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This year, it’s crucial to have the finest lip crayons in your makeup collection. Why? These versatile products combine the smooth application of lip balm, the refinement of traditional lipstick, and the precision of a chunky lip liner. Unlike the temporary shine of lip gloss or the flakiness of a liquid lipstick, lip crayons provide a sophisticated adaptability loved by makeup professionals.
This category boasts a range of formulations. Some are soft and creamy for a glossy look, while others are sturdy, matte, and designed for longevity, often praised as the unsung heroes for daylong wear. The beauty of lip crayons? They cater to every occasion, whether you’re choosing a luxury brand or a reliable drugstore find.
Below, two celebrity makeup experts share valuable insights on lip crayons, along with the must-have shades and textures to explore right now.
Vogue’s Top Lip Crayons:
Inside This Article:
- What exactly is a lip crayon?
- Are lip crayons superior to lipsticks?
- How can you extend the longevity of lip crayons?
- Our Testing Process
- Meet the Experts
Best Overall: Ilia Lip Sketch Hydrating Lipstick + Lip Liner Crayon
Ilia
Lip Sketch Hydrating Lipstick + Lip Liner Crayon
- Why It’s a Favorite: “I adore this soft, hydrating, and velvety matte formula,” says celebrity makeup artist Sean Harris. “It strikes a fantastic balance between precision and color payoff.” Available in 15 modern shades ranging from deep blue-red to pinkish mauve, each crayon is infused with hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and rosehip oil to keep lips feeling soft and smooth—plus, the soft-matte finish achieves a natural look.
- Key Ingredients: Sea succulent, hyaluronic acid, seaweed extract, rosehip oil
- Finish: Matte
- Shades: 15 available
- *Additional Information: Cruelty-free, clean formula.
Best Gloss: Sisley Paris Phyto-Lip Twist
Sisley Paris
Phyto-Lip Twist
- Why It’s a Favorite: As precise as a lip pencil, pigmented like a lipstick, and shiny as a gloss, Sisley’s Phyto-Lip is the ultimate versatile formulation. “The texture is super-creamy, and the twist-up design means no sharpening is needed,” Harris emphasizes. Plus, its hydrating plant-based ingredients keep lips feeling plush and glossy, making shades like Litchi perfect for daily wear, while True Red shines for night outings.
- Key Ingredients: Commipheroline, phytosqualane
- Finish: Glossy
- Shades: 17 to choose from
- More To Know: Cruelty-free, dermatologist-tested, paraben-free.
Best Nourishing: Clinique Chubby Stick
- Why It’s a Favorite: While Millennials and Gen Z might remember Clinique’s beloved Chubby Stick as a primer into trendy lip products, it deserves recognition for more than just nostalgia. This iconic lip crayon remains an essential—easy to apply, moisturizing, and endlessly adaptable. Harris mentions, “The deeply hydrating formula resembles a balm, providing a subtle hint of color akin to a lip tint.” Enriched with hydrators like mango and shea butter, it ensures your lips stay moisturized from dawn till dusk.
- Key Ingredients: Mango butter, shea butter
- Finish: Sheer
- Shades: 14 options
- *More To Know: Dermatologist-tested, allergy tested, fragrance-free.
Best Sheer: Laura Mercier Petal Soft Lipstick Crayon
Laura Mercier
Petal Soft Lipstick Crayon
- Why It’s a Favorite: For those desiring a “sheer kiss of color,” celebrity makeup artist Monika Blunder relies on this Laura Mercier crayon. The selection features 20 adaptable shades, each offering a delicate tint that feels effortlessly stylish. Unlike some fleeting lip products, this formula lasts for up to 12 hours, even through coffee breaks and evening cocktails. The irresistible aspect? Its nourishing blend of raspberry seed oil and mango butter keeps lips comfortably hydrated.
- Key Ingredients: Raspberry seed oil, mango butter
- Finish: Sheer matte
- Shades: 20 available
- *More To Know: Cruelty-free, fragrance-free, mineral oil-free.
Best Matte: NARS Powermatte Lip Pencil
NARS
Powermatte Lip Pencil
- Why It’s a Favorite: If you find the NARS matte lipstick a touch too dry, Harris recommends the crayon variant, which delivers a sumptuous, long-lasting creamy finish. Blunder is a fan as well, always keeping it in her professional kit. “For bolder, richer color, this is the ultimate pick.” The effect is plush and comfortable—never drying—be it for a moody ’90s brown look or a daring red lip.
- Key Ingredients: Power pigment complex
- Finish: Matte
- Shades: 13 options
- More To Know: Paraben-free, full coverage, phthalates-free.
Best Cream: Monika Blunder Kissen Lush Lipstick Crayon
Monika Blunder
Kissen Lush Lipstick Crayon
- Why It’s a Favorite: For those not keen on heavy lipsticks, this formulation is refreshing—lightweight, smooth, and enriched with skin-loving ingredients like jojoba and marula seed oils along with shea butter and squalene for long-lasting comfort. “My goal was to create a lipstick that feels as comfortable as your favorite jeans,” Blunder shares, and the result truly reflects that promise: effortless, flattering, and easy to wear. Harris concurs, noting, “This crayon provides a gentle touch of color with a silky, buttery finish.”
- Key Ingredients: Orange peel oil, jojoba seed oil, marula seed oil, meadowfoam seed, shea butter, rose flower wax
- Finish: Creamy
- Shades: 9 options
- More To Know: Cruelty-free, vegan.
Best Pigment: Pat McGrath Labs Dramatique Mega Lip Pencil
Pat McGrath Labs
Dramatique Mega Lip Pencil
- Why It’s a Favorite: Upon first application, Pat McGrath Labs’ lip crayon offers a luxuriously creamy feel but “settles to a velvety matte for all-day wear,” according to Harris. This formula adapts to a busy lifestyle, from morning meetings to late-night events. The extensive shade collection is strikingly pigmented, featuring colors that vary from eye-catching reds to soft corals that perfectly complement a fresh-faced look.
- Key Ingredients: Dimethicone, blend of synthetic and natural waxes
- Finish: Velvet matte
- Shades: 12 choices
- More To Know: Long-wearing.
Essential Information
A lip crayon combines the advantages of lipstick, lip liner, and, if creamy, even lip balm. Its angled design makes it more user-friendly than classic lipstick, enabling precise lip lining.
Are lip crayons superior to lipsticks?
Lip crayons aren’t inherently better than lipsticks; it truly depends on individual preference. Blunder favors crayons for their modern appeal and ease of use. They often incorporate moisturizing ingredients like shea butter and vitamin E, making them suitable for those with dry or reactive lips. Conversely, traditional lipsticks generally provide a richer pigment, ideal for those aspiring for more dramatic lip looks.
How can you improve the wear time of lip crayons?
Blunder suggests opting for formulations with matte or satin finishes and layering with a lip liner for added staying power. Harris recommends the blotting technique: apply one layer of a matte crayon, gently blot with a tissue, and then layer on a second coat for optimal color saturation.
In curating this selection of lip crayons, we followed a meticulous procedure akin to our approach to testing mascaras, eyeliners, and primers. We swatched and tested each formula to assess its resilience through coffee runs, long hours, and late nights. We sought qualities that matter most: ease of use, comfortable wear, color payoff, and that elusive harmony between boldness and subtlety. Naturally, we also consulted reputable makeup artists for their endorsements. Now all you have to do is hit add to cart and checkout.
- Sean Harris is a renowned celebrity makeup artist, working with clients like Lori Harvey and Lala Anthony.
- Monika Blunder is a sought-after makeup artist based in Los Angeles and the founder of Monika Blunder Beauty.
