If your schedule resembles mine, you have very little time to re-apply makeup — especially lipstick — during the day. Long-lasting lip products, especially lip stains, have thus always held a special appeal to the working woman.

I recently picked up a sample of the Sephora brand’s new “Rouge Infusion Lip Stain” in the shade “Red Essence.”

Did it stand the test? We shall see 😊

It comes in a long thin cylindrical tube, with a doe-foot applicator:

It applies to the lips with a nice punch of tomato-red with a thin, but not runny, consistency and did indeed dry down to a lovely stain:

Full face view:

The finish is indeed beautiful and initially felt comfortable on the lips.

So far, so good!

However, the ultimate test of any lip stain is its ability to survive a meal and its tendency to dessicate (dry out) the lips as the day progresses.

This lip product passed the first test with flying colors. It faded, as expected, after a meal, but the stain remained, ensuring that “popsicle lips” look. Where this product failed, however, was in the moisture department. While I don’t expect a long-lasting lip product to be moisturizing per se, it should at least be non-drying. Within hours of applying the product, my lips felt parched and lip balm was required.

In my opinion, makeup should be comfortable to wear. This is not comfortable to wear — indeed, quite the opposite.

Unfortunately, this product is a skip. 👎

However, I would recommend trying other Sephora lip products, which are generally amazing and usually the most inexpensive at Sephora stores. Although my full review is upcoming, their new “Luster Matte” formula is stellar — and non-drying.

Final Verdict: 2.5/5 Stars

Available at Sephora and sephora.com for $14