The Perfect Pout: Lipstick Favorites

Previously, I shared with you my favorite highlighters. Today I’m back with more beauty, but today we are talking lipstick. For years I shied away from lipstick, afraid that it was too much for my full lips. But what they say about your 30s is true. I discovered in mine a new found confidence and now I proudly sport a bold lip color on the regular. There are 3 brands that I’m currently loving. Check them out below!

ColourPop Cosmetics Lux Lipstick

If you’ve read any of my recent beauty posts this will come as no surprise to you. ColourPop was one of the beauty brands I purchased from most in 2018, although I didn’t discover their Lux Lipsticks until August. According to the ColourPop website these lipsticks are “enriched with our LUX Blend of hydrating butters, this creamy-matte, long wearing lipstick glides on the lips for intense pigmentation in shades made for every skin tone.” What I like about these lipsticks is that they are full coverage and apply evenly on the first swipe. The matte finish means they stay put all day.

My Favorites

• Liquid Courage – brick red
• Hello Stranger – deep burgundy
• Pencil Me In – oxblood red
• Doin Fine – red violet

Mented Cosmetics

I first discovered this brand a while back while searching for the perfect brown girl nude lipstick. They delivered in spades. Their (original) formula is a creamy, moisturizing semi-matte that is easy to apply. If you’re a woman of color they have a nude that’s sure to suit. In addition to their original formula, they also now offer their nudes in a true matte formula.  And perhaps best of all, their lipsticks are vegan, paraben-free, non-toxic, cruelty free, and produced right here in the United States.

 Recently Mented expanded their lipstick range to include shades of reds. I’m a sucker for a good red lipstick so I ordered them all. Their three red lipsticks offer a matte finish and while the shades are nice I was a tiny bit disappointed with the application. I found these reds to not be very opaque, which is my personal preference in a lipstick. It takes a bit of work to get the color pay off I desire. But they do feel nice on the lips.

My Favorites

• Dope Taupe – brown/pink blend
• Mented #5 – non-brown nude, plummy undertones
• Red Carpet Matte – classic red

Urban Decay Vice Lipstick

Regardless of what you desire in the perfect lipstick you’re sure to find a Vice Lipstick that checks all the boxes. Their color range includes bold, bright colors as well as every day neutrals. They are also 6 different finishes to choose from that include matte, cream and shimmer. Personally, I love the cream formula. With so many options to choose from it’s impossible for me to review the entire range in this post, but these lipsticks are highly rated by women who have tried them. You can check the reviews yourself.

My Favorites:

• Rapture – cream formula, dusty rose
• Nighthawk – cream formula, red-brown
• Firebird – cream formula, fuchsia

Any lipstick lover knows that if you want to have the perfect pout, it’s important to properly prepare your lips. Use a lip scrub to keep you lips smooth and rid yourself of any rough dry skin will ensure that you lip color applies and wears smoothly throughout the day.

Another tip, especially when choosing matte formulas is to make sure you moisturize. Some of my favorite lip exfoliators and moisturizers are listed below.

Exfoliators & Moisturizers

• Smith’s Minted Rose Lip Balm
• Vaseline Lip Therapy Rosy Lip
• Sarah Happ Lip Scrub
• Bliss Fabulips Sugar Lip Scrub

If you want even more beauty, check out this post on my favorite highlighters. And remember to stay beautiful!

V. Richelle