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Maybelline Vinyl Ink Lipstick: Is It Really Worth the Hype?
Product Reviews from Our Experts
By Greta Skuka Updated: Feb 2nd, 2023
Maybelline is the one brand that carried my make-up looks throughout my teenage years. Its catchy slogan, ‘Maybe she’s born with it, maybe it’s Maybelline’, was a big hit back then. Maybelline has some iconic makeup products that I doubt there’s someone who hasn’t tried at least once. From Instant Age Rewind Concealer to Sky High Mascara and Infallible Foundation, Maybelline carries the drugstore market.
When they came out with Super Stay vinyl Ink lipstick, they had some huge claims for a drugstore brand: transfer-proof, long-lasting and shiny. It didn’t make that much sense to me because I was used to seeing transfer-proof lipsticks that dry matte (which I don’t particularly enjoy). The whole beauty community was hyping it so much that I decided to try it!
Featured Product
Maybelline’s Super Stay Vinyl Ink is a long-lasting liquid lipstick with a vinyl effect.
Claims
The Lipstick
The lipstick comes in 15 very pigmented shades, including red, orange and neutrals. It claims to last up to 16 hours without smudging. It’s a vegan formula, very pigmented and dries out leaving a shiny finish, thus its name ‘vinyl’.
The lipstick comes in a pretty square packaging that matches the color of the lipstick. It feels very heavy and weights 0.14 fl oz. The applicator is a thin brush, a little tipped which makes the application very precise and smooth. The inclination helps to reach the entire lip on all its angles and the thin tip makes it easier to contour it.
How to Apply
Before applying it to the lips, you should shake the lipstick well for a few seconds. This is crucial to get the intense color. When I went to the store to buy one, I was looking for a more neutral color. I swatched the testers on my hand and the colors were very sheer and ressembled a lip gloss. I was so disappointed because I was expecting something else. That’s why I went for one of the deepest shades of red because I thought at least it would look cute as a reddish lip gloss.
Then I went to the website and saw the instructions…The first swipe after the shake left me speechless! It was so smooth, so pigmented and intense, so glossy. Then I thought no way this was going to be transfer-proof. In my mind, only matte lipsticks could not be transferred.
My Experience
I let it dry for a couple of minutes without touching my lips. I did a tissue test and no color was transferred, only a little bit of the top gloss. The lipstick was the same intense shiny color as in the begging. I was impressed.
It felt very comfortable on the lips. It didn’t dry them; it was just slightly sticky when I touched the lips together.
I wanted to put it through a 16-hour test to see how it performed, but unfortunately, I didn’t have any occasion to wear such a color, but I did keep it on for 5 hours.
I applied it at 10 AM; I ate a sandwich at 12:00 and then a coffee. I took a nap for 40 minutes and at around 3 PM it did wear off a little on the inside of the mouth and it was less glossy.
The Bottom Line
I think, overall, Maybelline’s Super Stay Vinyl Ink performed very well. I love the intensity of the color and the shiny finish. Well done, Maybelline!
Greta Skuka has an MSc in Dentistry and is a general dentist that has a passion for skincare and dermatology. In her free time, she enjoys helping people create healthy skincare routines.
