I could never get on board with the first generation water tints - those that came in blood-red hues and rollerball applicators. They would suck all the moisture from my lips and leave
“coffee stains” (rings of intense pigment) all around the loose skin of my lips.

But times are a-changing and today we have something new! Ellana Minerals Satin Stain Shines (PHP 699 / 5g) are part of the second generation water tints. These tints are thicker and leave a much more even stain. Similar products I’ve tried are Club Clio Veil Dewy, Peripera Ink Gelato, Pony Effect Favorite Fluid Lip Tint, A’pieu Juicy Pang Water Tint. All these products, including Ellana SSS, are thicker than the rollerball tints and leave a much more even stain. Check out my video here.

Ellana Satin Stain Shine Texture

Ellana says that their tints are created with Korean technology, and I do see the textural resemblance to their Korean counterparts. Ellana SSS are water-based tints formulated with olive oil and mung bean extract, which is supposed to make it a lightweight, hydrating lip product. As far as I am aware, olive oil is one of the heavier cosmetic oils and I do feel that when I layer this product heavily. That said, the hydration part is true and I generally do not feel this product is heavy.

Ellana Satin Stain Shine Color

I first used a dot of this product and found that it deposited full color on my lips. No streaks, no thin areas. If you could even afford to scrape off some product before applying it, I suggest you do so. These tints are powerful. That said, trying to load up more product and more color is futile: it is already full with little product, and the added ‘weight’ on your lips is not worth it. Nearly all shades look alike when applied full or blotted, except for #Believe whose color profile drastically changes once you use less of it.

I think this product is no longer fully a water tint, in the sense that the color is really intense. The pigment is not watered down, but that’s not a bad thing at all! I think it’s perfect for people who want to wear statement lips but cannot find an emotional commitment for going through all the pains of wearing (typically) matte power shades.

Ellana Satin Stain Shine Weardown

I immediately tested two shades, a dark (Self Love) and a light (Believe) so I could get an idea of how these products performed. Self Love on the lips and Believe on the cheeks were blotted down messily. They both wore off patchy. Self Love on the cheeks and Believe on the lips were blotted down carefully, they wore down very well and Believe left a very even stain.

Since this product is still water-based, it will take some work to fully and evenly press the pigment onto your skin even if it already appears even. I think as long as you blend it out, there shouldn’t be issues.

Ellana Satin Stain Shine Colors

These are the color descriptions according to the website:

#Happiness - warm brown

#Believe - deep salmon

#Positive Vibes - spice brown

#Motivation - deep lilac

#LoveWins - deep peach

#SelfLove - deep red brown

My favorites are Believe as a stain and Love Wins both as a stain and a full color. My favorite way to wear them is patiently blended out on both lips and cheeks, as they seemed to have worn better when I took my time blending. Love Wins can be confusing because peach is normally associated with pink shades, but I think this is talking about the orange part of the actual peach fruit, as that is what it looks like.

In terms of the Lip in Luxe colors, Motivation looks like Love is the Answer, while Love Wins looks like Love is True. These are far from dupes, but the undertones looked familiar to me.

Beauty by Tellie score: 4 / 5 - great for everyday!

The Ellana Satin Stain Shines are a great everyday product. They feel hydrating even when they’ve worn off, which is fun because velvet tints make my lips feel dry even when they’ve wiped off. These tints are not too durable, but they are wearable. They easily transfer off on straws and come off with a meal, but the stain and leftover lip product can be easily reblended into something cohesive - this is perfect for people who hate actual retouching! Ellana SSS’ color can be layered to fullness if so desired, but I find they shine best as stains.

These are currently available as an online exclusive at ellanacosmetics.com