The 10 Best Drugstore Liquid Lipsticks That Look as Good as Luxury Brands—Seriously

Best Overall

NYX Professional Makeup Lip Cream

$7 at Ulta $7 at Target $7 at Target

Shades: 11 | Finish: Matte | Size: 0.27 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

We loved almost everything about this product, especially the texture. The creamy, soft, whipped consistency blew us away and somehow managed to stay that way after it dried down. That was particularly impressive given the matte finish; there was never any settling into lines or dryness to worry about. It’s also extremely pigmented, delivering a perfect amount of color in just one swipe, and extra long-lasting too—no touch-ups required. Some folks say the color doesn't always look the same IRL as it does online so we suggest looking at tester shades in your drugstore if one is available.

Michelle, tester with warm skin undertones: “The product looked even and smooth after applying it. It didn't have any shine and gave a matte finish while still keeping my lips hydrated and soft. I didn’t feel the need to continually reapply. The pigment remained strong and bold and didn't smear much at all.”

Most Transfer-Proof

Covergirl Lipstick

$8 at Amazon $12 at Ulta $9 at Target

Shades: 11 | Finish: Matte | Size: 0.13 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

We deemed this lippie 99.9% transfer proof—even after drinking, touching our lips, and wiping them, the color still stayed totally locked in. Credit the unique two-step process, which features a liquid lipstick and a balm-like topcoat that sets everything in place. The color was a bit dry and uncomfortable on its own, but that all changed with a swipe of the topcoat. It left our tester’s lips hydrated, even though it dried down to a matte finish. Also nice: Despite the supreme staying power, it was still very easy to remove with a makeup wipe.

Amy, tester with cool undertones: “After blotting with a tissue, there was the tiniest, lightest, little feather of a smudge, but basically nothing. Touching my lips and even swiping across them with my hand: nothing! No smudging, no bleeding. I would a million percent recommend this product to anyone who likes to wear lip color.

Best Matte

Essence 8H Matte Liquid Lipstick

$5 at Ulta

Shades: 9 | Finish: Matte | Size: 0.88 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

As a general rule of thumb, most liquid lipsticks have a matte finish, but this was our fave. While it’s not necessarily hydrating, it’s also not in the least bit drying; we found the texture was almost powdery. It’s also extremely lightweight, nearly undetectable on the lips, and not in the least bit sticky or tacky, even immediately after application. And while one coat delivered our tester’s ideal level of pigment, they also found it easily buildable.

It didn’t perform as well with transfer-resistance. It smudged on hands during our smear test but left a good amount of color around the lips. Similarly, it got very smudgy and messy during the removal process.

Amy, tester with cool undertones: “This is a very good option for matte lip color because of how easy it is to apply and how comfortable it feels. And the performance you get out of this one for less than $5 makes it an incredibly good value, I would absolutely pay more for this product.”

Best Satin

Revlon Liquid Lipstick

$10 at Amazon $10 at Target $10 at Walmart

Shades: 17 | Finish: Matte | Size: 0.17 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

Given that the majority of liquid lipsticks do have a matte finish, it’s always nice to come across one that doesn’t. Take this winner, which has a beautifully satin finish that’s more glossy than a matte, but still not full-on shiny. That’s one of our favorite things about it, as well as how moisturizing and creamy it is (the consistency is similar to cake frosting, in the best way possible).

Also noteworthy was the applicator, which is flat and wide and makes for an even application and fewer coats of color required. The pigment also packs a punch; the color payoff is intense. It is a little tackier than others but given how nice our testers said it felt on the lips and the natural-looking finish, we could look past that.

Lee, tester with neutral-warm undertones: “This liquid lipstick felt so nice. The texture was smooth and buttery and glided on so easily.”

Most Moisturizing

Honest Beauty Liquid Lipstick

View on Amazon View on Target View on Honest.com

Shades: 8 | Finish: Matte | Size: 0.12 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Liquid lipsticks are somewhat notorious for being drying, which is why this delightfully moisturizing formula was such a pleasant surprise. It had a buttery consistency that felt nice and creamy, both upon immediate application and after it dries down to its matte finish. (To that point, it also didn’t settle into lip lines.) The bold color was rich and beautiful and came off easily.

One caveat: this may not be the best option if you’re looking for something super budge-proof. It transferred and smudged—a bummer given how much we liked everything else about this.

