Have you always longed for a classic red lip but hated the mess of applying lipstick? Have you given up on the idea of a precise, colorful lip that turns heads but won't stain yours?

Then honey, let me introduce you to a trend you really should know about, liquid lipstick!

Now, you may be thinking, "Liquid?! Won’t that make a bigger mess than before?"

Here's the kicker! It dries! *cue choir of angels singing* It dries down to a matte finish that won't budge unless you eat greasy foods - at least that's the idea.

So now that you know about this fantastic innovation in makeup science, you must be dying to get your hands on one. But before you go grabbing every color in sight, let’s compare the top 3 brands , and see which takes the cake.

1. Limecrime Matte Velvetines

Limecrime is the company that introduced most people to liquid lipsticks, myself included. They specialize in bright, pigmented shades and cute, rose-covered packaging, but in the end, it’s what’s inside the little tube that counts.

Pros:

Limecrime has a light formula that applies smoothly. In my opinion, they take the cake with wearability. Their boast of all-day-wear is no joke, and even when I eat wearing their lipstick it only fades from my inner lip.

The liquid is lightly scented, but it’s not noticeable once you’re wearing it, which I consider a big plus. As much as I like the vanilla scent, I’d hate to have it right under my nose all day long.

Cons:

The formula dries out my lips underneath the lipstick, which creates lines on my lips and makes me lick my lips every so often when I’m wearing it. It's recommended to wear chapstick under your liquid lipsticks for that reason, but I usually just swipe it on bare lips and go.

They will often release shades in limited quantities and then not sell it for a while after that. I believe this is to create hype about the shade, etc., but it's a hassle for people who want a certain color that isn’t being actively sold at that time.

The price isn’t my favorite. The Velvetines are $20 a piece regularly, but newer or seasonal shades can be more. I consider $20 pretty pricey for just 2.6 mL of product. However, I can’t deny that the colors are unique and the formula is one of the best.

2. Sugarpill Liquid Lip Color

Sugarpill is a lesser known company, but they have my heart when it comes to color selection. They often use glitters in their lipsticks that pop out when dry and make for a stunning, shimmering look. All of their art and packaging is absolutely adorable to top it off.

Pros:

Sugarpill is leading the way with glittery lipsticks. I’ve never even seen a glitter liquid lipstick outside of this company, but to be honest, after I found them I never looked again! Their colors are bright and unusual, and they even have eyeshadows that match some of their shades of lipstick. They also offer some metallic shades. My favorite liquid lipstick of all time is their golden metallic shade “Glint”.

Inside of their cutesy pink packaging, they actually offer the most product for your buck! The adorable tubes are 5.8 mL for $18. Limecrime charges $2 more for less than half that amount of product. Ouch.

Cons:

The formula is smooth, but I find their lipsticks take much longer to dry than any others I have. With the glitter shades, the glitter doesn't show up completely until about 30 minutes of wear, which is a bit long for me. After the wait, however, the glitter payoff is beautiful.

Another downside to these is the scent. The smell itself is wonderful, and Sugarpill claims it to be “creamsicle scented," but it seems more like a pink lemonade to me. The smell is just a bit too strong for the 30 minutes it's drying and I can almost taste it when I lick my lips. All that being said, I still love Sugarpill’s liquid lipsticks the most because of their unique colors, cute packaging, and innovative visual effects.

3. Jeffree Star’s Velour Liquid Lipstick

Jeffree Star’s collection of liquid lipsticks are praised for their long wear and comfortability. He offers many shades and a wide variety of nude colors for the more subtle makeup guru.

Pros:

The formula is super wearable. It feels so comfortable on the lips I often forget I’m wearing it! Jeffree’s shades are definitely the least drying in my opinion.

I also love the variety of colors. The velour lipsticks have everything from tasteful nudes to neon and shimmer shades.

One small thing I enjoy about these lipsticks is the tops on the bottles. They click when they’re fully closed, so you know your product is secure and that the top won't come flying off in your purse or bag.

They offer a tiny bit less product than Sugarpill at 5.6 mL for $18.

Cons:

I feel like a lot of the shades are very similar. Many have a gray base, and many are just slightly different from each other. My favorite shade by Jeffree is Jawbreaker, a bright neon blue. I personally wish he would incorporate more crazy colors like it and stray away from the terribly boring nude shades seen in every palette since the beginning of makeup.

For some, the thin and watery formula may be messy. If you aren’t as experienced with applying, you might not realize how smooth it is and end up going outside the lines quite frequently. However, this shouldn’t discourage you, because as they say, practice makes perfect!

The last thing that may bother some people about these lipsticks is the smell. It is often described as a paint-like smell or smelling of chemicals. I personally don’t care what a lipstick smells like if it fades after drying, but I’ve read many reviews of people who strongly dislike it enough to be upset or even throw it away in some cases.

Tips:

1. I remove my liquid lipsticks with a dab of olive oil on a washrag. Oil takes it clean off and leaves your lips super soft. Since it’s used in cooking, of course, it's okay to ingest, so don't worry about it being in your mouth. Just remember to clean your face after so the oil doesn’t build up or clog pores. No one likes pimples around their lips!

2. Exfoliate or moisturize before application. This will keep your lips from drying out.

3. If the shade you want is sold out from any of the brand’s websites, try Beautylish.com. They carry both Jeffree Star and Sugarpill, and they helped me grab Glint when it sold out on Sugarpill’s main site during their Black Friday event. Limecrime can be found at Urban Outfitters as well as on Dollskill.com.

4. Don’t be scared to try a certain color! The fun of makeup is looking and feeling good while expressing yourself! Wear whatever color you want, and don’t care about opinions. I’ve worn every shade under the sun and had a great time doing it. You’ll discover things you never even thought would look stellar on you! You’ll never know you look amazing in lime green lipstick until you try, babe!