Maybelline Super Stay 24 Lip Color Review, Swatches, & Demo

Over the past two or three years, liquid lipsticks have completely flooded the beauty market. With such a wide variety available, we have come to see amazing, innovative formulas and finishes. Yet, with all of these new products, I think we forget that brands like Maybelline and L'Oreal have been on the liquid lipstick bandwagon long before it became such a craze. In fact, I remember strolling the makeup aisle in college and seeing these very lipsticks, but never being drawn to them. Whether it was because of the packaging, the shade range, or the fact that I was a complete newbie at makeup, I'm glad Maybelline and Influenster have opened my eyes to even more liquid lipstick options. 

Q&A's

♥What are the Maybelline Super Stay 24 Lip Colors?♥

The Maybelline Super Stay 24 Lip Colors are a line of two-step liquid lipsticks. To the best of my knowledge, these have been around for quite some time (five or six years), so they are not a new product in the beauty community. The product consists of a liquid lipstick on one end and a shiny lip balm on the other. The range for this is actually quite large consisting of 31 shades, all of which are very wearable versions of pinks, corals, reds, and plums. They are available at any drugstore where Maybelline is sold for about $10.49.

♥What are the claims made on this product?♥

Here are a few statements made about the Super Stay 24 Lip Colors found on the product page of Maybelline's website:

"This long-lasting lip color won’t cake, dry, or flake thanks to our unique Micro-Flex technology.""Meet the wonder that stretches the limits of long-lasting lip color. Our formula with Micro-Flex technology looks and feels fresh through 24 hours of wear. Available in a collection of shades.""No other longwearing lipstick lasts longer. Period. Our Micro-Flex formula glides on and looks gorgeous all day."

♥How do they apply/wear?♥

I was very suprised at how good the applicator of this product is. It has a nice length to it, bends to the contours of your lips, and isn't an overly stiff material either. Even though the price tag of this product is up there, sometimes drugstore brands cut corners on packaging and it is nice to know that Maybelline did not do that in this instance. 

So, to be clear, when it comes to the applicator, I love how the product applied, however, the two shades I was sent applied very differently. This more likely than not has to do with the fact that they are different finishes. "Keep Up The Flame" is a creme finish, which applied opaquely in one sweep, while "Constant Toast", as a frost finish, required two layers to get the full effect. That being said, I wouldn't recommend applying more than one layer because the formula automatically cracks and flakes off.Once both "dried down" on my lips, however, they felt exactly the same, which is to say that neither of them fully dried down. Instead, they remained quite sticky and tacky to the touch, so if you're the type to smack your lips together this will definitely be an issue. I have found that blotting your lips on a tissue did help the situation though. I also want to note that if you plan on using the liquid lipstick portion on its own to achieve a more matte look, it is not very comfortable when worn that way. I definitely always felt the product sitting on my lips and it felt pretty drying.This feeling was much improved once the shiny balm was applied over top. Instantly the liquid lipsticks became much more flattering and wearable, but I do feel that this balm decreases this supposed 24 hour wear claim because it increases the chances of smudging or transfer if you eat or drink. This is just something to keep in mind.

♥What are my overall thoughts on this product line?♥

While there are quite a few pros and cons that I have found when testing out this product, I do have to admit that I am very pleasantly surprised at the overall quality, specifically of the creme finish. I would not recommend the frostier finishes from this line as they apply streaky and are harder to work with. Overall, I think given the current trends, we have become so accustomed to companies having those ultra matte liquid lipsticks that we are less accepting of liquid lipsticks with other finishes. However, I do think this will be a great alternative for those of you who want to experiment with the trend, but don't like the overly matte feeling.

XO♥

*The products in this post were sent to me for review, but all opinions are my own.