I tried Huda's Internet-dividing lip stain and here's my honest review

It’s rare for a single lip product to spark full-on beauty debate, but Huda new Beauty’s Lip Contour Stain, £22, has done exactly that. With thousands of views and reviews on TikTok, this slimline, 'stay-all-day' lip stain has people either singing its praises or absolutely fuming, and, as a beauty editor, I felt I had an obligation to find out why.

The formula is designed to be a long-wear stain and liner in one, with a fine-tipped marker for creating contoured definition. Ideal. But in a viral TikTok explaining how to use it, even Huda Kattan herself hinted that most users are applying it wrong. And judging by the comments under that video, people are very divided.

“Why does it dry out so fast?” one person asked, echoing a common complaint. “It’s way too expensive for 1ml,” another wrote. Several users mentioned their stain had dried out completely just days after opening. Others pleaded for clarity: “Can you please address the drying out in a few days after use?” The frustration seems real. But in contrast, others hailed it as "the best lip stain ever made" and "the most long-lasting product on the market."

So, even more confused by the contradicting reviews, I tested it myself to see if it's genius or a disaster...

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First things first, I can see why people are obsessed. The pigment is sharp, the applicator precise and the eight-shade range(I tried Cinnamon and Warm Brown) is rich, flattering and inclusive. It delivers a crisp, blurred-lip look in seconds, and once it sets, it seriously doesn’t budge. No smudging, no bleeding, only velvety, matte colour that wears comfortably for hours.

But, and it’s a big but, it dries incredibly fast. So fast that I barely had time to blend the edges before they set. If you’re trying to softly feather it into your lips like a stain, you need to work one section at a time or it’ll end up patchy. It’s not a swipe-and-go kind of product, so don't attempt to do it without a mirror to-hand.

Then there’s the dryness issue. The packaging clearly states it must be stored tip-down to stop the marker drying out, but even following that advice, I found that the product started to feel drier after just a week or so. The ink flow wasn’t as even, and the cushion end absorbed too much product too quickly. I don’t mind a learning curve, but for £22, I expected a little more forgiveness.

That said, the wear time is no joke. Once on, it lasts through my morning coffee, lunch and afternoon meetings, fading gently but evenly. The stain feels lightweight but holds its own better than most balmy formulas I’ve tried. I loved pairing it with a jelly gloss or balm for comfort.

My Huda Lip Contour Stain breakdown What I loved:

• clean, buildable pigment and a precise applicator

• beautiful wearable shades

• genuinely long-lasting, even through meals

• very skin tone inclusive with the shade choice

• velvety finish that doesn’t flake

What I didn’t love:

• sets a bit too quickly for seamless blending

• can't be blended with anything other than a finger, which leaves a stain

• requires tip-down storage or is prone to drying out

• 1ml does feel a little stingy for the price

The lip stains are already selling out, so take a look here for different shade availability:

• Boots, £22 in six available shades
• Cult Beauty, £22 in four available shades
• Sephora, £22 in four available shades

Final verdict: I get the love, but I also get the complaints. When this product works, it really works: the colour payoff is indisputable, and the longevity beats most high-street lipsticks. But it’s also a little fussy, and sometimes I find it impossible to blend out across my lips before it sets, meaning the lip contour can look harsh.

Would I repurchase? I think so, but only in the shades closer in tone to my natural lips, because I don't love an overly drawn lip line. It's definitely worth trialling if you love long-lasting colour and don't like reapplying product in the day. It's not my favourite ever lip stain, but I appreciate Huda has created something pretty special here. And even if it's a Marmite product, there's no denying it's already got a cult status with those who love it.

If you're shopping around for other stains, I can also highly recommend Oriflame’s The One Stain and Stay Lip Marker, £13. It's not as precise as Huda's innovation, or quite as long-lasting, but it's much more geared towards beginners. I apply it once or twice throughout the day and it gives a lovely, long-wearing tint.