The Smashbox Limitless Lip Stain & Color Seal Balm or what I like to call the Smashbox Lip Markers or Lip Stains are quite interesting. What they are is a long lasting lip colour in the form of a marker pen. It comes in a few colours but you know what? I’m going to tell you to just not bother with the rest (I swatched them and they were blah to me but then, you may like them) and just head straight for Sangria.
This is Sangria on me – a deep red. It is described as “deep red wine” but on me, I just get it as mostly deep red. Very flattering and neutral in tone and a very fascinating product. I’ve never been one for lip stains. I know they can help you keep your lips looking coloured in all day, but I tend to prefer wiping off and starting again. So, the Smashbox Limitless Lip Stain is my first real foray into lip stains.
The product comes in a marker pen form which is intriguing so long as you don’t let your child get hold of it because she might think its a marker pen and draw on the walls, or she might later confuse her own marker pens with this and draw her marker pens on her face 😛
You can see its dual ended. The other end is a tinted lip balm in a matching colour. This balm helps you to seal in the colour and to keep your lips moist and it is also good for touch ups as the lip stain fades. It will, you know. Its not a tattoo.
Sangria swatches on my hand a little cooler and a little more wine/berry than it does on my lips. It might be something to do with my original lip colour. But here’s how it looks on the back of my hand.
You can see that the marker pen side tends to bleed into the lines on the skin. On the lips if you have a lot of fine lines, you may notice that happening too. Using the balm over it helps to seal it and stop it from migrating too much. Using the balm also boosts the colour and stops it from looking flat.
Another thing you will have to note when using this product is that your lips have to relatively flake free. So if you are prone to dry lips, you will not like this. If you have plump flake free lips then I do think this is quite good for those days when you don’t want to have to keep touching up your lipstick.
For me, it lasts through lunch most of the time. I can quite easily wear it for about 6-7 hours without too much fading. If I want it to last till evening, I do have to touch it up. The other nice thing is that it doesn’t stain. So coffee mugs are quite lipstick free despite such a bright colour on the lips 🙂
The marker pen does make it easy to draw a nice lip shape which is what I do first, then colour it in. Then I apply a layer of the balm over and I end up with something like this.
Didn’t I tell you it looks different from being swatched on the back of my hand? This is also pretty much how it continues to look so long as I touch up the lip balm from time to time. I don’t find that the product dries out my lips unduly, but using the lip balm does help. Oh and removal is easy with any makeup remover. Easy peasy lemon squeezy!
In a nutshell
A useful lip stain that comes in a convenient marker pen form with a built in lip balm so lips remain moisturized all day. Staying power is quite long for me taking me to at least 7 hours if I’m a little more careful and a little less if I’m not. The marker applicator makes it easy to apply the lip colour and shape the lips but does taste a little strange. Many colours available tend to be a little pale. I prefer the darker shades because I think it makes more sense to stain lips a darker/brighter shade.
Pros: Longlasting lip stain that does not dry out my lips, The balm included is useful for keeping lips moist and helping the colour stay on better and longer, Convenient design makes it easy to tote around and touch up
Cons: It can fade quite unevenly, tending to fade first from the inside of the lip outwards so if you aren’t careful you can end up with a strange ring around your lips, Best used on flake free lips
Although its a lipstain, I do recommend you check after a couple of hours how it looks on your lips. I find that on my lips, the colour tends to fade from inside out and sometimes patchily. That’s a bit of a bother but if you just take a peek into the mirror every now and again and touch it up when necessary, it is alright. Also, if you are prone to flaky and dry lips, I won’t recommend you get this because when your lips flake, you will end up with very strange patchy lips that aren’t very flattering.
Oh and speaking of Sangria, I make quite a mean sangria! 😉 This was made by me a while ago during one of my more adventurous moods.
Have been a while, but I think I’ll make up a batch soon – who’s up for Sangria? Ole! 😀
Have you tried the Smashbox Limitless Lip Stains? Have a colour to recommend? Or have you tried something similar and have any tips to share? 🙂
Paris B
Smashbox Limitless Lip Stain and Color Seal Balm comes in 5 shades locally and retail for RM79 each. Smashbox Cosmetics can be found at Smashbox counters at Parkson Pavilion KL and 1 Utama and Sephora KLCC and Starhill
Jamilla says
November 11, 2011 at 4:09 pmYou look smashing in Sangria!
ParisB says
November 11, 2011 at 5:47 pm“Smashing in Sangria” I like that! 😀 Thanks Jamilla!
Jess says
November 13, 2011 at 7:29 amI couldn’t have said it any better! Paris, adore you with red lips! 🙂
ParisB says
November 13, 2011 at 11:23 amawww… thank you Jess *hugs*
biianca says
November 11, 2011 at 4:10 pmyay! i’m the first! the colour is lovely on you! now i wanna try out smashboxs lip stain. i usually hate lip stains because it makes my upper lip more coloured than my lower ): maybe it’s time to invest on a lip concealer heeh 😀
ParisB says
November 11, 2011 at 5:48 pmI don’t use lip stains often but this one does tend to wear off more on the bottom lip, mostly I think because we tend to drink water and rest the cup etc on the lower lip. The balm is nice to cover and even up the colour though so its less obvious 😉
rinnah says
November 11, 2011 at 4:15 pmSigh. Not for me then, cos I have lips that flake and peel. 🙁
It is such a pretty color tho.
ParisB says
November 11, 2011 at 5:52 pmI love the colour too 🙂 But on days when I have dry lips, this is 100% fail.
