CoverGirl Outlast Lipstain Product Review

I bought the CoverGirl Outlast Lipstain because the summer is now here and lipsticks and glosses don't hold up in the high heat and humidity of Iowa. I'm also a mother of a 2-yr-old girl and it's a pain-in-the-you-know-what to reapply your lipstick or lipgloss every 5 minutes. I also really hate the feel of most lipsticks after it has been on my lips for awhile. It either gets really dry and makes my lips feel sandpapery or it feels goopy and gross and it smears all over the place.

I've tried MILLIONS of different lipstains over the years and I have yet to settle on liking one enough to keep buying it. The best ones I've tried had the marker-like felt tip applicators. They're the easiest to apply on the go and the likelihood of product dripping and staining something besides your lips is pretty low. So I decided that this one would be good to try. It's difficult to find lipstains in your local mega-mart store so I thought it was awesome that such a widely known (and widely sold!) brand such as CoverGirl had one out. Especially since I didn't really care for Revlon's version.

I purchased two different shades - Everbloom Kiss and Teasing Blush. I bought Everbloom Kiss because it looks like a pretty shade of pink - great for evening since it seems a little bright. The Teasing Blush was recommended on CoverGirl's website. It seemed like a nice, neutral muted pink - perfect for a more natural, everyday look.

The Good

The applicator is perfect. You can easily whip this stuff on without having to concentrate too much - unlike stains with a rollerball type application. The colors available are also great - most companies who offer lipstains don't offer a wide variety of colors which is unfortunate. The lid is also unique - it has a lid WITHIN the lid to help keep it from drying out. It doesn't dry your lips out the way many lipstains do either. It's not too bad of a price compared to other brands out there.

The Bad

The color doesn't last long at all. Other lipstains I've tried you've pretty much had to scrub them off. This one just kind of...fades away. It also doesn't seem to dry very fast on lips. This morning when I went to wear it, I put it on after I'd done the rest of my makeup and I went to get dressed. It took probably 10-15 minutes. Then I went back to put a clear gloss on top. It smudged and smeared all over and I think it made it last an even shorter amount of time! It also fades pretty fast after eating as well. The whole point of a lipstain is the STAIN - the lasting power. This product just didn't hold up.

The Ugly

The colors are just...weird. If you go to CoverGirl's website and you look at the swatches they have available, the shades all look pretty and natural for the most part. Well, they don't look like that on your lips. The Everbloom Kiss looked VERY vibrant - practically hot pink. The Teasing Blush looked pretty much the same except darker and slightly more red. The colors are very dark and in your face. My sister purchased the Flirty Nude and it turned her lips a bright shade of Tangerine. These shades would all probably look decent on women with darker skin - not women who are practically albino (me). I've also tried to tone down the color - I always only use 1 coat and I tried blotting it when it was still damp. It helped a little but not a whole lot. I've also tried layering different glosses on top with okay results.

What I think...

If you absolutely have to try this product, wait until a local store has it on sale. Many stores in my area often have CoverGirl products for BOGO 50%. This isn't the worst lipstain I've ever tried, but it isn't the best either. Don't expect miracles from this product. I do recommend it to friends just because it's probably the best lipstain you can buy for the price. Also - you may want to look into return policies at the store you purchase it. Some stores will let you return the item, even if it's opened, if it doesn't work out for you. Keep that in mind! I recommend that you chose Everbloom Kiss or Sassy Mauve if you do decide to buy this product. They are the least bright and most natural of all the colors. Don't try the Coy Coral or Flirty Nude unless you're absolutely sure you'll like them - if you like tangerine colored lips then you'll be fine.

Tips

I don't recommend you buy or use lipstain if you have very dry lips. I used to have chapped lips all the time and lipstain + chapped/dry lips = ew. Lipstain automatically colors the dryer areas darker than the rest. Also, if you pick off the dry skin, the lipstain will make the new, smooth skin darker than the rest too - leaving little dark splotches all over your lips.

Everyone should exfoliate their lips before applying lipstain - you can use a soft bristled toothbrush dipped in Vaseline and gently work it over your lips to get rid of the flakies. You can even use a gentle scrub. If your lips are feeling a little dry, apply a rich eye cream lightly and let it completely soak in and dry up before you apply the stain.

P.S. I took photos of what the lipstains look like on my lips. Sorry about the quality! I just did it really quick with my cellphone.