L’Oreal Infallible Matte Lip Crayon vs. Maybelline SuperStay Ink Crayon: Which Should You Buy?

Hi friends!

I know that a lot of us are not wearing much lipstick (or even much makeup) these days considering, you know, face masks and everything. I don’t mean to be ridiculously out-of-touch with this post, but when you stumble upon two very similar drugstore lipsticks – like, they’re meant to be direct competitors – I can’t help but to do a full deep-dive comparison. So for all of you out there who are still buying and wearing lipstick, COVID be damned, this one is for you!

I’m talking about the L’Oreal Infallible Matte Lip Crayon and the Maybelline SuperStay Ink Crayon, two affordable matte lip crayons that promise full-saturated color for hours without fading. In today’s post I’m going to talk about how they compare on PACKAGING, APPLICATION, TEXTURE, PIGMENTATION, WEAR, and COLOR RANGE. I’ll also give you what my personal preference is. I’m not going to talk much about price because the difference there is negligible: for instance, Target currently sells the L’Oreal for $9.99 and the Maybelline for $8.89. You get the picture, either way you’re not spending much money here.

Let’s dive in!

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L’OREAL INFALLIBLE MATTE LIP CRAYON

Full coverage, lasting wear matte color in just one swipe. Saturated matte color available in 18 shades from bold to everyday.

Lips that last. Introducing Infallible Matte Lip Crayon, our first matte lip crayon with lasting wear and saturated color. The creamy lip crayon features an ergonomic mechanical tip for easy application and one-swipe coverage on-the-go. No smudging or feathering for comfortable, long-lasting wear. Enhanced with a sweet caramel aroma, Infallible Matte Lip Crayon is available in 18 matte shades for all skin tones.

– L’Oreal Website

MAYBELLINE SUPERSTAY INK CRAYON

SuperStay Ink Crayon is a longwear lipstick crayon available in a range of 12 vibrant matte shades that last up to 8 hours. Our first lipstick crayon with Lasting Ink technology glides a rich layer of matte color across the lips with effortless control that lasts for up to eight hours of wear. Keep the tip ultra-precise with the built-in sharpener, so you can easily apply your lipstick no matter where your day takes you.

– Maybelline Website

 

HOW THEY COMPARE ON PACKAGING

They have very similar plastic outer packaging, just with different colors and designs. You pop off the cap(s) and the (respective) lipstick bullet(s) twist up for easy application. The main difference here is the Maybelline bullet is pointed like a lip liner (mine is now more rounded down, FYI), and the L’Oreal’s is slanted. See the below photo for a reference. For this reason, the Maybelline packaging contains a sharpener at the bottom that you can just pop off; the L’Oreal doesn’t. Otherwise, there’s not much difference between them.

 

HOW THEY COMPARE ON APPLICATION

Personally I find them both easy to apply, despite the differences in the bullet shapes. Especially if I want to overdraw my lips – which is admittedly not something I do very often – I can achieve a decent amount of precision with both. That’s the advantage of the “crayon” aspect (i.e. a small-sized bullet) of these products. Both formulas feel very lightweight on the lips, nothing thick or gloopy here.

HOW THEY COMPARE ON TEXTURE

This is where I see the biggest differences between these two lip crayons. The Maybelline SuperStay Ink Crayon is not your typical matte lipstick; it’s quite creamy on application and has a definite sheen. It then dries down after about a minute for long-wear.

The L’Oreal Infallible Matte Lip Crayon is a true matte texture that doesn’t need to “set”; it has more drag across the lips during application, and is completely flat in finish.

I’d definitely say that the Maybelline formula is more comfortable on the lips than the L’Oreal. The L’Oreal gives me Glossier Generation G vibes in terms of texture. It just treads the line between being comfortable and being a little bit dry. Depending on your preferences, you may want to throw a gloss or balm over top for ultimate comfiness.

 

HOW THEY COMPARE ON PIGMENTATION

I’d say they’re both well-pigmented lip crayons that don’t need much time to build up. The Maybelline may be ever so slightly more pigmented on first swipe than the L’Oreal, but it’s quite minimal.

HOW THEY COMPARE ON WEAR

Again, I’d say the wear is very similar for both products. I would agree that they are both long-wearing in that you can get a few hours of decent color before it starts to fade with drinking and/or eating. Once you have a full meal, depending on what you eat and how you eat it, both formulas will pretty much disappear. This is standard for most lip products though, and doesn’t bother me in the slightest.

 

 

HOW THEY COMPARE ON COLOR RANGE

They have roughly the same amount of shades, but I’d say the L’Oreal has a more diverse range with nudes, brights, mid-tones and vampy shades. I have Strawberry Glaze in the L’Oreal formula, which is a mid-tone pinky rose shade. The Maybelline range seems to be a bit more neutral overall. I have Lead The Way in the Maybelline formula, which is an uber-wearable neutral nude pink.

WHICH SHOULD YOU BUY?

Personally I prefer the Maybelline SuperStay Ink Crayon over the L’Oreal Infallible Matte Lip Crayon in this showdown. This is purely because of the extra comfort and creaminess that the Maybelline formula provides. Don’t misunderstand though, if you want a really hydrating lipstick that will nourish your lips throughout the day, neither one of these options will totally satisfy you (I recommend the L’Oreal Colour Riche Shine for that).

But regardless of my preference:

*If you want a long-wearing, lightweight lipstick that provides some comfort, go with the Maybelline.

*If you want a long-wearing, lightweight lipstick with a traditional matte texture, AND you don’t mind a slightly stiff formula, go with the L’Oreal.

Have you tried either of these lipsticks before? Which formula would you prefer? I’d love to know!

xo, and be well, Erica

 

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