Maybelline SuperStay Matte Ink Review | AD-Gifted

Disclaimer: This post contains some items that were PR samples kindly sent by Maybelline (*) and some purchased by me.

The Maybelline SuperStay Matte Inks (£8.99) launched a few months ago in the UK, following their debut in the US markets. I had seen a lot of talk about these from YouTubers across the pond, with mixed reviews, and after not loving Maybelline's previous matte liquid lipstick attempt (the Vivid Matte Liquids), the Matte Inks weren't really on my radar when they launched over here. That's not to say I wasn't intrigued, and the bright packaging certainly caught my attention. Maybelline really kindly sent over a surprise package of four of the shades in the SuperStay Matte Ink range, and two shades in particular really surpassed my expectations, so much so that I have since purchased FOUR more shades. That's how much I adore this formula!

I was very apprehensive about the scent of these seeing as I had issues with the Vivid Matte Liquids having a strongly perfumed scent and taste, but I was pleasantly surprised with these as it has a vanilla scent. The applicator isn't your standard doe-foot, it is more of a flat teardrop shape with a reservoir in the centre which holds the product. This means you can easily apply a good layer to the lips which is best for these liquid lipsticks rather than applying a small amount at a time. You can also get a really precise edge with this applicator, which is perfect with the bolder shades.

The formula is really interesting, and it really reminds me of the Vivid Lacquers (which I reviewed in this post). It is highly pigmented, and has a slightly tacky feel. I was surprised to find this quite comfortable on the lips, and it is this texture that makes these liquid lipsticks budge-proof. It applies with almost a glossy finish, but this dries down within a couple of minutes to a matte finish. It feels really comfortable on the lips, and stays put for a surprising amount of time. I have worn these all day without having to top up, and they even withstand a burger! Because they are so budge-proof, I would recommend using an oil-based makeup remover to take them off at the end of the day. 

Creator* instantly caught my eye and didn't take long for it to be on my lips. It is a stunning orchid purple shade that is a lot brighter than I am used to, but it is completely unlike anything else in my collection. I'm really excited to wear this in the summer. It's such an eye-catching shade!

Then I have the shade Escapist*, which looks a lot lighter in the tube as it actually comes out as a blackened plum on the lips. It is easily the darkest lipstick shade I've ever worn in my life, and is something I'd usually be scared of. Quite often, liquid lipstick formulas are great until you come to the darker shades, and I've had to declutter so many beautiful deep colours because they were patchy and wore really badly on the lips. This is where the Matte Ink formula really shines: its long-lasting nature made even this super dark shade fuss-free and I didn't have to top it up all day!

Heroine* looks like an orangey red in the tube, but is more of a neon pinky coral on the lips. That one isn't really my favourite, as I'd have preferred the orangey red that I was expecting. I haven't worn it much yet, but I think it will be nice to wear in the summer for a pop of colour on the lips. I'm not much into pinks, so I did end up passing on Romantic* to a friend who I thought would appreciate it more than me.

Then onto the shades I purchased. After seeing how good the formula was, I was desperate for a red, so I picked up Pioneer. I was after a pillar-box bright red for the festive season, however the only option was this deeper red. I have worn it a good few times and find that it's become my go-to red liquid lipstick, surpassing the Rimmel Provocalips in Kiss Me You Fool which used to be my holy grail. 

I also couldn't resist the darker burgundy shade, Voyager which is a perfect match for the colour of my winter coat. I haven't worn it as much as Pioneer, but it is still a gorgeous deep shade when I don't want anything as intense as Escapist.  

Lover is perhaps the most underwhelming out of the shades that I have, but it is still a lovely colour, being a deep rosy shade, which is similar to my natural lip colour. It's really nice however to have such a long-wearing nude shade, and as it is so comfortable, I almost forget I have it on my lips.

Last year, I tried a cool toned lilac liquid lipstick from Primark. I loved the shade but I found it dried a lot darker, and ended up not being the shade that I wanted. I had been after the perfect lilac lipstick, and Philosopher seemed like it fit the bill perfectly. However I'm not a fan of this one on the lips, as it is a lot more blue-toned that I expected and it doesn't flatter my skin tone.

At £8.99, they are at the top end of the drugstore prices. Unless there was an offer, I'm not sure how likely I would have been to purchase these off the bat, however now that I have tried them and seen how consistently incredible the formula is, I wouldn't hesitate to add more to my collection. I probably would feel the same if they are 3x the price.

Overall, I absolutely love the Maybelline SuperStay Matte Inks. They're easily some of the best liquid lipsticks I have ever tried, and are now some of my most-reached for lipsticks. I've never really felt comfortable using dark lipsticks as I find them quite messy and patchy, but this formula has given me the freedom to wear dark shades without getting them on my chin. I'm definitely going to be picking up a couple more shades, particularly the deep purple shade Believer. I would definitely recommend trying these for yourself! 

Have you tried the Maybelline SuperStay Matte Inks?