Price: $4.99
Availability: Drugstores
This review covers 9 shades of NYC’s Smooch Proof 16H LipStain.
Packaging: 9.5/10
These stains come in a marker form with snap-on tops. The pens are made of plastic that matches the color of the stain. The packaging is simple, straight-forward, and light-weight, making the product good for throwing in your purse.
Quality: 9/10
These stains apply color evenly and the marker tip glides well across the skin. The color will last a good 3 hours, even with eating, drinking, and talking. The 3-4 hour lifespan makes these much longer wearing than your typical lip gloss or lipstick.
Despite the 16 hour claim, and despite the fact that this is a “stain,” it (by itself) can’t last for more than several hours. This is true for any lip product. Stains adhere color to the top layer of the skin on your lips. But because your skin naturally sloughs off its top layers over time, that color also gradually disappears. Unless you really don’t drink or eat for 16 hours or you constantly re-apply gloss over the stain, it’s very unlikely that any lip product will stay on your lips for 16 hours. But you can definitely extend the life of this product by applying chapstick or a clear gloss over it.
You should also use a gloss or chapstick on top to lock in moisture, because the markers don’t give a lot of moisture to the skin. By the same token, they are not noticeably drying like some other lip stains I’ve tried. The lack of moisture isn’t a negative against the product, because the nature of any lip stain in marker form is that it won’t be able to also deposit moisture.
I have tried Maybelline, CoverGirl, and Revlon lip stain markers. These NYC markers are more long-wearing than the CoverGirl markers, and last about the same time as the Maybelline and Revlon ones.
The markers have a pretty strong, sweet smell, but the smell doesn’t linger after you apply the product to your lips. Unless you are super-sensitive to scents, this shouldn’t be a problem.
Sometimes, marker stains like this give your lips a very fake look. By “fake” I mean…well…it looks like you put marker on your lips. The CoverGirl lip stains tend to do this. The NYC stains are better at giving you more of a flush of color.
Ease of Use: 9/10
The tip of each marker is pointed, making it easy to apply precisely. This is particularly helpful for when you are lining your lips.
Make sure you use a gloss or chapstick on top of the stain. This will give your lips moisture and increase the color’s longevity. If you want to maintain a “flushed” effect when using the darker colors, try dabbing the marker on the lips and then immediately distributing the color by rubbing your lips together or tapping the color with your finger. Otherwise, the darker colors tend to leave a marker-like finish.
Price: 10/10
$4.99 is a great price for a lip stain. For comparison, Revlon’s Just Bitten lip satin is $8.99, CoverGirl’s Outlast lip stain is around $8, and Maybelline’s Color Sensational lip stain is $6.99, making NYC’s lip stain one of the most affordable on the market. Plus, drugstores constantly have sales, so you likely won’t spend all $4.99 on them.
Although this product doesn’t live up to its 16 hour claim, I feel like all lip stains on the market exaggerate their longevity. So, compared to the other drugstore lip stains available, NYC’s matches them in longevity and is cheaper.
Toss if: you expect color on your lips all day without re-applyingTry if: you don’t mind touching up, but can’t be bothered to re-apply every hour like with a lipstick
Buy if: you can re-apply during your lunch-break, but otherwise need something that lasts 3-5 hours.
*All swatches are applied with chapstick on top.
THANKYOU!!!!!!!!!!! nive coverage
) iv been wantin to try this product, only tht theres nowhere sellin nyc things in hong kong, i guess i can ask my friend to buy me some in her trip but dunno which color to get, now i do! love tht u even show how they look on lips! 
forgot to say, they seem to be put in the right order which many reviews dun
I really like this product but it does not seem to last long in the tube – the tip dries out – I can’t figure out if you can get more product on the brush by twisting the bottom or some other way – the packaging does not say.
Store the product upside down. I have had mine for over a year now and I use them at least once every week or two. They’re still going strong!
Thanks for the contest! :] and your blog is awesome!
And this post helped me out a lot
I’ve been interested in purchasing these for a while, and I just wanna say that this is the best-written article/review with the best swatches that I’ve yet found.
Thank you! I’m glad it helped.
I’d already heard these were good from Paula; now I really have to try them…just waiting for a good sale!
And I really wish they had them at my drugstores and not just my WalMart…
Really want to try the wine color.
I bought this in Forever Fuschia. The color is a *lot* darker and more concentrated in my lips than on yours.
I wanted something I could wear daily just for a little color, so I’m going to try Persistent Pink.
Thanks!
You can do 2 things to make it less intense. 1) Only dab on the color and then press your lips together to distribute the color. 2) Put on a light layer of chapstick before you put on the stain.
The good news is I really like the color even when it’s dark ; )
Plus, they’re such a good price I can get a couple!
the colours look soooo pretty!
omgg now i want all of these!!!!!
wow, totally want them!