Beauty Ink Crayon Shade Duel: Stay Exceptional vs Settle For More
Stay Exceptional and Settle For More are two of the most repurchased Maybelline Ink Crayon shades. Stay Exceptional is a purple beige nude for daytime, while Settle For More is a berry wine for drama. Here is the full comparison.
| Factor | Maybelline SuperStay Ink Crayon in 25 St | Maybelline SuperStay Ink Crayon in 65 Se |
|---|---|---|
| Shade | 25 Stay Exceptional, purple beige | 65 Settle For More, berry wine |
| Mood | Soft, polished, neutral | Bold, dramatic, rich |
| Best occasion | Work and daytime | Evenings and events |
| Wear time | Up to 8 hours | Up to 8 hours |
| Finish | Comfortable matte | Comfortable matte |
| Fair skin | Defined nude | Statement berry |
| Deep skin | Soft neutral | Rich and glowing |
| Price | Check price | Check price |
Our Verdict
Stay Exceptional wins for daily wear, office looks and nude lip lovers. Settle For More wins for evenings, events and anyone craving berry depth. Both use the same 8-hour crayon formula, so keep both: nude by day, berry by night.
More Top Picks in This Category
Not sold on either of these two? Here are more bestselling options worth considering.
Best for: A rosier take on the nude crayon
Maybelline SuperStay Ink Crayon in Reach High
- Up to 8 hours of matte wear
- Rosy pink nude shade
- Built-in sharpener precision tip
Pros
- Rosier alternative to Stay Exceptional
- Softer look for fair skin
Cons
- Lighter coverage than deeper shades
- Fades faster on the inner lip
Best for: 90s brown nude lip trends
Maybelline SuperStay Ink Crayon in Achieve It All
- Up to 8 hours of matte wear
- Brown nude 90s-inspired shade
- Built-in sharpener precision tip
Pros
- Trendy brown nude tone
- Great with bronze eye looks
Cons
- Brown can wash out cool undertones
- Needs blush to balance
Best for: Brighter mauve days when nude feels dull
Maybelline SuperStay Ink Crayon in On The Grind
- Up to 8 hours of matte wear
- Purple mauve pink shade
- Built-in sharpener precision tip
Pros
- Brighter mauve for more color
- Fun weekend alternative
Cons
- Bolder than Stay Exceptional
- Pink-purple not for everyone
The 90s Brown-Liner Ombre: A Dedicated Technique Guide
The brown-nude Achieve It All shade on this page is practically made for the 90s ombre lip that is driving liner sales again, and the technique is specific. Line the outer edges of the lips with the deeper brown shade, slightly overlining the cupid's bow and the center of the lower lip if you want fullness, then fill the inner part of the lips with a lighter nude or concealer-toned product. The critical step is blending: use a small lip brush or your fingertip to blur the line where the dark edge meets the light center, creating a gradient rather than a visible ring. Set the whole thing with a dab of translucent powder through a tissue for staying power, since ombre looks wear off unevenly without setting. This look suits the SuperStay Ink Crayon formula well because its 8-hour wear keeps the gradient intact through eating better than creamy liners. Pair it with minimal eye makeup and the lips become the statement, which is the whole point of the trend. For classic brown liner shades to compare, our MAC Whirl lip pencil guide covers the iconic 90s brown and its affordable dupes.
The Invisible Ring Problem: Liner That Outlasts Your Lipstick
Everyone who wears lip liner has lived this: hours later the lipstick center has worn off and a dark outline remains, the dreaded ring. It happens because long-wear liners like the SuperStay Ink Crayons here are designed to last 8 hours while most lipsticks fade in three to four. Three fixes work. First, fill the entire lip with the liner, not just the edge, so everything fades as one unit. Second, choose a liner shade close to your natural lip color rather than dramatically deeper, a near-match that outlasts looks intentional while a dark ring looks accidental. Third, layer lipstick over the filled liner and blot, the lipstick bonds to the liner base and wears more evenly. The crayon format here actually helps, since the wider tip fills lips faster than a slim pencil. Avoid the temptation to just reapply lipstick over the ring without blending, it emphasizes the line. If you love the ombre look from the previous section, accept some ring as part of the aesthetic and carry the lighter center shade for touch-ups rather than fighting it.
Wearing Liner Alone: The Minimalist All-Over Lip
Lip liner worn across the whole lip is a legitimate minimalist look, not a mistake, and crayon formulas like these are ideal for it. The technique: fill the entire lip with the crayon using light pressure, then blot once on a tissue and press the lips together, which sheers the color into a lived-in stain. The Reach High rosy nude here gives a your-lips-but-better effect, while On The Grind's purple-mauve reads as a deliberate fashion shade. Creamy liners work solo far better than dry wood pencils, which drag and look patchy when used all over, another point for the crayon format. For comfort through the day, tap a little clear balm over the top after blotting, it adds moisture without dissolving the stain the way a heavy gloss would. This approach is also budget-smart: one crayon doing liner plus color duty replaces two products. The built-in sharpener keeps the tip precise for the edge work, then use the side of the tip for filling. For more top-rated liner options, our best lip pencil picks roundup covers the category's best performers.