Oil-Based Stains: Genius, Or Grease Bomb?

My love for lip and cheek stain is well documented, so when I saw that Josie Maran had debuted a tinted version of her creamy argan oil for use on the lips and cheeks, I knew I had to give it a go. I've tried liquid, gel, and even cream stains — but the idea of pigment suspended in oil truly intrigued me. I figured this product would either give me the dewy, glowy, natural flush of my dreams, or I would end up with a greasy hue streaked across my face. Only one way to find out, right?

Of course, my only challenge here was picking a shade. I had an especially hard time deciding between Endless Guava, a bright coral-pink, and Boundless Berry, a lovely plum wine. In the end, I went for the former, hoping it would give me a spring-ready glow. An interesting quirk: While I was scoping out the product in the store, the tubes were displayed vertically, balancing on their lids. As a result, the pigment separated a bit from the oil, meaning that I ended up with a splash of oil on my hand and not much color. Thankfully, I was happy to see that the pigment and oil were seamlessly blended in the tube I took home.

I only needed a tiny bit of product to get a lovely flush on my cheeks and pout — and, while the formula was certainly silky and moisturizing, there was absolutely no grease factor. Plus, instead of sitting on top of my skin, the stain melted right in. I simply used my fingers to blend the product on (which made me feel like I was finger-painting my face). And, when those steamy summer days roll around, I can totally see myself dabbing on a bit of this stain along with some waterproof mascara for those times when I can't deal with putting anything else on my face. A final bonus? It smells so fresh and citrusy. Pure heaven.

Josie Maran Argan Infinity Lip And Cheek Creamy Oil in Endless Guava, $18, available at Sephora.