Amy, tester with neutral-warm undertones: “This lipstick has a very lightweight consistency and smooth texture. It felt so hydrating that I would feel comfortable using this every day.”

Most Smudge-Resistant

L'Oréal Paris Infallible Matte Resistance Liquid Lipstick

$11 at Amazon $14 at Ulta $11 at Target

Shades: 11 | Finish: Matte | Size: 0.17 oz | Cruelty-Free: No

This one’s legit smudge-resistant; it didn’t move at all when our testers touched their lips or blotted them on a white tissue. There was also no feathering our bleeding, always a good thing in our book. We loved the pigmented yet buildable color (testers achieved their desired finish in two coats) and the angled brush that made precise lipstick application a breeze.

However, you may want to keep a lip balm on hand when wearing this one. While it felt okay initially, they noticed that it started to feel very drying—and even settled into fine lines on the lips—as the day went on. It also can get messy when you remove it, so make sure to have some extra makeup wipes handy.

Amy, tester with neutral-warm undertones: “This product barely transferred when I touched my lips, and there was no noticeable feathering, bleeding, or smudging. I think it did very well in this category!”

Best Pigment

Milani Stay Put Liquid Lip Longwear Lipstick

$13 at Ulta $6 at Target $6 at Target

Shades: 12 | Finish: Matte | Size: 0.10 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Our tester loved how vivid and intense the pigment of this pick was, particularly for the true red shade she tried. One coat was all it took for intense color coverage and color that lasted at that (it barely came off on her coffee cup). She also appreciated that, despite the true matte finish, it didn’t feel drying; credit the avocado oil and vitamin E in the formula. The only minor drawback? It can feel a bit sticky upon initial application, though that dissipates quickly as it dries down.

Stephanie, tester with neutral undertones: “A deep, rich shade is something I always seek out in liquid lipsticks. I only needed one full swipe to achieve my desired intensity.”

Best for Daily Use

Morphe Matte Liquid Lipstick

$12 at Ulta

Shades: 7 | Finish: Matte | Size: 0.15 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you’ve never thought about using liquid lipstick as part of your daily makeup routine, here’s proof positive that you definitely should. This one earned rave reviews for a featherweight feel that was nearly undetectable on lips. If it weren’t for the beautiful, opaque color, our tester easily could’ve forgotten they were wearing it. It was super long-wearing as well yet still easy to remove. They did lament, however, that it was on the drier side and accentuated creases in the lips as the day went on.

Lee, tester with neutral-warm undertones: “This lipstick is so lightweight. It glides on super smoothy and easily. It has a fairly liquid texture and isn’t sticky or tacky. It almost feels like you’re wearing nothing once it dries down and is very comfortable.”

Best Shade Range

NYX Professional Makeup Smooth Whip Blurring Matte Liquid Lipstick

$8 at Amazon $8 at Ulta $8 at Target

Shades: 23 | Finish: Matte | Size: 0.13 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Looking to experiment with shades? This formula comes in over 20 different ones. But it’s not just the quantity that’s impressive, it’s also the quality. The shades are vibrant and rich upon first swipe but you can easily build and layer on more as desired. Just keep in mind: this isn’t marketed as long-wearing, and, in our tester’s experience, it definitely wasn’t. Smudges and transferring are a real possibility, so you may need a touch-up or two.

Nikki, tester with neutral undertones: “This is an amazing cheapie that I highly recommend to anyone who loves the versatility of a highly pigmented, great-performing product. It’s as saturated and bright as my favorite matte lip products.”

Best Long-Lasting

Wet n Wild MegaLast Liquid Matte Lipstick

$9 at Walmart $5 at Walgreens

Shades: 8 | Finish: Matte | Size: 0.96 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

For those who hate or never remember to touch up, it was one coat and done with this liquid lipstick. It excelled in all of our tests for smudging and transferring. The shades were rich and very opaque and it only took one swipe of the applicator to achieve the desired pigment. And despite how long the color lasted, it was still easy to take this off with a makeup wipe. It definitely is a true matte both in terms of finish and feel; it skews pretty dry and our tester also didn’t love how heavy it felt once it dried down.

Sunita, tester with neutral undertones: “It holds well onto the lips and would be perfect as a long-wearing lip product to wear to an event.”