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Best Clinique Lipsticks

Updated May 2022
Bottom line
Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
Clinique Pop Lip Colour + Primer
Clinique
Pop Lip Colour + Primer
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Rockstar Colors
Bottom Line

Traditional lipstick with built-in primer in numerous eye-catching shades and 3 finishes. One of the most popular lipsticks by the brand.

Pros

Creamy lipstick with primer infused inside, so you don't need an additional lip product. Feels moisturizing on the lips. Colors pop, as they are deeply pigmented. In addition to numerous beautiful colors, these lipsticks are available in satin, shimmer, and matte finishes.

Cons

Color tends to pool in find lines on your lips. Fades after several hours of wear, requiring another swipe to keep your look fresh.

Best Bang for the Buck
Clinique Chubby Stick Intense Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm
Clinique
Chubby Stick Intense Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm
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Packed with Moisturizers
Bottom Line

An easy-to-use lip product that looks pretty and feels nice on your lips – 2 features that are likely to make you forgive that it doesn't wear as long as some other lipsticks by the brand.

Pros

A moisturizing formula that provides mid-range color that's not too sheer or too deep. Contains shea and mango butters that make lips feel soft and smooth. Crayon-like applicator is fun to use and easy to control.

Cons

Wears off relatively quickly. You may find yourself needing to reapply it throughout the day. Repeat uses say the formula has changed, and isn't quite as moisturizing as the previous version.

Clinique Almost Lipstick
Clinique
Almost Lipstick
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Touch of Color
Bottom Line

With 2 colors to choose from, this option provides a lightweight and subtle color to the lips.

Pros

Comes in shades Black Honey and Pink Honey. Cream formula has a nice texture that goes on smoothly. Has a slightly sheer finish that is buildable for a more noticeable color.

Cons

Doesn’t last throughout the day, according to a few reviews.

Clinique Dramatically Different Lipstick
Clinique
Dramatically Different Lipstick
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Moisturizes & Defines
Bottom Line

This moisturizing lipstick delivers the benefit of the unique moisturizing and contouring core, and feels as good as it looks.

Pros

Distances itself from other lipsticks for the 3D Pearl center that defines, contours, and moisturizes lips. Feels very comfortable on the lips. Colors are nicely pigmented. Available in satin and shimmer finishes.

Cons

Some colors look darker on than they do in the tube, and some colors are difficult to find.

Clinique Pop Matte Lip Colour + Primer
Clinique
Pop Matte Lip Colour + Primer
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Built-in Primer
Bottom Line

A rich, intense matte lipstick that contains a built-in primer for easy application and a smooth finish.

Pros

Provides full coverage in a single coat. Offers a weightless feel on the lips but bold pigmentation. Added primer helps it glide easily over the lips. Creamy and comfortable despite the matte finish. Doesn’t require frequent touch-ups.

Cons

Some buyers find that the online shade swatches aren’t accurate. May not wear as long as expected.

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BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.About BestReviews 
HOW WE TESTED

We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.

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Buying guide for Best Clinique lipsticks

Lipstick is the perfect finishing touch to any makeup look. But choosing a lipstick isn’t just about finding the right color – you also want a lipstick that feels as good as it looks. Clinique is a classic beauty brand that prioritizes quality ingredients that are good for the skin, which is why their lipsticks are so comfortable to wear.

Clinique lipsticks are available in an array of formulas that vary in opacity, hydration, and overall consistency. The lipsticks don’t contain any fragrances and are allergy-tested, so they work well even if you’re prone to irritation or have dry, sensitive lips. Clinique lipsticks are available in a wide range of colors and finishes as well.

But with so many Clinique lipsticks on the market, it can be difficult to choose the right formula, not to mention the most flattering shade. Our buying guide offers plenty of tips to help you find a Clinique lipstick, or two, that suits you. For the easiest shopping, check out our recommendations for the best lipsticks from the brand.

