I love skin so much that I think wearing foundation should be illegal.
Okay, okay, I’m being dramatic.
But seriously, I don’t wear any foundation or concealer. My real vice though?
I. Freaking. Love. Lipstick.
You’ll never catch me out in public without something on my lips, whether it’s lipstick, gloss, or plain old Vaseline.
I’ve tried a thousand lipsticks and hated 997 of them. For me to like a lipstick, it has to pass the following criteria:
Nude, pink, or red (I don’t wear any other shades)
Lasts a good eight hours of wear without reapplication
Doesn’t dry your lips out *or* flake
These usually end up being liquid lipsticks. And like I said, 99.7% don’t pass the test!
But here are the three that do:
Nars Powermatte Lip Pigment ($28)
I just recently found this one a few months ago, and it’s my absolute favorite.
I have never worn a lipstick as comfortable and long-lasting as Nars.
Unfortunately, it’s also the most expensive of the bunch, but I’ve learned over time that lipstick isn’t something to skimp on.
Trust me, if you’re looking for a lipstick that lasts an entire day, you need to try this one.
Caveat here: you need a steady hand and precision to pull this one off.
The formula is very liquid-y.
However, if you are as autistic about beauty as I am, you won’t have an issue.
Plus you can always line your lips ahead of time to give yourself some room for error. If you’re looking for a recommendation, I use this lip liner.
You can get the NARS lipstick here.
Sephora Cream Lip Stain Liquid Lipstick ($15)
I LOVE this stuff.
It dries down matte, comes in a ton of shades, and has decent wear time.
Unfortunately, this one just isn’t as good as Nars because the formula is thicker (in my opinion). So it’s not easy to be precise.
But if you’re not good at applying lipstick, the thicker formula might actually might work in your favor.
Also, it doesn’t last quite as long as NARS does.
But trust, it’s still really good.
Also, if you’re looking for something more comfortable, this one does better than the NARS one in my opinion.
You can get it here.
Maybelline SuperStay Matte Ink ($11)
This is the most affordable of the bunch, and it’s good.
It’s just not great.
It stays on and is super hard to get off.
Seriously - not even coconut oil does the trick. I have to use a little dab of Olaplex No. 7 to get it off.
The shade range is good too, so there’s something for everyone.
However, it can be a little drying and does get flaky after long enough wear.
Normally I wouldn’t care too much, but the texture is thick so you can’t really layer it well.
But hey, if you’re looking for a good option on a budget, look no further!
You can pick this lipstick up here.
Final Thoughts
These 3 are tried and true staples in my life, and I’m confident you’ll like them too.
They’re all highly pigmented and comfortable to wear all day.
Buuuut, I know it’s annoying that the most expensive lipstick is the best. Look, I’m not saying you should go out and spend racks on designer lipstick.
You don’t even have to like my recommendations!
I just love lipstick, and this is the guide I wish I had when I was trying those aforementioned thousand lipsticks (kek).
My rule of thumb: splurge on the lipstick, save on the gloss.
You’ll thank me later.
Cheers,
Notes:
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