As a beauty enthusiast, grad student and recreational alcoholic, I have accumulated a vast collection of lipsticks and enjoy a good berry and red shade that looks great in everything from flash photography to dimly lit clubs, stays on all night and still look sexy AF. So my collection includes everything from fantastic, not-so-great, to downright terrible ones, and I am here to ensure that your next party helper is a good investment.
For reference, I fill in my lips with liner, apply, blot, reapply, set with powder, and some still don’t hold up. I mean, COME ON!! And honestly, I can’t be bothered to constantly reapply or worry about my lips looking okay — with no bleeding, smudging, or them finding their way to my front tooth. Also, I’ll probably be at least a little bit tipsy (okay, pretty drunk) so my applying and touch up skills kind of takes a hit as the night progresses.
I’ll start off with the cult favourite, Mac’s Ruby Woo. Usually not a fan of the Retro Matte formula as it’s chalky and dry to apply. Luckily, it’s not too hard to work with because the weather is warm here. It doesn’t bleed out or settle in fine lines, and that’s why it’s also slightly drying on the lips. It can also double up as a lip stain if applied right. Verdict- stays put, you can drink and eat with no worries. It does not completely survive oil, but only the inner ring fades.
Next is my giant crayon favourite, Nars Velvet Matte in Cruella. It’s great that there’s a spring in the cap so it’s impossible to flatten the tip if you’re too excited (read: drunk) when you’re putting it on. Easy to apply, pigmented not creamy. Feels very thin on the lips, doesn’t transfer too easily. It doesn’t however, fade too evenly. So it’s better to double check this one!
NYX soft matte lip creams have always had a huge following with good reason. They’re cheap and come in SO many shade options. It doesn’t dry down super matte, which means no drying of lips, but also that it transfers quickly. No red ring and no need of major touchups. You can wear this if you go out and are not planning to kiss anyone — it’s very non-smooch-proof.
Kat Von D’s liquid lipsticks have been recommended to me by pretty much everyone, everywhere. So I picked up Backstage Bambi and decided to roll with it. Mine lasted through a greasy pizza, multiple glasses of drinks, an accidental nap, and I absolutely can’t wait to get more shades!
Honestly, all these are great. A few more worth mentioning are Chanel’s Rouge Allure and Sephora Cream Lip Stain. But for going out, I’d lean toward Kat Von D or NYX. Ruby Woo if it’s dinner, but my daytime go-to would be Nars!
(The writer loves to over-share, drink wine and watch period dramas)