Stephanie/Yukaeshi says
November 12, 2011 at 1:44 amMy lips flake and peel on a regular basis too. One whole day without lip balm and it’ll crack painfully 🙁 But I find the best way to deal with mine is slather a good thick layer of lip balm before bed and go to sleep. Kind of helps. Especially if you have something important the next day that requires lip colour of some kind (*CoughMWSAwardscough*).
peach_ says
November 11, 2011 at 5:27 pmYuuuum, Sangria! I like the color on you. I’ve seen a similar one by Maybelline called Color Sensational Lipstain in the US and I was intrigued it looks like a marker pen, just like this one. Great it doesn’t transfer onto cups, but what do you do with ones that do? I always feel awkward wiping cups/glasses of lipstick! lol
ParisB says
November 11, 2011 at 5:57 pmI pretend not to see the stain or I surreptitiously rub it away. But you know what? Red lipstick can really stain a cup so I prefer not to wipe it (makes it worse) and just let the washer upper do it LOL! 😛 I think there are a few of these lip stain marker pen thingies around – Revlon has one too. But we don’t get them here 🙂 Sangria’s delish right? And so easy to make too!
Isabel says
November 11, 2011 at 5:55 pmGorgeous colour!
To side track …. share your mean sangria recipe? I might just make some for Christmas this year 🙂
ParisB says
November 11, 2011 at 5:59 pmAhh i just saw your email has “sangria” in it! LOL! Here’s the recipe for my sangria 😉
Isabel says
November 12, 2011 at 9:09 am😛 dead giveaway huh?
I think I might just try it out since it’s a weekend. Christmas now sounds too far away! LOL!
LeGeeque says
November 11, 2011 at 7:11 pmLOVE Sangria! Both the colour on you and the drink. Thanks for the recipe, just how much orange juice is required? I made sangria before and I used a cheapy Shiraz but it was too peppery as with shirazes 😛 😛 😛
ParisB says
November 13, 2011 at 11:13 amHmm… I just add orange juice to taste depending on whether you prefer something more fruity or more winey. A shiraz is definitely too spicy. A merlot is best and I prefer using Australian wines – they are less sharp compared to French wines 🙂
RM says
November 11, 2011 at 11:59 pmOoh, that looks really nice. I love lip stains, and this seems quite long lasting – I pretty much avoid drinking things when I have a lipstick on, since they wear very quickly on me, and I hate getting lipstick on things, yuck.
I love how this looks on you, though. Actually, I love how more dramatic lipsticks look on you – they provide such a perfect contrast against your skin. 🙂
ParisB says
November 13, 2011 at 11:14 amI know how you feel about getting lipsticks on things, especially if its a creamy lipstick. Can be quite icky 😛 And thank you RM – I love wearing bright colors too! 😀
Hanny Daforcena says
November 12, 2011 at 12:51 amAm loving Sangria! (The color on you and the drink!) The color looks like my Palladio Lip Stain in Berry, heehee.
ParisB says
November 13, 2011 at 11:15 amThank you Hanny – not familiar with the Palladio colour but it sounds pretty 🙂
Stephanie/Yukaeshi says
November 12, 2011 at 1:41 amAaaah! I am so going to try this out! I’ve been looking for lip stains for ever, and the only one I could seem to find locally is Benetint (But I dislike the scent). Correct me if I’m wrong, though 😛 But yes, will definitely check this out because conventional lipsticks stain my teeth especially if the colour is too bright, and I was recommended lip stains to offset that problem. Will definitely experiment on that 😀
You look absolutely gorgeous with the shade, BTW! 🙂
*Raises hands* I’m up for some Paris B-made sangria!
Stephanie/Yukaeshi says
November 12, 2011 at 1:42 amOh, right, I’d like to add that this Sangria MIGHT make some people tipsy… tipsy with LOVE lol!
ParisB says
November 13, 2011 at 11:19 amThanks Stephanie – Sangria is a beautiful shade 😀 I actually dislike Benetint very much, both as a lip and cheek stain. I don’t get the hype but then I guess their fans do! 😉
Jess says
November 12, 2011 at 12:58 pmLove the color on you and how convenient it comes in marker pen ! Can write phone number and then give a kiss on the paper before passing the paper to the guy ! Haha
ParisB says
November 13, 2011 at 11:20 amLOLOL!! That’s a cool idea 😉 Although it won’t kiss off that easily so hmm… might have to carry around a lipstick just in case eh? 😉
milktea says
November 12, 2011 at 2:12 pmhey… why didn’t you make your mean sangria for the MWS RCA party? I, for one would be more than happy to sample it… 😉
ParisB says
November 13, 2011 at 11:21 amThat would have made things a little more crazy than it already was LOL!
Monstro says
November 13, 2011 at 12:30 amI have never tried a lip stain before. Will check this out. Looks lovely on you!
ParisB says
November 13, 2011 at 11:22 amThanks Monstro 😀 I remember you have dry lips though so I’m not sure it will be the best thing for you 😉
giddy tigress says
November 13, 2011 at 2:07 amYou had me at “no stains on the coffee mug”. Might this be THE solution to my neverending problem?
Gorgeous shade babe!
ParisB says
November 13, 2011 at 11:23 amThanks GT 😀 If you don’t want something so strong, there’s a pink shade in Peony I believe that’s actually quite pretty too… except that I’m never very partial to pink 🙂
Reena says
November 14, 2011 at 7:32 pmSangria looks sooo gorgeous on you! I haven’t jumped into the lip stain bandwagon yet, but I think I might give it a try I’ve heard that maybelline has really great lipstains too…
ParisB says
November 14, 2011 at 9:08 pmThank you Reena! I’ve heard a lot of good things about the Maybelline lip stains too as well as Revlon but we don’t get those here 🙁