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To keep your lip line neat and crisp when wearing a bold lipstick shade, use concealer on a small synthetic brush to gently trace around your lips.

Key considerations

Formula

Clinique offers lipsticks in several different formulas: classic bullet lipsticks, lipstick pencils, and liquid lipsticks.

  • Classic bullet lipsticks are what most people think of when they hear the word “lipstick.” These bullet-shaped solid lipsticks come in a twist-up tube. They vary in how opaque they are, but they typically provide a good amount of color. Their ingredients and finish determine how moisturizing they are, but bullet lipsticks can typically last for several hours without needing a touch-up if you aren’t eating or drinking.
  • Lipstick pencils come in a chubby pencil form. Because they can be sharpened like lip liners, they are easier to apply than classic bullet lipsticks, which dull and lose their pointed shape after a few uses. They also vary in opacity and finish and tend to last well on the lips.
  • Liquid lipsticks come in liquid form in a tube with a doe-foot applicator. They are very opaque and have a wet feel when applied. After they dry down, they have the longest wear time of any lip product. You can usually go about eight hours without touching up. Unfortunately, most liquid lipsticks are pretty drying on the lips, so it’s essential to exfoliate and moisturize your lips well before applying a liquid lipstick.

Opacity

When you’re shopping for Clinique lipsticks, it’s important to ask yourself how opaque you’d like your lip color to be. Lipsticks that are extremely opaque offer rich, vibrant color and usually should be paired with a lip liner to get the cleanest look. Other formulas are sheerer so some of your natural lip color can peek through, and they don’t require a lip liner.

Ingredients

Clinique is known for using ingredients that are good for the skin, so their lipsticks often include hydrating ingredients that help soothe and condition your lips while providing color. In general, lipsticks are made of wax, oil, and pigment. For the most comfortable wear, it’s crucial to choose a formula with high-quality oils like jojoba oil, castor oil, cocoa butter, mango butter, or shea butter. Some Clinique lipsticks also contain vitamin E, an antioxidant that can soften and smooth your lips.

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Did You Know?
All of Clinique’s products, including their lipsticks, are dermatologist-tested, so they’re not likely to cause irritation.
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Features

Finish

Clinique offers lipsticks in several different finishes, including glossy, satin, and matte.

  • Glossy: Some Clinique lipsticks feature a slightly glossy finish or sheen, which reflects light. These are usually highly moisturizing formulas that are on the sheer side. They work well for dry lips, as well as mature lips with lines, and they are very comfortable to wear. Glossy lipsticks don’t wear as long on the lips as other finishes, though.
  • Satin: The most common Clinique lipstick finish is satin, also known as demi-matte. These lipsticks are more opaque and feature just a slight sheen. They offer a better wear time than glossy lipsticks but still feel very comfortable and slightly moisturizing.
  • Matte: Clinique matte lipsticks are the brand’s most opaque, long-wearing options. They are shine-free, so they don’t reflect any light. They can sometimes be drying and uncomfortable to wear, though, and can accentuate dry, chapped lips. However, matte lipsticks stay in place, so they are ideal for bold colors that you don’t want to bleed or smear.

Wear time

The longer a lipstick’s wear time, the less time you have to spend touching up. Liquid and matte lipstick formulas usually offer the longest wear times, with many lasting up to eight hours without fading. If you opt for a satin finish, you can expect three to five hours of wear time. Glossy lipsticks usually provide just two to three hours of wear before they need to be reapplied.

Built-in primer

Some Clinique lipsticks feature a built-in primer to help your lipstick apply more easily and last longer. The primer helps smooth your lips so the color glides on effortlessly. It also helps moisturize to minimize the appearance of fine lines or chapped areas.

Shades

Clinique offers a wide array of lipstick shades, so there’s bound to be an option that meets your preferences and complements your coloring. From rich reds to soft pinks to natural nudes, you can find a lipstick for any occasion.

