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It's official: Fenty Beauty's Poutsicle Lip Stain has made a lip-stain convert out of a former lip-stain hater (me).
But first, let's go back to the beginning. After masks became a part of our daily lives, lipstick lovers started searching for long-lasting pigment they could wear under masks, prompting countless lip stains to go viral on TikTok. Still, none has peaked in popularity quite as quickly as Fenty’s Poutsicle. Despite having launched just last month, “Poutsicle” has amassed more than 1 billion views on the platform, while “lip stain” and #lipstain have 392.5 million—numbers that have accrued since the app’s start. Lip-stain fever persists in person too: According to global shopping and payments service Klarna, lip-stain purchases have doubled this summer. Translation? People really love lip stains.
I, however, was not “people.” I never got the lip-stain appeal, and no TikTok—no matter how many views, likes, or shares—could convince me otherwise. My lips simply weren’t meant for lip stains: They always dried my lips out, prompting the product to flake, leaving my lips dehydrated and dreadfully drab. Jaded, I swore off lip stains forevermore…until Fenty released Poutsicle, that is.
Once I heard how much everyone loved Poutsicle, I decided to give one last lip stain a try. I was fed up with my lipstick smearing off with my mask. Plus, after seeing so many rave reviews on TikTok, I figured: If anyone could master the lip tint, it would be Fenty (and therefore Rihanna), right?
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Fenty Beauty's Poutsicle does, in fact, live up to its TikTok-viral hype, and I can't say the same of every trending product I've tried.
Available in four showstopping shades—Strawberry Sangria (red), Berry Banger (purple berry), Mai Type (pink), and Zesty Bestie (coral)—it somehow delivers the perfect dose of vibrant pigment while actively hydrating your lips. If it sounds too good to be true, it isn’t; it’s just a stellar lineup of ingredients. Poutsicle’s excellent consistency stems from its use of squalene, a skin- and hair-care ingredient that mimics the body’s naturally occurring sebum to boost and maintain moisture.
As a result, the formula provides a lightweight yet lustrous, buildable, and long-lasting finish that can be worn under masks, providing the most popping lip gloss—but with bolder color and without stickiness or feathering. How do I know? I ate an entire family-size bag of greasy potato chips, and it stayed on (and actually looked good).
Poutsicle also passed the ultimate test. I posted a selfie to my close friends after finishing said bag of potato chips, and a friend immediately sent a message that said: “Your lips look amazing.” Then, this morning, a coworker Slacked: “I tried that Fenty lip, and I love that it looks like it should be sticky but isn't.” See? It exudes Y2K high-shine vibes without the sticky residue. It's the best of both worlds.
At $24, the Poutsicle deserves every ounce of viral glory. A little goes a long way—yes, it’s lightweight enough to wear several layers if that's your thing, but the product provides plenty of pigment with just one swipe. Each tube will last you a long time, while your lips will maintain their color and moisture all day long. The Poutsicle is sure to convert even the most traditional of lipstick lovers into lip-stain enthusiasts. I know it did for me.
