As someone that loves to wear a bright lip, my make-up bag is bursting with lip products. Matte lipsticks and longwear liquid formulas tend to be my go-to, but for winter it’s the best satin lipsticks that tend to take centre stage. Why? Well, my lips are dry at the best of times, but during the winter months they’re often chapped and dehydrated. And while I love the look of a matte texture (and it’s impressive staying power) they don’t look so pretty when clinging to dry patches. That’s where satin lipsticks come in. Often infused with hydrating and conditioning ingredients that wouldn’t seem out of place in your night cream, satin lipsticks are formulated to deliver on both moisture and pigment—and the sheeny finish lends itself perfectly to the glitz and glow of party season.
“A satin finish is easier to wear and apply than a matte texture and gives a more comfortable wear too,” explains Ruby Hammer MBE, founder of Ruby Hammer Beauty. If you like an easy approach to make-up application, then satin lipsticks fit the bill here too. “While matte lipsticks can be longer lasting, they need more careful application than a satin formula,” she explains. And while we’re all for mixing up the types of lipsticks you wear and use depending on your occasion or mood—make-up is for having fun with after all—satin lipsticks are the MVP for dry lips. “It’s so much easier to wear a satin lipstick if lips are drier, and if I want to give the illusion of fuller lips then they work for that too,” explains Ruby.
The 6 best satin lipsticks:
1. Hourglass Unlocked Satin Creme Lipstick
(Image credit: Hourglass)
Hourglass is one of my favourite brands for luxury make-up and its satin lipstick is as beautiful as you’d expect from the packaging. Formulated with mango seed butter, argan oil, avocado oil and vegan waxes, it’s incredibly hydrating yet has a beautiful pigmented finish. It leaves lips looking plump, full and smooth, yet has a weightless texture that means you won’t feel like you’re wearing a full coverage lipstick. There are so many shades to choose from too so I have no doubt that you’ll find a colour you’ll fall in love with.
2. Lisa Eldridge Luxuriously Lucent Lip Colour
(Image credit: Lisa Eldridge)
I have yet to try a make-up product from Lisa Eldridge that I haven’t loved and these sheeny satin lipsticks are no exception. Rather than a classic full-on lip colour, these are more like a balm in nature—moisturising, nourishing and incredibly comfortable—and they impart a sheer wash of colour onto lips rather than a full drench of pigment. However, while one slick will give you that modern barely-there sheen, you can definitely build these up for a more medium coverage. They feel luxurious, smooth and are so comfortable that they’ll fast become your daily lipstick of choice.
3. L’Oreal Paris Colour Riche Satin Lipstick
(Image credit: L’Oreal Paris)
Despite the fact that it only costs a tenner, you’d be forgiven for thinking that this L’Oreal Paris lipstick is a far more expensive formulation. It’s incredibly creamy in texture which means it feels so nice to wear, but it definitely isn’t the most long-lasting lipstick I’ve tried. In fact, if you’re eating and drinking then you’ll definitely need to touch it up. Longevity aside, however, it’s one of the best satin lipsticks on the high-street for pigment, hydration and shade range. Whether you want a neutral shade or a bright red there’s an option to suit.
4. Bobbi Brown Luxe Lipstick
(Image credit: Bobbi Brown)
I have gifted many a Bobbi Brown lipstick over the years and I truly think that this satin lipstick is one of the most universally-appealing formulas on the market. Enriched with Monoi de Tahiti and chamomile oil to nourish and condition lips alongside jasmine flower wax which boosts hydration levels, this is a really nourishing lipstick that offers both moisture and longevity. In fact, it has up to 10 hours of fade-resistant wear which is really impressive for a satin lipstick. Even better? If your lipstick tends to feather then this actually works to minimise lip lines and improve the condition of lips the more you wear it.
5. Maybelline Color Sensational Made For All Lipstick
(Image credit: Maybelline)
Tested on over 50 different skin tones, this satin lipstick has been created by Maybelline especially with universal wear in mind. Forget trying to work out what colour will best complement your skin tone, all six of these shades will work for both deep, pale and medium skin tones and a whole host of undertones. Although the formula itself isn’t brimming with skincare ingredients like some others on this list (there is honey nectar for that sheeny satin finish though) it’s still a lovely smoothing lipstick with a beautiful satin finish. And the price certainly can’t be sniffed at.
6. Guerlain Rouge G Satin Lipstick
(Image credit: Guerlain)
The crème de la crème of satin lipsticks, Guerlain’s Rouge G Satin is certainly an investment but when every detail has been so meticulously considered it’s worth the price tag. The lipstick itself is luscious and rich—packed with jojoba and mango butters to nourish, hyaluronic acid to hydrate, and gugul resin to smooth and plump. It glides onto lips like butter, imparting rich pigment with utter comfort. While this is the price for a refill, you can buy Guerlain lipstick cases in an array of beautiful styles which will remain a keepsake for a lifetime. And it means if you’re not feeling a satin lip one day then you can simply switch it out for a matte or sheer formulation instead.