Anyone that knows me, knows I LOVE lipstick - all colors, all finishes.. At one point in time, I had over 350 different lipsticks. It was a bit much… I know. I finally took the time to go through all of my lipsticks and decide which I really loved and which worked best for me. Nowadays, it’s really important for me to have a smudge-proof lipstick or lip stain that will stay on for long spans of time. I went through and tested quite a few brands from LimeCrime and Lipsense to Tarte and many in between. I have gals reach out to me on the daily and ask me about lipstick colors or brands so here’s my take and suggestions. Pre-lipstick prep One thing I’ve found is that across all brands and styles of lipstick, there is one important step to get the best result - the prep process. You don’t want to have anything on your lips before applying - no makeup, no chapstick, no anything. When using any brand, I’ve found the best way to start is with a lip scrub. You can use any you like but I use Beauty Treats Sugar Lip Scrub in strawberry that I randomly found and bought one day. I love it. I squeeze a little on my lips then I rub it in for a minute or two and remove with a makeup wipe.This guarantees the best application every time. It also makes your lips feel great if you just want to revive your lips and aren’t applying lip product. It makes your lips super soft.
Lipsense I have a love/hate relationship with Lipsense. I REALLY want to love it. But I mostly end up hating it 90% of the time. Lipsense is a different formula and application so you have to handle it differently. When you put on lipsense, you can’t run the applicator back and forth - it will cause flaking later. You have to do one swipe across the top lip then one swipe across the bottom lip. You let each layer dry and then you can add another. Optimal layer goal is 2-3. Then you seal it with their gloss. They have a few different types of gloss but I either use the matte or the glossy gloss. I LOVE the finish and look of the matte but it doesn’t work as well or stay as glossed over so then the Lipsense starts getting sticky and flaking off. You also have to make sure you aren’t dehydrated and must drink water throughout the day for optimal staying power. I’m assuming this has to do with the alcohols or something in the product. When I get Lipsense to work, it’s great. I can wear it all day long and not worry about anything. I can eat things are oily or messy and it stays in place. But it’s very hit or miss for me. Mostly hit unfortunately and I end up VERY frustrated. It’s also insanely difficult to get off when you are ready to remove. The remover they sell doesn’t really do anything. I’ve tested many ways to get the product off. Often I will use a makeup wipe but I have to scrub so much it tears my lips apart. I did find that using Rodan & Fields toner (I’d imagine most toners would work) got the job done. So thankful to have found that quick trick.
Shown: Various shades of Lipsense with both matte gloss and glossy gloss
MAC While the MAC lipstick I have isn’t slated as a smudge-free lipstick, it stays on pretty well for a lipstick. They have recently launched a new Pro Longwear lipstick that is supposed to be fantastic and super smudge-resistant but I haven’t tried it. MAC always has good quality lipstick though. I will say, I threw on my MAC lipstick in the color Mehr and threw on my NYX lip liner in before going to the fair and was blown away with how well it stayed, even after multiple pineapple drinks and glasses of wine. It’s not my go-to for long-wear but it’s a good product. It’s also very simple to remove, just a quick swipe of a makeup wipe. I use the Burt's Bees Cucumber & Sage.
My go-to colors: • Mehr
Shown: MAC Mehr
Shown: MAC Pink Pigeon
LimeCrime I had a friend introduce me to LimeCrime and I really like their products. Some of their colors look absolutely terrible on me but it doesn’t dry your lips out like LipSense and stays on pretty well. The matte colors sometimes make my lips look dead. I have to try the various colors. The only thing that sucks about this is that I have to order them online so it’s not easy to just go try a color to see if it works well on me.
If I eat something oily (think vinaigrette salad dressing) or greasy, I’ll often have some of it come off but otherwise it stays on pretty well. I use their matte velvetines and I love most of the colors in the matte finish but a few of them just look so flat and make my lips look dead. Cupid is the worst on me. Absolutely terrible haha. Thankfully, It’s also simple to remove. I can just wash my face and use my face wash and a washcloth or I can swipe a makeup wipe across my lips and get it off very easily. I have a few go-to colors in their collection:
•Riot
Shown: Limecrime Red Velvet, Riot & Rustic
Luminess I recently had a gal on Instagram send me a Luminess lip stain. I was blown away. It’s another network marketing company like Lipsense so I was a bit apprehensive but oh myyyy, I love it. It is soft and hydrating unlike Lipsense. It stays on so well. The color I have is gorgeous. And it’s easy to remove. I have the color Forever Reign. It is the perfect neutral that I can wear with literally anything. I can connect you to the gal I buy from if you are interested. Her name is Lindsey Kirk. It’s super easy to get ahold of her on Instagram- her handle is @_lindseykirk .
Shown: Luminess Forever Reign
Tarte Lip Paint My absolute favorite smudge-resistant lip product is Tarte Lip Paint. It’s probably my favorite lip products of all lip products in reality. If I’m being honest, I love all Tarte products. Their Amazonian clay foundation and powder is my go-to and I am obsessed with the way it makes my skin look. But back to the point. Their lip paints are amazing. They stay on really well, the texture is great, the finish is a fantastic matte finish. I use the tarteist quick dry matte lip paint & I am obsessed. I get asked about my lip product every time I wear these both in person and in photos.
My favorite colors are: • Bounce
• Low Key
Shown: Tarte Vibin, Killin It, Low Key, XOXO, Delish (not in order)
Other lip suggestions: My absolute favorite daily gloss for running errands or just hydrating my lips is the NYX Butter Gloss. My favorite color is Creme Brulee. It makes your lips silky smooth.
Shown: NYX Butter Gloss in Creme Brulee
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