My favorite type of lip color has been, and always will be, matte liquid lipstick. I live for a full-coverage, long-lasting lip, which you just cannot get from a glossy product. A turnoff for many matte lip color mavens is a drying product that feels crusty on the lips. I got to thinking, I have many drugstore liquid lippies in my collection, and some are better than others. Why not compose a post of the best non-drying drugstore liquid lipsticks! Now, the catch here is that some of these are drying to an extent, but I will share my hack on how to make anything drying comfortable to wear. I am diving into each one of these lippies in terms of pigmentation, how they wear and feel, and why I am picking them. Time to get started.
Best Non-Drying Drugstore Liquid Lipsticks
1) Maybelline Superstay Matte Ink
I am starting the best non-drying drugstore liquid lipsticks with Maybelline’s Superstay Matte Inks because they have a very unique formula. These are full-coverage and matte without any dryness at all. The formula really hugs, or grips to the lips. I think of it almost as a liquid latex, which is the best way that I can say it. This formula does feel tacky on the lips, which is most noticeable when you rub your lips together. It is not bad, and diminishes over time. These hold up well with eating or drinking. Of course, no matter what your lip color is, you need to be mindful in the way that you eat or drink for the best results with anything.
2) elf Liquid Matte Lipstick
Second are elf’s Liquid Matte Lipsticks. These are what I really consider to be ye old standard matte liquid lipsticks. I have most, if not all of the shades, in my collection. They are easily buildable to full coverage, but they will not get streaky on you as you build. Now, this formula can feel drying on the lips, but it is not terrible, and I am sharing my special tip to correct this at the end of the post. These will hold up fairly well through eating and drinking, with minor touch-ups needed.
3) Physicians Formula The Healthy Lip
Third is The Healthy Lip line from Physicians Formula. I describe this formula as ultra creamy and full-coverage with little need to build. These are not streaky, and are not drying at all. Honestly, they feel nice on the lips, almost to the point of being slightly conditioning. They do not hold up as well with eating and drinking as some of the others here, but they fade gracefully, which is an important benefit. You can easily touch these up as needed. I have all the colors in my collection.
Related Post: Best Drugstore Blending Sponges
4) Nyx Lip Lingerie & Flower Beauty Miracle Matte Liquid Lip Color
Next I am talking about two liquid lipsticks together, because I only have one shade of each.
Nyx Lip Lingerie is surprising formula wise because it is so lightweight, it feels like you having nothing on your lips! I cannot think of another matte liquid lipstick that feels like it. This means that it is not drying at all, and you can build it up to full coverage easily without streaks. I find it does last well with eating and drinking. You may or may not need to touch-up, it depends on your preference. I need to get more of these.
Flower Beauty’s Miracle Matte Liquid Lip Color is nice. It is most comparable to elf’s version in terms of wear and finish. Again, it does well with eating and drinking, with minor touch-ups needed, and it is not streaky.
5) Nyx Soft Matte Lip Cream
Continuing with the best non-drying drugstore liquid lipsticks, here are some Nyx Soft Matte Lip Creams. As far as I know, I have all of the colors in my collection. This formula is not entirely full-coverage. You can build it up to suit your liking, but I cannot tell you that it will be as strongly vivid as the other lippies discussed in this post. But, these feel great on the lips, and they virtually cannot streak. These do fade gracefully with eating and drinking, and you can touch these up easily. I will also note that applying this formula is different because it is more dry, so you have to dip back into the tube more, but this does not equate to crusty lips.
6) wet n wild megalast Liquid Catsuit Matte Lipstick
My liquid lipstick obsession really lies with wet n wild’s Liquid Catsuit Matte Lipstick line. I have every shade ever made, including the limited edition shades. Typically, for special occasion makeup, this is the line that I turn to. If you ever wondered what was on my lips in college, including for graduation, it was this line. Do these feel drying on the lips? Yes, a bit, but it never bothers me that much. These are full-coverage and not streaky. I can trust these with eating and drinking, but they may need one minor touch-up during the day. A true sign of their lasting power is the challenge to wash these off. I recommend elf’s Kiss it Goodbye Lip Color Remover for any difficult to remove lippies.
Related Post: Long Lasting Eyeshadow Primer
How to Eliminate Dryness from Liquid Lipsticks
I am cheating a bit with calling all of these lippies the best non-drying drugstore liquid lipsticks, because a few can be drying. First and foremost, a tip that applies to any kind of lip color when it comes to drying effects is to exfoliate your lips. Removing dead skin from the lips goes a long way to correct issues with your lips looking and feeling dry after you apply lip color. My number one lip exfoliator recommendation is elf’s Lip Exfoliator in Brown Sugar as a mess-free solution. If a potted lip scrub is more your jam, then I recommend wet n wild’s perfectpout lip scrub.
But, my ultimate hack to make any lip color comfortable is to wear Nyx’s Lip Primer. When you apply it to the lips it kind of looks like a hot mess, as in it looks bumpy and not smooth. I promise that it does no harm to your lip color. It will not add to wear time, but it eliminates the feeling of dryness from matte lip colors.
Conclusion
In summary of the best non-drying drugstore liquid lipsticks, these are formulas that I can trust for special occasions, or really every day. All of my recommendations are $10 or less, which are super affordable. I do have a few recommendations that can, and do, feel drying on the lips, but my hack will fully fix that. If you crave a long-lasting, all day lip, I am right there with you, and all of these liquid lipsticks are the real deal. Until next time, continue to let your true beauty shine.
What is your favorite matte liquid lipstick?