If there's one thing I've realized about my day-to-day makeup routine during my time as a beauty editor, it's that I prioritize convenience. I've completely perfected my five-minute face, I've started to prefer lip balms because of how easy they are to apply on the go, and my hair is almost permanently in some sort of protective style.
This mindset, however, shifts when I want to be a bit more glam with my makeup. From eyeliner to foundation and even lip products, I want makeup that is high impact and easy to use, and I'm OK with taking a bit more time to blend and really perfect my face, because if I'm going big, then it's typically for an important reason.
In my market research to find the best products (i.e., scrolling TikTok for hours), I came across the Sacheu Lip Liner Stay-n ($12) in a video from Jessica Vu, where she claimed the peel-off stain had replaced all of her lip liners after a smudge test proved it didn't budge. She also claimed the formula blended perfectly with her lip color of choice. Once I saw that, I knew I had to try it for myself.
Right off the bat, the formula of the lip liner intrigued me. It's a liquid product that's applied using a doe-foot applicator like a lipstick, but to actually create the outline, you have to peel off the film after it's dry to reveal a stain.
The product is available in three shades — mauve, nude, and pink — and the formula is infused with hyaluronic acid and vitamin E to help hydrate the lips. It's also vegan and cruelty free. Once applied, the stain should leave a long-lasting matte finish that can be paired with lip gloss or lipstick for the preferred look.
I used the shade 03 P-inked. I took the doe foot and applied it to my lips as if I were using a pencil, making sure to properly coat the corners. I let it sit for about 30 minutes then gently removed the film. Once the peel was off, I was left with a very soft, berry-pink line around my lips. It kept its opacity up until I ate lunch (which was a slice of pizza), and while the oil from my food probably aided with the fading, my lip liner was still intact, just a bit less opaque. The total wear time in which I got full opacity was about three hours.
While I thoroughly enjoyed this product, I will note that if you have more pigmented lips than I do, you may have to double up on the color. The shade that the stain leaves behind almost looks like you're using a marker — it slightly faded from the get-go, which, to me, gives a more natural appearance. However, if you have darker lips, this may cause the color to get lost on you. The formula does layer on top of itself really well, though. This is a great budget-friendly lip liner.
