Review: Let’s compare 3 Japanese matte lipsticks in fall colors!

These days we have so many fun options to choose from when it comes to lip products: Lip stains, liquid lipsticks, lip glosses, lip crayons and more! In the western makeup scene, liquid lipstick has become so popular that the classic lipstick and lip gloss are becoming more rare! In Japan however, the drug stores' shelves are still full of ultra shiny lip glosses, satin and shimmer finish lipsticks! I've also noticed that cute colors like baby pink, peach and nude colors are popular among Japanese girls in contrast to the west where nude but also dark and vibrant colors are popular. I was wondering what Japanese brands follow the trends of the West and how well they do. Therefore I decided to go on a drugstore hunt for matte lipsticks that would be perfect to wear in fall! Let's compare the 3 products that I found!

1. Canmake Lip Tint Matte color no.4 – ¥702

The first matte lip product that caught my eye was this lip tint by Canmake! The series exist of 4 colors: no.1 coral, no.2 red no.3 rose no.4 terracotta red. The series were originally released with the first 3 colors only and no.4 was added later so sadly there are hardly any pictures of color no.4 online. However after testing all of these on my hand I decided to go for no.4 Terracotta red, it's a gorgeous color especially for fall and I was really excited to try it!

These are described as a non-sticky matte lip tints that feel soft and light on the lips!

Because 'lipgloss' was written on the back of the package I got a little worried! I had to check again but it was definitely a matte lip tint. Let's see a swatch!

First impression: The color is exactly what I had expected, a true terracotta! Since it's a lip tint it's quite liquid and not too covering on my wrist (I applied 2 layers here).

After trying it on: It takes a bit before it dries but when it' does you hardly feel like you're wearing anything at all! This formula is very soft yet definitely matte. The color also looks the same on the lips as in the bottle which is rare for me! It stays on well and only comes off when eating greasy/oily food.

2. Visee Matte Lip Lacqueur color RO 680 – ¥1,620

The second product that I found was this matte lip lacqueur by Visee. At ¥1,620 it's almost twice as expensive as the Canmake lip tint but still affordable. This lip lacqueur is available in many different colors, at least 6! I decided to go for the RO680 because I love muted mauve colors.

Visee describes this lip lacqueur as a matte finish lip product with mousse touch. It contains hyaluronic acid and squalene for lip nourishment against dryness. Apparently this product was released around fall 2017, since most products don't remain in drugstore long before getting replaced by something new this one must be popular!

Let's see a swatch!

First impression: This lip laqueur's color is gorgeous! A mauve rose color that is perfect for fall. I noticed however that it didn't dry at all and appeared glossy. uh-oh! not good for a matte lip product…

After trying it on: I hate to say it but this lip laqueur is super patchy! It took a long time to apply it somehow evenly, what a shame since the color is gorgeous! It indeed doesn't dry so it looks like a deep colored lipgloss. I hated the feeling so I removed it after 20 minutes.

2. Canmake Crayon Matte Lip – color 01 ¥648

I can't deny it, finding a third lipstick with my criteria was a bit hard. After checking out all brands several times I came back to Canmake and found another matte lip product! These matte crayons are even cheaper than the lip tints and are available in 3 colors. I decided to go for no.1 as it has a purple tone to it that also looks good in fall!

No.1 Mysterious wine is described as a red wine but looks more like a purple pink to me, curious to try this! The formula is described as velvety-smooth and soft, bold with a matte finish. It also contains UV protection!

First impression: the color is a lot prettier than I had expected! Online it looks like a brighter pink so the name mysterious wine confused me. It's a color something between a rose pink and red color. Because it's a crayon it doesn't need time to 'dry'

After trying it on: This crayon was easier to apply than I thought! It goes on smoothly and feels velvety. It doesn't need time to dry but at the same time it's not dry completely. Re-applying after a meal is recommended!

Let's compare!

Best packaging: I actually really love all 3 of them. They're cute but also have an elegant look. My absolute favorite must be the Visee lip laqueur

Best applicator: The Canmake lip tint applicator is great! it's really easy to apply this lip tint even when you're not an expert. The Crayon matte lip comes in second but I'm not sure how it will be when the tip is no longer pointy.

Best color: I love all 3 colors. The Canmake lip laqueur would have been my favorite if it actually dried matte.

Best drying time: Obviously the Canmake lip crayon is the winner since it doesn't need time to dry

Best long-lasting: As you can see in the picture above the Canmake lip tint is no.1 here! The other two do smudge and especially the lip laqueur is dangerous.

Best formula: I absolutely love how soft and non-drying the Canmake lip tint is!

Best price: Interestingly the two cheaper products are better than the expensive one. Price-quality wise the Canmake lip tint is best!

Best overall: The Canmake lip tint! Affordable, matte and a lovely color. What else do you need? The Crayon matte lip comes in second and the Visee lip laqueur comes in last. I will definitely buy another Canmake lip tint. I probably won't buy another Canmake crayon but might use the one I have once in a while. Honestly the Visee lip liqueur can go in the trash but I might give it one more try!

Would you like to try any of these matte lip products? Do you have any recommendations? What kind of review would you like to see next? Let us know in the comments below!

Interested in more makeup reviews? Also check out our post about Japanese eyeliners!