Liquid Lipstick Battle: We tested 7 cult faves for 15 hours & found a winner

Here at Project Vanity, we’re always on the lookout for products that tickle the Internet’s fancy. Whether it’s a buzzed about cult favorite, a hot trendy product, or a crazy novelty item that might just work – we’re always curious to find out which ones are actually worth the hype. Liquid lipsticks have been around a while and practically every single brand has their own take on the formula. We’ve tested out five local liquid lipstick brands before but now it’s time to see which of these seven international cult favorites is the best of the best!  

For reference, I normally apply makeup before 7 in the morning, and take it off at around 9pm when I get home. In those 14 hours, I’d have breakfast, lunch, dinner, and lots of snacking and drinking in between. I avoided eating anything oilier than usual during the test days, and applied balm and exfoliated my lips the night before to keep them as soft, smooth and supple as possible. These photos are the result of zero retouching and minimal wiping after meals. Here’s my verdict for each!

Jouer Liquid Lip Crème in Melon (about P800 to P1200 for the full size from online resellers)

The Jouer formula is touted by many as a thin, lightweight, comfortable liquid lipstick. I find that to be all true, which is impressive for a liquid lipstick that actually dries down matte. These lip crèmes smell like butter cake frosting, and are quick to set upon application. Compared to most liquid lipsticks, Jouer has minimal transfer, is the least bit drying, and easy to retouch. If there’s anything negative to say, it’s that the lip creme emphasizes lines and crumbles a bit throughout the day. I would say all eight shades that I have (purchased as a mini set) have medium pigmentation and would need to be layered twice to get full opacity.

Colourpop Ultra Matte in Beeper and Ultra Satin in Alyssa (about P300 to P500 each from online resellers)

Believe your makeup-loving friends when they tell you that Colourpop lippies are drying to the point of peeling. While they look Instagram-worthy upon application, any further smiling will show that they settle into and emphasize lines, no thanks to the thick and heavy formula. I’m usually able to easily remove my liquid lipsticks but the Ultra Mattes and Ultra Satins are best removed with a cleansing oil or balm to protect your lips from further peeling. 

Ultra Satin

The Ultra Satin would stay wet and tacky while the Ultra Mattes dry down to a flat matte. The satins are just a tinge more comfortable than the mattes but the slight comfort upgrade doesn’t save my lips from feeling ultra dry after. Also, I’ve used these lipsticks no more than ten times but the peeled-off sticker on the cheap packaging seems to tell another story. For all my nitpicking though, they are still pretty hard to beat in terms of color payoff and longevity at their price range.

Lonely Planet Liquid Lipstick in Concrete Jungle (about P700 to P900 from Etsy)

I’m glad I took a chance on this indie Etsy brand after getting curious about the hype. This Lonely Planet liquid lipstick is a thin, lightweight, non-drying, and comfortable formula that hugs the lips like second skin. The formula feels a lot like a less-flat Jouer actually but it would never last through a meal. That said, the smooth formulation makes for an easy retouch and it takes a while to set so if you’re still learning the ropes of liquid lipstick application, the forgiving formula will do great for practice.

However, it doesn't stay very well on the lips. At four hours, it's close to falling apart. You may need to wear a lip liner as a base!

Ofra Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick in Havana Nights (P850 from Glamourbox)

The Ofra Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick works the most like actual liquefied lipsticks. They feel and wear similarly to your average bullet and are just a tad longer lasting. While I like how creamy, opaque, and comfortable the mousse formula is, the transfer is absolutely the worst I’ve come across and it’s not the type of lipstick you’d want to wear on a date or a windy day. The formula bunches and flakes off throughout the day but just patting it with your finger is enough to save your lip look as the flexible formula never completely dries down. 

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Patina (P1,250 for the full size at Rustan’s)

Naming the lipstick “stay all day” was a tough claim – but one that they’ve almost managed to pull off. The moussey, opaque formula is a little thicker than I’d like yet they it hugs the lips nicely without looking gloppy. The Stila liquid lipstick can take a while to set; it stays tacky and constantly transfers throughout the day.

On the plus side, it doesn’t crumble off as it wears and simply fades from the center out, which is preferable IMO. It can also be retouched without starting over. I only have the mini (purchased as part of a trio kit) and while I adore the sleek gold packaging, the doe foot applicator picks up way too much product.

Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Lolita II (about P1000 to P1300 from online resellers)

Everlasting what? Kat Von D’s liquid lipstick used to be my go-to events lipstick because of how budge-proof it was but I’ve had worse luck with it these days for some reason. Whether the formula changed, or I simply don’t eat as much during events, I can’t seem to stretch the mileage of KVD to more than six hours of wear for everyday. That said, I still love the thin, fluid, opaque-in-one-layer formula of the Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks. Even with the shorter wear time, I find that they fade nicely and don’t sink into any lines.

And the winner is...

It was a tough call, as all of these lipsticks have their pros and cons. In the end I'm going to name the Jouer Liquid Lip Crème as the one to beat! It's comfortable, not as drying compared to the others, and its wear time is pretty great. It had issues that could easily be addressed - I can layer it to achieve full opacity and it will still be thin and lightweight. The fading and slight crumbling could be easily saved by blotting with a tissue and reapplying when needed.

After shooting all these lippies, I’m off to mask my lips for a week! Whew! Did you have similar experiences with any of these lipsticks? What’s your current favorite liquid lip formula?