I have loved red lipstick forever. There’s something about throwing on a velvety, lip-popping colour that boosts my mood like crazy. There’s a reason the Hollywood starlets of yesteryear sported it so regularly. Even if the rest of your day isn’t going to plan, swiping on your favourite shade can pep you up no end.
2020 was my year of lipstick. I was wearing it almost everyday in peak pandemic. Even when I was wearing a white t-shirt, leggings and ugg boots, I looked put-together for my Zoom meetings. Sometimes, putting on the lipstick was enough to encourage me to get into an actual outfit. Last year I found myself reaching for it pretty regularly. I even knew I needed to take my mental health more seriously when I realised I couldn’t even bring myself to wear my lippy.
While the lipstick index might have fallen out of use (thank you masks), I still think lipstick is a simple way to make you feel better and bring some fun to your day. I’ve rounded up a few of my favourite lipsticks below.
The best all-natural lipstick
The Moisture Shine Lipstick from Nude by Nature is my favourite all-natural/non-toxic option. I use Garnet, for a butter red with just a hit of earthiness in the berry shade. It smells lovely, slides on beautifully and really does moisturise. I would note that it doesn’t have the staying power of other lipsticks, which is definitely a downside in the mask era.
The best stay-all-day options
Fun fact, I wore the All Day Cherry shade of the Maybelline Super Stay 24 for my wedding. It literally did stay on all day, through kisses, photos and food. I think I might have touched it up once towards the end of the day? It’s got a nice little shimmer, and the moisturising end keeps things comfortable. I would say the only downside is it take a while to layer, as you need to let it fully dry. It can feel a little drying as well, so definitely use the moisture stick.
Other favourite of mine was Stila Stay All Day from Mecca (I think I had Firey). Goes on like velvet, but could be a little drying towards the end of the day. Still, it really does stay on, and the colour is so saturated you don’t need to layer.
My wild card
While I’ve always found vibrant berry shades suit me best, this is my wild card. I love this bright pink for when I want to be more unexpected and have a bit of fun with things. I love it with a white tee and jeans combination. Lifts that tomboy look like nothing else. I’ve actually run out of this one, so it might be time to get another tube …
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[…] So, I wanted to check in. How are you going? I hope that you’ve been having a good week. But if you haven’t, know that it’s okay. There’s a weekend ahead, and a new week after that one. And there’s always lipstick. […]