provide. Matte lipsticks are a popular finish in both cream lipsticks and liquid lipsticks since they deliver rich colour and impressive staying power.

Balm finish
A lipstick with a balm finish bridges the gap between makeup and skincare, delivering a tint of colour alongside skin-loving ingredients. The YSL Loveshine Candy Glaze is a tinted butter lip balm that gives a sheer, dewy finish while nourishing the lips with hyaluronic acid, maracuja oil, and shea and jojoba butters

Characteristics of lip stain

What is lip stain? It’s the most intense and perhaps least common type of lip colour, but it has strong benefits for those looking for long-lasting, intense pigment. You’ll encounter lip stains with a variety of different applicators such as roll-ons, sponge tip wands, or even tubes.

Unlike lipstick, where wax is a main ingredient, lip stain is formulated with water or gel as the main component, while some formulas also contain oils. Lip stains get their name from their strong natural or synthetic dyes, which can stain the lips for 18 hours or more. In terms of benefits, lip stain’s intense pigment and extreme staying power can be both an advantage and a disadvantage. You’ll never have to worry about fading, smearing, stickiness or bleeding. One application will definitely last you all day. However, this does mean that you’ll need to spend some extra time removing your makeup at night and perhaps invest in a good makeup remover to ease the process.

Lip stains tend to have a matte finish, such as our Tatouage Couture Matte Stain. If that’s not your style or your lips are on the drier side, you can add a little moisture by layering with a balm.Our pro tip: because many lip stains contain quick-drying alcohol, you’ll need to work quickly during application.

Characteristics of lip gloss

Of all the types of lip colour, gloss is perhaps the most fun and simple. In terms of formulation, lip glosses get their slick texture from a higher percentage of natural or synthetic oils. The key difference between lipstick vs lip gloss is amplified shine, but it may surprise you to know that there’s a lot of variation between lip glosses in terms of pigmentation and finishes. Lip glosses can come in a liquid form, in a tube or cylinder with applicator, or as an easy-to-apply stick – like the YSL Loveshine Candy Glaze. This nourishing, dewy formula plumps the lips and delivers a charge of colour and iridescence.

Lip gloss finishes

By definition, all lip glosses are going to have a glossy look. The difference comes in the detail. From sheer to metallic, opalescent to glittery, no two lip glosses are quite the same. Usually, solid lip glosses provide a more sheer finish, whereas liquid lip glosses form a thicker, more pigmented layer.

The biggest advantage of lip gloss is the ease and simplicity of application – simply swipe it on and you’re ready to go. It’s also very easy to reapply on the go, which you might need to do often. Unfortunately, gloss has the least staying power out of all the types of lip colour. It can also be quite sticky and can transfer easily. However, if shine is your priority, you can’t beat a gloss.

How to apply lipstick and lip stain properly

Applying lip gloss is an incredibly simple process, but for lipstick and lip stain there is some skill required. Follow our expert guidance for a standout sexy pout.

First, know your undertones

Before applying your lipstick or lip stain, it pays to know your skin undertones to help select the perfect shade. Similar to choosing the right foundation shade for your skin tone, you’ll want to take look at the veins in your wrist to find out whether your complexion is warm, neutral or cool. If your veins look green-ish, you have warm undertones, while blue or purple looking veins mean cool undertones.

If you have warm undertones, that means your skin is enriched with hues of peach and gold. Try our Rouge Per Couture in the shade ‘Nude Instinct’ or ‘Beige Trench’ to suit your undertones.

Those with cool undertones tend towards blues, pinks and reds. Try our Tatouage Couture Velvet Cream Matte Liquid Lipstick in ‘Chill Incitement’ for a vibrant red suited to cool undertones.

If you have neutral undertones, you’ll see a mix of warm and cool tones. With these tones, you have your pick of subdued and bold shades, from ‘Melted Honey’ to ‘Spicy Affair’. within our Loveshine range.

Lipstick application with the YSL Loveshine range

Our Loveshine collection provides the ultimate high shine lipstick to give your lips the attention they deserve. As YSL’s best gloss lipstick fusion to date, this unique lip formula is enriched with six sensorial oils and antioxidant-rich fig pulp from our own sustainable Ourika Gardens. This formulation combines vibrant colour with the unique sensorial experience of an oil finish. Quench your lips with our rebooted wet shine lipstick in a wealth of colours.

Here’s the ideal lipstick application process for our Loveshine range.

• Prep your lips by gently exfoliating with our Top Secrets Lip Perfector, then moisturise with your face lotion.

• Layer on your lipstick from the centre outwards, either directly or using a lip brush for extra precision.

• When it’s time to take off your lipstick, be sure to use a makeup remover to easily swipe away all traces of pigment.