Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Stick Review: The Best Drugstore Lipstick?

MoistureSmooth Color Stick: The everyday lip color and hydration hero.

Drugstore lipstick: It is a beauty right of passage and one of my first makeup purchases. I remember standing under the fluorescent lights of the local CVS, scanning rows of shiny tubes and colorful swatches while trying to decide which would be my first big girl beauty buy. The Revlon reds surely caught my eye, but I eased into things with a pink tube of tinted lip balm. I don’t remember the brand, but it smelled like candy, gave hydration, and upped my lip game with a kiss of color.

Today, there’s a lipstick that reminds me of my first, but it’s way better. It’s the Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Stick. This is grown up color, with shades in two pigment depth levels, and with loads of hydration to boot. It comes in a convenient twist-up tube, and its fruity scent is reminiscent of simpler times. For natural makeup days on the go and for those who don’t like heavy lipstick, it doesn’t get much better than this. Let’s review Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Stick.

Promises vs. Performance: Color that hydrates lips and lasts for hours.

Neutrogena’s website outlines the product claims for their MoistureSmooth Color Stick. This lipstick is said to instantly moisturize lips and to last for hours. Additionally, if you use the product consistently, after three days you should enjoy more hydrated lip condition overall.

My Review Thoughts: Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Stick

Most recently I picked up the shade Raisin (80), a shade that’s true to its name. I first noticed how the lipstick glided on with wonderful, hydrating slip. Yes, the moisture was instant. It felt great on my lips (which tend stay on the dry side). The stick tip is just pointed enough for some level of precision, which is nice because this formula and shade has pigment. I was impressed with the amount of color payoff and was glad to have a mirror handy. This is not a shade I’d swipe on without looking, as I found it to stain a bit wherever it was placed. However, the hue is lovely, and with a few layers it was surprisingly deep against my fair complexion.

I didn’t wear it three days straight (as recommended), but even for the nine hours I wore it my lips seemed more hydrated and happier. During this time the color stayed true for about three hours at a time before I reapplied. For a balm texture I think that’s pretty darn good.

Side note: Raisin showed me why Jennifer Garner can’t live without this product and shade. It works for day and night.

How It Compares: The best drugstore lipstick crayon smooths and conditions.

Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Stick is the gold standard among drugstore lip crayon lipsticks. Nothing of its kind delivers the same amount of sophisticated pigment by way of hydrating balm texture. This product offers surprisingly long wear from such a moisturizing formula, although its convenient twist-up packaging is just right for touching up on the go. The 17 available shades range from sheer and shiny to bold and creamy, with fruit extracts to help keep lips supple and smooth all day.

Milabu Beauty Method: Nothing is easier than this lip crayon.

MoistureSmooth Color Stick makes simple work of moisturizing your lips while polishing your entire look. If you like an extra challenge (with reward, of course), feel free to do my recommended lip prep.

1. Start by exfoliating your lips (optional). You can use a wet toothbrush against your lips in gentle circular motions. Or, use a lovely lip scrub like Fresh Sugar Lip Polish ($18).
2. Apply your favorite shade of MoistureSmooth Color Stick to top and bottom lip. Mine (and Jennifer Garner’s) is Raisin. Off you go with soft, hydrated lips with beautiful pigment.