With some makeup products, they can seem a bit intimidating to use, especially if you’re semi-just-starting-out. So you’ll probably want something that gives you a lot of control but is also pretty light in giving you a pop of color without being too overwhelming or unnatural-looking. That’s where Josie Maran Magic Marker Lip & Cheek Stain comes in, with its approachable and easy design. Not to mention the mauve rose shade of Cha Cha already seems like a fun time.

Having a dual purpose as a lip or cheek stain, it appealed from the get-go, especially if it was going to provide me with a nice hint of color without having to switch products - definitely purse-friendly for that on-the-go touchup.

Shade: With Cha Cha, it ends up coming out of the tube really pretty. Though you can even tell from this swatch on my hand here, that it’s pretty light. So if you’re not looking for something that will drastically add color, it does the job pretty well.

I like that the color ends up adding a pretty natural-looking flush to my cheeks and lip-wise, it nicely enhanced my pink lips to be a bit more rich and bright.

Application + Formula: One of my favorite things was the felt tip applicator and with the design being like those markers you might have used when you were little, they end up being very easy to hold and mark exactly where you want to apply some color. On your cheeks, it’s pretty straightforward to do a few dashes on either side and blend in (quickly, since it dries a bit fast…being a light liquid). Though it comes in more handy when I applied it to my lips, since the slightly pointed tip gives way to helping you stay within your lip lines.

Formula-wise, it’s almost like liquid, though it doesn’t come out too heavily. You can pretty much imagine how a marker would write and it ends up really close to this. Though as a stain, it doesn’t really add any hydrating properties, so you might want to cover your lips with some balm (or cover it with gloss, if you’re not going for a natural look) to make sure that the color stays on longer. Or else it ends up fading after a little while with that unconscious lip lick that people end up doing.

Overall: I definitely enjoyed using this and as my first lip/cheek stain product, I love that it gives you a light hint of color without really being too much. And with the marker applicator, it makes it pretty time-friendly for my makeup routine, especially on those rush mornings.

There are other color choices that you can choose from (all of which look really gorgeous!) and if convenience is what you’re looking for, I’d say this fits the bill really nicely.

Score: 5/5

(Disclaimer: The Josie Maran Magic Marker Lip & Cheek Stain in Cha Cha was provided to me for review purposes. This review is purely my opinion.)