A Beauty Expert Tells Us Why These Lipstick Formulas Can Make You Look ’10 Years Younger’—And The Ones That Can Age You

2. Matte Finish Lipstick

Formula two that Soares discussed was the matte finish lipstick. She mentioned that if you're in search of a lipstick offering extended wear, a matte option is ideal. These lipsticks are intensely pigmented, giving the lips a completely flat look without any shine, although they do transfer a bit. However, the transfer is far less than that of a moisture-rich lipstick. So what are the drawbacks? Does it transfer?

"The most obvious downfall is that this texture can be uncomfortable for you because it's very drying," she said. Soares added: "It just doesn't have that moist, buttery feeling that most people crave on their lips." Another big downfall is that if "you have smaller lips, it can make slips look much smaller."

Soares also explained: "A moist appearance highlights that area and draw things forward, and a matte appearance creates like a contour effect and recedes things back, therefore making already small. I always talk about infusing radiance into every step of your routine matte lipsticks because they are drying. They do have a tendency of making lips and the skin around the lips appear older."  

3. Creme/ Cream Finish Lipstick

If you appreciate the concept of a tinted balm but also desire the color intensity and durability of a matte formula, you might consider a lipstick that combines these qualities, Soares mentioned. This type is known as the creme finish lipstick.

According to her, it is her preferred formula because it offers the shine and moisture of a balm while maintaining the long-lasting color of a matte lipstick.

"Most people look very attractive in a cream formula. It's a little bit fool proof. It really does suit pretty much everyone. It doesn't age the face, it doesn't age the lips," she said. "It doesn't transfer that much a little bit, but not nearly as much as like a balm does."  

4. Gloss Finish

If you love a shiny or glass-like finish on your lips, a gloss might be the perfect choice, according to Soares. Glosses are available in many different formulations, ranging from sheer to opaque. Among all lip makeup options, glosses have the shortest wear time. They transfer quite easily, getting on everything, but they are stunning and can be layered with other lip products.

She then shared tips on how to layer gloss with other lipstick formulas. "You can use a matte lipstick for it's long-wearing feature and then you can dab a little bit of gloss the center of the bottom lip or to the cupid's bow just to kind of elevate it," she suggested. She continued: "I almost never use a gloss on its own. I almost always use it as a layering product. But if you're more of like a natural girl that just wants a wash of color, that's dewy and you know, that's really pretty, then this could be a great option for you."

5. Long-Lasting Stain With A Balm

"The next option that is great that a lot of people don't know about is a long-lasting stain with a balm," Soares said. "This is how it works. You use the colored side to carefully outline and fill the lip in perfectly, and then you let it dry. Once it's dry, you go over it." With the balming side, it ends up "looking just like a cream lipstick, but with zero transfer. A lip color like this could last you an entire day, which is absolutely amazing," she shared.

So what are the downfalls? "It's a lot of pros. You're like, what are the downs? There's got to be a downfall. There is like anything else, if you're not good at makeup, it can be a bit tricky because you need extreme precision since it's super opaque," Soares explained. The more you know!