The Lip Pencil Is the Easiest Lipstick You Will Own

The Lip Pencil Is the Easiest Lipstick You Will Own

A lip pencil does the job of a liner and a lipstick in one, and it fits in the smallest pocket. These are the crayons, matte pencils and creamy pencils I would use to color the whole lip, not only the edges.

Around 2011, chunky lip crayons were suddenly everywhere, and they changed how a lot of people thought about lipstick. You did not need a mirror or a steady hand, only a crayon you could draw on like a marker. The idea stuck. Today the lip pencil is one of the most useful things in a makeup bag, because it lines and fills in one step and it lasts longer than most bullets. For people who never quite got the hang of liner, a pencil that doubles as a lipstick is a small revelation.

The first row is fat lip crayons, the easiest of all. Haus Labs Le Monster Lip Crayon in Rose Matte is a warm dark rose with mango seed oil and peptides. ILIA Lip Sketch in Deco is a rose pink that works as lipstick and liner. PATRICK TA Monochrome Moment in She's Proud is a neutral pink brown. Laura Mercier Petal Soft Lipstick Crayon comes in Simone, a rose berry, and Lea, a softer shade, both with up to twelve hours of wear. BY TERRY Baume de Rose Lip Crayon is a tinted balm in crayon form. Ere Perez Coco Crayon in Grace is soft and natural, and Natasha Denona I Need A Nude Lip Crayon in Storme is a deep nude.

A quick test: draw a crayon on the back of your hand. If it glides without dragging, it will be comfortable on lips all day.

Notebook collage showing MAC Lip Pencil in Dervish, ILIA Lip Sketch Hydrating Lipstick + Lip Liner Crayon in Deco and NARS Powermatte High-Intensity Lip Pencil in Dolce Vita as three steps
Lip Pencil

Lip crayons

Matte lip pencils that last

A matte lip pencil gives you the staying power of a liquid lipstick with the control of a pencil. These are the ones I would use for a long day or a wedding.

NARS Powermatte High-Intensity Lip Pencil comes in Dolce Vita, a dusty rose, and American Woman, a chestnut rose, both with up to twelve hours of wear. HUDA BEAUTY Lip Contour 2.0 in Muted Pink has a retractable tip, so no sharpener needed. TOM FORD Runway Matte Lip Liner in Re-See is a midtone pink that fills in beautifully. NUDESTIX Intense Matte Lip + Cheek Pencil in Sunkissed Rose also works as blush. Marvelous Mauve is a transfer-proof classic mauve that lasts about eight hours. ONE/SIZE Lip Snatcher in Pink Remix is waterproof, and Anastasia Beverly Hills Sunbaked is a rosy brown that suits most skin tones.

Pairing tip: after filling in with a matte pencil, dab a little balm only in the center of your lips. It keeps the matte from feeling dry and adds some dimension.

What I would skip: a matte pencil on dry, flaky lips. It clings to every flake. Use a lip scrub and balm the night before, then go matte.

Matte lip pencils

Creamy pencils for everyday

Creamy pencils are the everyday option: softer, more comfortable and easy to blend. They are what I reach for on a normal Tuesday.

MAC Lip Pencil in Dervish is a pinky mauve that suits almost everyone. Saie Lip Liner 101 in Fox is a dusty beige that looks like your lips, only better defined. Summer Fridays SoftLine in Rosé is a warm rosy pink. AORA México HÁBLAME in Rojo.02 is a warm red with vitamins C and E, the one for a red lip without the fuss. Glossier Lip Line in Grip is a medium cool rose. ILIA Lip Sketch in Banquette is a beige pink. BY TERRY Hyaluronic Lip Liner adds hydration, and Kosas Hotliner in Beyond is a cool rosy mauve.

How to use them: fill in the whole lip with the pencil, then press your lips together and blot once on a tissue. It looks like a natural stain.

What I would skip: sharpening a creamy pencil straight out of a warm bag. The tip breaks. Pop it in the fridge for five minutes first and it sharpens cleanly.

Creamy and hydrating lip pencils

Why one pencil is enough

If you want to try one lip pencil, start with a creamy shade close to your natural lip color, like a pinky mauve or dusty rose. Use it to line and fill, then blot. That is a complete lip look in thirty seconds. Add a matte pencil for long days and a crayon for weekends. A pencil takes up less room than a lipstick, lasts longer and is harder to get wrong, so it is the easiest lipstick you will ever own. Keep a small sharpener in your bag and it will stay neat all season. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together MAC Frost Lipstick and the Shimmer Lip Shades Around It and Why Lip Tint Beat Lipstick, Plus the Twelve I Keep Reapplying.