Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink

There was so much hype about these and actually there still is, since I've seen how many people praise them on social media. But I was quite let down the first time I tried them and didn't get the hype at all. My opinion changed since those first impressions, I guess I just needed to get used to a different formula and I'm most impressed by the staying power, however, I've tried a lot of matte liquid lipsticks formulas, about fifteen I think, and these are somewhere in the middle.

Texture: Most lip creams I've tried are quite light and either oily (Sleek), creamy (theBalm) or a mousse (Bourjois), but these are thick, so my first applications were not that nice, especially with Pioneer, but I've learned to work with these. There are differences in the formulas between the shades, but both start to dry and become sticky fast, so I need to be quick at application. I apply it first on the bottom lip, then press my lips together and finish by applying what's left on the applicator, making the application more even. After a month of owning these, I'm completely adjusted to the formula and I don't find them as fussy anymore, but this is by far the stickiest lip cream I tried. There are some other sticky formulas, but this one takes the cake, so I'm really not a fan of that, however, I can deal with it. It's not a lip gloss type of stickiness where hair would stick on your lips. What I mean by stickiness is that when you press your lips together they just stick like glue. A proper fully opaque application needs about 10 minutes to dry, though even after that it can transfer in traces. It sticks like a glue to the lips, so alongside with the stickiness that lasts about a half an hour and a thick formula, these tend to feel heavy on the lips at first - again it's something I got used to and don't notice it as much. Same as the stickiness, that feeling disappears after a half an hour. On my lips these are never drying and I find them a comfortable product all day. The red shade, Pioneer, can smudge a bit, so I need to be a bit more careful, but with Lover I'm completely relaxed. Don't ask me if these are for dry lips because I can't tell you, all I can say is they wear nice on my lips. I heard a lot of people say that these aren't drying to them, however, my gut feeling tells me these might feel tight to some.

Finish: They are named Matte Ink, which I would imagine as a matte stain type of product, but these are fully opaque with a satin-matte finish. It's not that Instagram matte look you get at Milani, Colourpop Matte and Sleek, but it sets more matte in time. This could mean the formula will be more comfortable to those who hate quick drying matte finishes and any of the before mentioned formulas.

15 Lover 

Lover is mauve shade, so a mix of muted pink with purple and it looks warm on me when freshly applied, however it turns much cooler and more towards violet with time. Yesterday I ended up with a purple shade at the end of the day. I like the look of it in the first couple of hours, but as the day goes by, I just think it turns a bit too cool for me. Such shades often oxidise and change colour, but they usually turn darker, while this one goes lighter. It much smoother and even than Pioneer, in fact I have almost no problems with this one apart from stickiness.

20 Pioneer 

Pioneer is a cool toned red, pretty much my perfect red and while it is in the same colour family as L'Oreal's Blake, it's even more intense and cooler - I think it's the best red I own. It's a much more difficult shade to apply than Lover, which is due to a combination of thickness and stickiness, so I never manage to create a nice edge with it and need to fix it with a lipliner (I use Catrice's …and a Cherry on the Top).

Staying power: These are some of the most long-lasting lip products I've tried, but it differs between the shades, since as usually reds last longer than other shades. Both Lover and Pioneer are impossible to remove with a tissue or micellar water, only oil breaks them apart. They can last though drinking, meals, holding your hand annoyingly over the lips while behind the computer - truly there is little that touches them, basically only contact with (a lot of) oil will get them. I ate a greasy grilled cheese sandwich and while the lip colour did break down, it still didn't look that terrible, just a bit uneven. Yesterday I wore Lover all day and it lasted 12h pretty much intact, it just changed colour as I said before. When you cleanse you need to focus on the lips with the oil cleanser, otherwise you'll end up with leftover lipstick. The red one stains because it has that typical magenta pigment in it which is very difficult remove at almost any formula.

Scent: They are very heavily scented with a coconut-like scent. It's only noticeable at application.

Packaging: An opaque tube with a spade shaped doe foot applicator which has a hollow in the middle. That hollow is actually quite annoying because it holds too much product and makes it more difficult to apply evenly. These aren't the prettiest tubes to me, but a lot of people like them.

Price and availability: I bought mine in DM for 7.99 €. They are 50 cents more expensive in Müller.

Now for all of those who just scroll to the end: these are super long-lasting matte liquid lipsticks that survive a lot and are at the same time not typically tight/drying on the lips, however, these are thick and sticky and not as easy to apply as others. They don't beat theBalm for me, neither Sephora's or Milani's, mostly due to stickiness, though I admire their staying power and shade Pioneer is one of the most gorgeous reds I've ever seen.

Have a great day!