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Best Lancôme lipstick

Which Lancôme lipsticks are best?

Lancôme lipsticks have earned a solid reputation for rich color and luxurious formulas, and it’s no surprise they’re among the bestselling lip products on the market. If you’re thinking of adding one to your makeup collection, you’ll have over a dozen formulas to choose from.

With so many Lancôme lipsticks available, it’s easy for most people to find at least one that suits them. If you’re looking for a hydrating option in several shades of red, Lancôme L'Absolu Rouge Ruby Cream Lipstick remains a customer favorite. 

What to know before you buy a Lancôme lipstick

Types of Lancôme lipstick

Lancôme offers several varieties of bullet and liquid lipstick, including classic formulas and some new arrivals.

As far as bullet lipsticks are concerned, Lancôme’s Color Design Lipstick remains the top-selling formula. There are a few L’Absolu lipstick varieties as well, such as the well-received Rouge Ruby Cream Lipstick. Each lipstick features a different contoured tip to deliver a unique application experience. 

Lancôme currently has two liquid lipsticks available, both of which are part of the L’Absolu collection. The Drama Ink Liquid Lipstick offers lightweight buildable color, while the Lacquer Gloss is a high-shine, long-wearing gloss. The latter is classified as a lipstick, given its high color payoff.

Other Lancôme lip products

Lancôme has an exhaustive lip product collection that goes far beyond popular bullet and liquid lipstick formulas. The brand has recently revived the ever-popular Juicy Tubes, the luscious lip glosses with high shine and a touch of shimmer. Lancôme has two lip liners: Le Lip is a dual-sided liner with brush tip, and Le Crayon is a creamy retractable liner. Most recently, Lancôme has added tinted balms and lip-plumping glosses to its collection.

How to use lip liner to get the best lipstick application

For the best application experience with your Lancôme lipstick, it’s recommended to begin with lip liner

Some people prefer matte liners because they’re generally transfer-resistant and long-wearing, while others are partial to creamy, nourishing liners that blend well with lipstick. It’s also worthwhile to experiment with your lip liner to find the ideal shape for your lips. For instance, many individuals accentuate the bow or low lip by overlining, sometimes in a shade different from their lipstick. Lip liner can also be used to create ombre lip looks with strategic shading and blending. 

What to look for in a quality Lancôme lipstick

Shade range

Depending on the lipstick, Lancôme may offer anywhere between 8 and 30 shades. While pinks and reds dominate, plums, nudes, corals and browns are also present in some shade collections. 

Some Lancôme lipstick shades have risen to cult status, making them desirable and among the bestselling colors on the market. It’s no surprise that certain ones sell out quickly, and restocking may take longer than expected. For that reason, many people invest in two or three barrels at a time of their favorite shade so they don’t run into availability issues.

Finish

The most popular finishes for Lancôme lipsticks include satin, cream and matte. There are a few formulas that are available in shine, shimmer or metallic finishes, such as select L’Absolu Rouge Cream Lipsticks. Lancôme’s liquid lipsticks either have semimatte or high-gloss finishes.

Nourishing formulas

To protect lips and prevent them from drying out, many Lancôme lipsticks are formulated with nourishing ingredients. Certain varieties have emollient ingredients that seal in moisture and form a protective barrier over lips, while others have deeply hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and vitamin E. Several Lancôme lipsticks are infused with rose extract, which has anti-inflammatory properties. 

How much you can expect to spend on Lancôme lipstick

Lancôme bullet lipsticks cost $26-$32, while the liquid lipsticks run between $26 and $28. Lancôme occasionally releases lipstick gift sets packaged with other lip products, which range from $25-$100. 

Lancôme lipstick FAQ

What should I do if Lancôme discontinued my favorite shade or formula?

A. Contact Lancôme directly and ask them to help you find a similar or better product. You may discover that certain shades are close to others based on their undertones. Formulas vary considerably among Lancôme lip products, but fortunately, some of them have overlapping qualities and ingredients. 

What does it mean when a Lancôme lipstick is ultra-pigmented?

A. Ultra-pigmented is another way of saying that lipstick is highly pigmented or has high color payoff. These terms refer to the pigment saturation of the formula, and the higher the saturation, the deeper and more opaque the color will be. More often than not, ultra-pigmented lipsticks, like Lancôme’s L’Absolu Rouge Drama Ink Liquid Lipstick, are long-wearing formulas. 

What are the best Lancôme lipsticks to buy?

Top Lancôme lipstick

Lancôme L'Absolu Rouge Ruby Cream Lipstick

What you need to know: A rich and creamy blend, this satin-finish lipstick offers high-impact color with a glossy finish. 

What you’ll love: The nourishing formula soothes and moisturizes parched lips with vitamin E, and flower extracts. It’s a long-wearing lipstick that only takes one or two swipes for high color payoff. The bullet lipstick has a uniquely contoured tip for precision application. 

What you should consider: A few wearers felt the color looked much different when it was applied. 

Where to buy: Sold by Ulta Beauty and Macy’s

Top Lancôme lipstick for the money

Lancôme Color Design Lipstick

What you need to know: Lancôme’s classic lipstick, available in five finishes, is comfortable enough for all-day wear.  

What you’ll love: The full-coverage lipstick has a rich formula with emollient ingredients to keep lips protected. It’s packaged in a durable barrel that withstands jostling inside cosmetics bags. It’s available in a wide variety of neutral and bold shades.

What you should consider: There are mixed reviews regarding how moisturizing the lipstick is. 

Where to buy: Sold by Ulta Beauty and Macy’s

Worth checking out

Lancôme L'Absolu Rouge Drama Ink Liquid Lipstick

What you need to know: If you’re looking for a long-wearing liquid lipstick, this Lancôme formula is lightweight and stays put all day. 

What you’ll love: It has a semi-matte finish that isn’t as drying as other matte-finish lip products. The contoured applicator allows for precision application and may eliminate the need for lip liner. The non-feathering formula leaves lips ultra-smooth and soft. 

What you should consider: The lipstick requires reapplication more than expected, and the applicator has a learning curve. 

Where to buy: Sold by Ulta Beauty and Macy’s

 

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Sian Babish writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.

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