Need help choosing a shade? Start by figuring out your skin’s undertone. The most common undertones are warm, cool, and neutral. Warm skin usually has yellow or golden tones, while cool skin typically features pink or red tones. Neutral skin doesn’t lean too yellow or too pink.

If you have warm skin, you’ll generally look best in lipstick shades with red or orange tones. If you have cool skin, lipsticks with purple or blue tones are usually most flattering. If you have neutral skin, nearly any lipstick shade will flatter you.

If a bullet lipstick breaks, you don’t have to throw it away. Use a lighter to melt the broken end, and then press the two pieces back together gently. Place the lipstick in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to ensure that the two halves are fully melded.

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Accessories

Lip liners: BareMinerals Gen Nude Under Over Lip Liner
Some lipsticks require a lip liner to help keep them from bleeding outside your lip line. We really like this one from BareMinerals because it has a lovely creamy consistency and blends well with other lip products.

Lip primers: Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Primer
A high-quality lip primer conditions and moisturizes your lips to prepare them for lipstick application, which is particularly important for matte or brightly colored lipsticks. This primer from Anastasia Beverly Hills is a standout because of its sheer, lightweight formula that holds color and resists smudging.

Lip exfoliators: Handmade Heroes Vegan Coconut Lip Scrub
Get your lips ready for lipstick with a lip exfoliator, which will remove any dry, flaky patches. This one from Handmade Heroes is not only a natural, vegan, and cruelty-free formula, but it’s also highly moisturizing thanks to the included coconut, avocado, jojoba, and almond oils.

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Did You Know?
 Lipstick can double as blush in a pinch. Just dot it on your cheeks and blend well with your fingers.
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Clinique lipstick prices

Clinique lipsticks vary in price based on their opacity, wear time, and ingredients. Most lipsticks from the brand cost between $10 and $23.

The most affordable Clinique lipsticks are usually sheer, moisturizing formulas. They typically last just a couple of hours on the lips. You’ll pay between $10 and $14 for these lipsticks.

Mid-range Clinique lipsticks usually offer sheer to medium pigmentation. They’re often moisturizing, have a glossy or satin finish, and last three to five hours on the lips. You’ll pay between $14 and $18 for these lipsticks.

The most expensive Clinique lipsticks typically offer medium to full pigmentation. They may have a satin or matte finish, and some formulas in this price range can wear for up to eight hours on the lips. You’ll pay between $18 and $23 for these lipsticks.

Tips

  • Preparation is key before applying lipstick. Use a lip scrub or lip exfoliator to smooth your lips, and then follow up with a lip oil or lip balm. Wait until the lip treatment is fully absorbed before applying your lipstick.
  • You can apply lipstick directly from the tube or applicator, but some people prefer using a lip brush for more precision.
  • When wearing bolder shades, pair your lipstick with a matching lip liner or simply use a lip liner that matches your natural lip line.
  • To convincingly overdraw your lips, use a lip liner with a matte lipstick, which won’t emphasize your actual lip line like a glossy or satin finish.
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Layering lipsticks can create a custom color. You can also layer a lip gloss over your lipstick to transform a matte shade.

FAQ

Q. Do Clinique lipsticks require lip liner?

A. That’s really a matter of personal preference. Lip liner can serve as a base for your lipstick and help prevent it from bleeding around your lips. Certain lipstick shades like red or bright pink can get messy without liner, but if you’re wearing a nude or light pink, you may not need it.

Q. How can I make my lipstick last longer?

A. Creating a base with lip liner can help your lipstick wear longer. It also helps to blot away any excess lipstick after application. For the utmost staying power, you can take a half-ply of tissue, lay it over your lips, and gently pat setting powder over it to lock your lipstick in place. If the color looks faded afterward, apply another layer of lipstick.

Q. When should I toss my old lipstick?

A. Lipstick usually expires after about two years. You can typically tell if a lipstick has gone bad if you notice changes in its smell or texture.