Last summer, I caved and bought the viral Wonderskin lip stain to see if it lived up to the hype I’d seen online – needless to say, it did, and it quickly became one of my go-to products for everyday lip looks. Over winter, I decided to dip my toe into Wonderskin’s wide range of shades to see if they were all as good as the initial colour I’d picked – and the red shade I picked was perfect for Christmas.
Since then, I’ve been diving head-first into lip stains, trying to find one that lives up to Wonderskin’s capabilities – and I might have found one.
I recently tried Tropic Skincare’s £14 lip stain in Bitten Red, which I wanted to see if it could rival the red shade I adore from Wonderskin—and the results genuinely surprised me.
READ MORE: Dune’s ‘so comfy’ heeled sandals rival Chloe pair and are perfect for holidays and weddings
READ MORE: Kate Middleton’s go-to affordable spring wedges are back in stock and selling quickly
This Tropic lip stain boasts hours of wear with an easy application and vibrant pigment. Set to offer an effortless wash of colour that enhances any look, while promising a completely smudge-proof formula, this lip stain is an easy win for those looking for low-maintenance make-up with impressive results.
The lip stain is touted as ultra-hydrating. It’s enhanced with strengthening antioxidants that protect your lips while ensuring comfortable, all-day wear that doesn’t peel, crack, or transfer.
Whether you’re off to work, on a date, or heading out for a day and don’t fancy taking your lipstick with you, this lip stain offers impressive pigment and accurate application, without any extra hassle.
Unlike Wonderskin, where you have to apply the slightly bizarre purple coat first, which has to set for a short period of time and then be peeled or wiped off, this Tropic lip stain applies in an incredibly thin, almost water-like layer that feels completely weightless, and that’s it.
You can build on the colour if you prefer a darker or more pigmented look (which I did), or you can leave it at one coat for a slight flush of more understated and natural colour. What’s more, it dries down completely, so you can add your favourite lip glosses and balms to the top without shifting the colour.
WHATSAPP: Get the best deals and exclusive discount codes straight to your phone via our WhatsApp group.
Users must download or already have WhatsApp on their phones to join in.
All you have to do to join is click on this link, select ‘Join Chat’ and you’re in! We may also send you stories from other titles across the Reach group.
We will also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners.
Some of these articles will contain affiliate links where we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from them.
If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like.
To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose Exit group. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
One product I’ve found that’s perfect for enhancing the colour of your preferred lip stain is Clinique’s Black Honey Almost Lipstick, which adds an extra pop to the underlying colour for a slightly darker, bolder finish.
An ideal choice for buildable pigment that doesn’t take ages to set and enhance, this lip stain is cheaper than Wonderskin with an affordable price tag of £14, whereas Wonderskin typically retails for £18.
The only downside that I’ve found with Tropic’s offering is that they have a smaller range of shades to choose from, which I don’t mind, as there’s only one or two that I would suit my make-up looks, but for those looking for various or specific options, you may be stumped. That said, Tropic have released limited-edition springtime shades to peruse right now, offering an elevated creamy formula that will carry you through the remainder of spring and into summer.
If you’d prefer to shop the iconic Wonderskin, you can pick up your new favourite in various shades for £18 here. Or, if you’d rather keep to a budget, another lip stain I’ve found that is a great substitute with a smaller price tag is this Nyx Professional Make Lip IV Hydrating Gloss Stain, which normally costs £10.99 but is currently on sale at Lookfantastic.
At Reach and across our entities we and our partners use information collected through cookies and other identifiers from your device to improve experience on our site, analyse how it is used and to show personalised advertising. You can opt out of the sale or sharing of your data, at any time clicking the “Do Not Sell or Share my Data” button at the bottom of the webpage. Please note that your preferences are browser specific. Use of our website and any of our services represents your acceptance of the use of cookies and consent to the practices described in our Privacy Notice and Cookie Notice.