MAC Frost Lipstick vs Ink Crayon Lipstick: which is safer?

MAC Frost Lipstick is the clear pick. Maybelline SuperStay Ink Crayon Lipstick carries a failing PFAS grade, and we never recommend buying a failing product.

Our pick

MAC Frost Lipstick

MAC Fix+

MAC Frost Lipstick

PFAS grade

Excellent 75/100

Overall grade

Good 63/100

Verdict

Buy

Hazard flags

⚑ 3

Material

wax, oils, pigments, emollients (typical lipstick base)

Confidence

72%

PossibleHeavy metal pigments (lead, cadmium, iron oxide impurities)

PossibleAzo dyes and synthetic colorants (allergic sensitization)

PossibleFragrance and flavor oils (allergen, aspiration risk)

Maybelline SuperStay Ink Crayon Lipstick

Maybelline SuperStay

Ink Crayon Lipstick

PFAS grade

Poor 30/100

Overall grade

Bad 16/100

Verdict

Skip

Hazard flags

⚑ 2

Material

Wax/oil-based crayon formula with waterproofing

Confidence

45%

PossibleFragrance allergens

ReportedUnverified waterproofing agents (non-PFAS polymer risk)

Where these two actually differ

  • We flag Heavy metal pigments (lead, cadmium, iron oxide impurities), Azo dyes and synthetic colorants (allergic sensitization) and Fragrance and flavor oils (allergen, aspiration risk) on the MAC Fix+ and not on the Maybelline SuperStay.
  • We flag Fragrance allergens and Unverified waterproofing agents (non-PFAS polymer risk) on the Maybelline SuperStay and not on the MAC Fix+.
  • The MAC Fix+ is wax, oils, pigments, emollients (typical lipstick base) where the Maybelline SuperStay is Wax/oil-based crayon formula with waterproofing, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
  • The gap is 45 points, wide enough that this is not a close call, and the MAC Fix+ is the one to buy.
  • We are less certain about the Maybelline SuperStay grade, at 45% confidence against 72%, because it discloses less.

Both products run through the same public rubric: materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →

More lipstick: see the full ranking