Maybelline Lip Ink

The minute I heard about these new liquid lipsticks by Maybelline, I knew I had to grab a few once they launched over here. Of course it took a while to make it across and we get far fewer states than in the US, but these liquid lipsticks are totally worth the hype. Say hello to the best liquid lipstick currently available in the drugstore.  

Maybelline Superstay Matte Ink liquid lipstick
Loyalist, Lover, Pioneer, Romantic

In the Netherlands this lipstick is available in 6 different shades. The only two shades I do not own are a bright purple and a baby pink: shades I know I would never wear. They retail for €9.99 a piece, but I bought all of these on sale in a buy 1 get one free deal. Maybelline has deals often and it is one of their more affordable products: these are cheaper than their regular bullet lipsticks.

The Packaging

The lipsticks come in colored tubes with a white lid: super handy, because the color match of the packaging and the actual product are spot on. They do look a little bit cheap because of it, but it’s the product that counts of course.

These lipsticks are applied with a wand applicator. The applicator has a handy drop shape to it and a little dent which holds more product. This means you never have to double dip: each time you remove the applicator from the tube you get the right amount of product for one application.

The best part about this applicator is possibly how precise it is. The shape is just right and hugs the lips nicely. It dispenses the right amount of product every time and I have finally found a liquid lipstick that doesn’t take hours to apply. This applicator makes it quick and easy.

05 Loyalist

Loyalist is the lightest shade I purchased in the Superstay Matte Ink and it is also the lightest shade in the line. This is definitely a nude lipstick and those are usually not my favorite. But I was intrigued by this shade after seeing it on Emily Noel on Youtube. Nudes usually look horrible on me, but this one has the right amount of beige and pink that I could pull it off.

15 Lover

Can you tell why this is the most popular shade in the range? This was sold out twice in two different stores and is currently sold out online as well. Of course this is quite possibly the most wearable shade in the range. A mauve toned pink flatters many skin tones. On deeper skin tones this will be more of a nude, but on me this is a great everyday pink.

20 Pioneer

It’s been a long time since I was drawn to a red lipstick. But this, this is the perfect bright, classic blue toned red. And that is a good staple to have and I didn’t have one in a liquid lipstick formula yet that I liked. This is quite possibly the perfect red lipstick that lasts all day and that is a great thing to have.

30 Romantic

I was a little bit unsure of Romantic when I first saw it. But since the deal was buy one get one free, I decided to rope it in. This is a shade I am pleasantly surprised by. It is a bright pink with a hint of purple to it. It’s bright, but not too in your face. It has something almost muted to it, which makes this a very flattering color.

The Swatches

Loyalist | Lover | Pioneer | Romantic

For the swatches, I decided to show them to you freshly swatched and after waiting them to dry down a bit. These definitely become matte, but it takes a while for them to get to this state. These do not dry down immediately and stay feeling tacky on the lips. That is the only downside to these for me: the tackiness doesn’t really disappear, not even after they have dried down.

However, despite the tackiness, these are some of the best liquid lipsticks on the market. These stay on all day, but they are incredibly comfortable as they don’t have that liquid lipstick dried down feeling. These can only be removed with an oil based makeup remover. Even then, some of this stays in some of the lines of my lips, but with a bit of a scrub they will be removed fully. Some liquid lipsticks wear down in a not so flattering way, but these stay on, don’t flake off and if they fade they do so gradually.

The Application

Loyalist

Loyalist is very nude, which isn’t always flattering against my pale skin. Sometimes nudes are too light for my naturally pigmented lips, but this one is very pigmented and goes on smoothly. It does show some of the lines in my lips, but you can’t see that from a distance.

Lover

Quite possibly my favorite shade and one that I can see myself wearing loads: lover. Lover is a mauve toned pink and is a great everyday shade that is very versatile. It is flattering against my skin tone and it truly is a my lips but better color.

Pioneer

I love this classic red lipstick. I think every woman needs a red lipstick, but they can be difficult to apply and once they are on they get on your teeth and that is never a great look. But this will not budge. Once on, this will last at least 12 hours without touch ups and that is why this is a great red to have.

Romantic

If you like brighter shades of lipstick, then Romantic is your jam. This is a fresh toned pink that I think I will be busting out more come spring time. It is a bright fuchsia, but with lots of blue/ purple undertones. That is why I think this will not be flattering on everyone, but it is worth a shot if you’re looking for a fun bright shade that is easy to wear.

The Conclusion

I am loving these Maybelline Superstay Matte Lip Ink liquid lipsticks. They are quite comfortable (if you can get over the tackiness) and are affordable even for a Maybelline product. This is a formula that definitely has something new to add to the liquid lipstick market. These liquid lipsticks get two thumbs up from me!

Which shade is your favorite?