When it comes to lipstick, there are certain brands and types of lipstick that dancers, ballerinas, and dance moms swear by!
When I started writing this post, it was meant to be a list of tube or oil/wax based lipsticks.
However, I couldn’t many dance parents who love them, only parents asking for substitutes.
And so to live up to the heading of the article, this list includes mainly liquid lipsticks which you apply with a wand (not a magic one, although don’t we all wish!) as they are what most parents of dancers prefer to use!
Included at the end are a couple of tube lipsticks some parents recommended.
Which is better a Liquid Lipsticks or Tube Creme Based Lipstick for Dance and Stage Makeup?
Long stay Liquid Lipsticks are the best for stage and dance makeup.
Liquid lipstick glides on smoothly because they are wet, but then dry so they become smudgeproof and long lasting where as long stay tube lipsticks can sometimes be too dry to apply smoothly, crumble or flake throughout their wear and bleed out from the lip line.
The images above were taken quite a few years ago now.
We were doing a practice to get my daughter used to the feeling of me putting on her makeup before her first dance recital.
I started with a tube of red lipstick, but after getting only a little color on her lips, I immediately decided to switch to the liquid lipstick as it was so much easier to apply on her small lips.
As a parent trying to put lipstick onto a child, you want something that is easy to apply but that also has staying power and won’t smudge if your kid accidentally wipes their mouth with the lycra sleeve of their white leotard costume.
Tube lipstick that is creamy and easy to apply isn’t usually long-lasting and ends up everywhere. Tube lipstick that has long stay qualities doesn’t always glide on easily and this is one of the biggest issues many parents have with it.
It is just super hard to apply, on top of trying to create the perfectly shaped pout.
I go into more detail about the pros and cons of liquid lipsticks in the article The Best Liquid Lip Sticks & Stains for Dancers which I originally wrote a while back when I was researching what to buy for my girls when the one in the picture above ran out.
The 5 Best Lipsticks for Dancers’ Stage Makeup
We asked and have a list of the top 5 brands and colors that are sure to work a treat, surviving the stage lights, sweat and costume changes, or simply a long day of competitions or recital performances!
Let’s get into our list
1. Maybelline Superstay Matte Ink
Maybelline New York SuperStay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick is a favorite amongst most dance moms and is what we currently use.
It is really easy to apply, is not expensive and it works!
They have a few different reds to choose from, but honestly why go past the color specifically called Dancer!
This stuff glides on wet and then drys for a matte finish!
It is virtually smudge-proof once dry, doesn’t bleed and you can use it with or without lip liner.
I have not had to reapply this stuff yet… however that does mean at the end of the day it does take a little bit of extra elbow grease to wipe off! I like to use Micellar Cleansing Water for waterproof make up by Garnier best, but don’t expect it to come off with the first wipe! There is a reason it has staying power!
I sometimes like to use the precision tip for lining the lips instead of a pencil lip liner!
2. NYX Vegan High-Shine Long-Lasting Liquid Lipstick
NYX PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP Shine Loud Vegan High-Shine Long-Lasting Liquid Lipstick is recommended in Rebel in Red.
It has a 2 step application using a high-pigment base coat and an ultra-reflective nonsticky top coat. So you can choose to have a matter or a gloss look!
When asked if their dancers hair ever got caught in this stuff, many dance moms were quick to report no – the topcoat looks glossy but is definitely not sticky to touch, so their dancer’s hair doesn’t usually get stuck on their lips while dancing!
Another win for this product is the fact that it is vegan and the company is acknowledged by PETA as a cruelty-free brand!
3. Mary Jo K by Kylie Cosmetics
Kylie Jenners Cosmetics are some that are beginning to make some traction within the dance world.
There were a few comments with this product about parents never going back to the old lipsticks they used since trying this on their dancer!
Apart from the fact that they are a good product, a lot of dance moms also love the fact that these kits come with a matching lip liner. If you read our article about Dance Mom’s Top tips for lipstick you will learn why!
So although this might be a little more expensive at first glance you are actually getting two products, which makes it more wallet-friendly.
4. Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick
Kat Von D was launched to fame on the show LA Ink as a tattooist.
She was the former head of Kat Von D Beauty which has since been renamed KVD Vegan Beauty so beware if this product name changes or the way it is made also changes.
But many dance parents have been using this product for years saying that it has never let their dancer down.
This liquid lipstick is marketed as being everlasting and the color I have been told is best for dance is called ‘Outlaw’.
5. Sephora Collection
SEPHORA COLLECTION Cream Lip Stain 01 Always Red is another product mentioned several times by dance parents when asked which product they prefer using on their dancer.
This transforms from a creamy texture into a stain that doesn’t dry out or burn the lips like some other products (not on this list) can tend to do!
It is a little pricer than the Maybelline products but the Sephora brand is well known for its quality products and maybe the preference for some parents.
The Most Popular Creme Tube Lipsticks
1. MAC Retro Matte Lipstick – Ruby Woo
This lipstick is a favourite for many dance studios and teachers! With many mandating that this is the lipstick all their students should purchase! So if you are after a tube, oil or cream based lipstick you shouldn’t go wrong with this one!
However the main gripe many parents have is that it is hard to apply! The trick that those using say you need to use is to never apply the lipstick straight to the lips – Use a lipstick brush! For more tips that can help you get the best application read our article >>>>>>>>
2. Wet N Wild Hazardous Red MegaLast Matte Lip Color
Wet N Wild is a super friendly budget brand. And although alone, that is without any primer or setting powder, won’t last as long as the more expensive brands, it will last long enough to get your child through one recital or routine.
For the price most parents don’t really have many complaints about this stuff, but because it is an oil based product it is more likely to easily smudge and transfer onto costumes for example than the liquid lipsticks that we have written about in our top 5.
Make-Up Setting Tip
Although lip stains have staying power some dance parents also suggested adding a setting spray or powder to your dancer’s makeup routine.
In particular, they found setting spray by E.l.f. was not only budget-friendly but did the job like it says it would!
For some tips on how to use setting sprays and powders read our article about tips from Dance Moms on how to do lipstick.
For more tips check out our article Dance Mom’s Tips on applying lipstick to their Dancer.
Or if you want to know how to give your dancer’s lipstick extra staying power read our tips here!