So a year ago I wrote a raving review about the then new Maybelline liquid lipsticks. So when new shades in the Superstay Matte Ink lipstick line were released I knew I wanted to try some more. I ended up buying these at Superdrug in the UK, but these new shades are available at select stores in the Netherlands as well as in the US of course. What do I think of the new Maybelline lip ink shades? 

Maybelline Superstay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick
25 Heroine, 80 Ruler, 95 Visionary, 45 Escapist

Over here these affordable drugstore liquid lipsticks retail for €11.99 each, but they are currently on offer for €9.00 and are on offer often enough that you do not have to pay full price for these. I bought mine on a buy one get one half off deal. So my advice on these is to wait it out and wait for a great deal and snatch a few up.

25 Heroine

The first new shade I bought to review is Heroine. This is a bright orange shade that looks quite intimidating at first, but I love a good orange lipstick. Especially in the summer, a bright shade like this is very pretty. In keeping with the other lipsticks I already owned this starts off as a very liquid formula that then turns quite tacky, but stays put well.

80 Ruler

Ruler is a great shade as it is much better dark nude option. One of the complaints about the original line up was that there weren’t enough neutral shades. They definitely remedied that and added this pretty deep mauve. While a very wearable shade, I did notice that this doesn’t stay put as well as some of the other shades. It wears off more quickly and leaves a bit of a ring when it does.

95 Visionary

The newer shades definitely include some more interesting shades too. Visionary is one of them. This is a cool toned purple with a lot of grey to it. Or so it seems in the packaging anyway. I find that this lasts as well as all the other shades and it is definitely a unique one. Question of course is, whether this looks nice on as well.

45 Escapist

Another aspect missing from the original line up were darker shades, which was extended in the new shade range as well. I decided to go with Escapist as it looked like a good vampy shade that is somewhere between a plum and a burgundy red. A great shade for the fall time if I may say so!

The Swatch

As you can see not all of these shades look entirely opaque upon first swatch. Heroine and Ruler look the best, but Visionary and Escapist seem a bit patchy. I already briefly discussed these new shades in terms of lasting power, but I haven’t said much about the texture and dry down time. The texture of these is quite liquidy and creamy, which means they apply easily and quite precisely. They take a long time to dry down and at first become very tacky, but I have found between these four shades that the time it takes for each shade to dry down completely differs quite a bit. With these Lip Inks, it really seems like the longer they take to dry down, the better they eventually stay put.

25 Heroine

Moving on to lip swatches then. On the lips, I feel that Heroine looks far less intense than in the tube. Yes, it’s a bright orange, but on the lips it pulls more red. From a distance it doesn’t look too badly, but close up you can see it is a touch sheer in some places. However, on this shade it really isn’t too noticeable compared to the others.

80 Ruler

Ruler is definitely a more neutral shade in this line up. It is definitely the more wearable option that’s for sure. It pulls a bit darker than I had expected, but it is a pretty everyday shade. It applies really evenly, but I find it doesn’t last as long as what I am used to with these. And that’s a shame, because this is exactly the kind of shade you would want to wear for more than just a few hours.

95 Visionary

Despite quite a patchy swatch, Visionary doesn’t look too patchy on the lips. Yes, there is a bit of unevenness, but the shade looks great from a distance. It is only sheer if you look at it very up close. What is most unexpected about this shade is how pretty this looks on. This is a great cool toned lipstick but still very wearable. It has a hint of brown, a hint of grey, a hint of purple and all the wile it still remains a good neutral. With the right eye look I think this look really stunning.

45 Escapist

With dark liquid lipsticks, it is always a gamble how well they might apply. While the applicator on these is excellent, I still had some trouble getting a truly precise application. This would definitely need a lip liner to even out the edges. The shade itself is absolutely stunning: a great vampy shade for winter parties. The only problem? The uneven application. You can clearly see, even in the full face picture, that this doesn’t apply the same in all parts of the lip and there are quite a few lighter patches, especially in the center of the lip.

The Conclusion

I am not as unanimously satisfied with the performance of these Maybelline Superstay Matte Ink liquid lipsticks. It really seems to be a line where not all shades perform equally well. And that’s a shame, because the shade selection is great and for the price point this is still a great option. I think the more standard shades work better than the more unusual ones, but if you find a shade you like, you will have a great liquid lipstick that is worth the try.

Which Maybelline Matte Ink liquid lipstick is your favorite?