Let’s chat about lipstick today! Since vowing to get more brave in the makeup department, I thought I’d tell you how it’s been going so far and share the shades I’ve been wearing.

Part of me really wanted to go all out and do a Sephora run but I knew that I’d be kicking myself if I spent $100 on three lipsticks and didn’t wear them. I decided I’d start out with drugstore shades and if I stick to it for more than three months and still like it, I’ll let myself choose a pricier one (oh, the things we talk ourselves into). I really, really, really want MAC’s Relentlessly Red and I imagine that will be my first splurge.

I decided I wanted to try a hot pink, a bold coral and a true red and I also wanted to pick up a liner for each. I did a lot of playing around at Target with testers and assessing which colors looked best with my skin tone, keeping in mind that everything looked kind of crazy to me because I wasn’t used to it. I was able to decide on my chosen three fairly quickly with the help of my sisters, although I could have been there all day with how many choices there were. Annabelle had the most selection for lip liner colors by far and each liner came in at $3.69 a pop, which kept things budget-friendly.

 

Here are the shades I’ve been wearing so far:

CoverGirl ColorLicious Lipstick in Bombshell Pink

 This bold fuchsia shade is a lot of fun and makes me feel very flirty and feminine. These lipsticks also smell like vanilla, which I love. The formula is super long lasting, although I do tend to add some moisture later in the day with a matte lip balm. I wear this color with Annabelle lip liner in Hot Pink.

 

 CoverGirl ColorLicious Lipstick in Fairytale

This one has been my favorite of the bunch and the one I’ve worn the most. It’s a vibrant coral that’s more red than orange and I wear it with Annabelle lip liner in Coral. I couldn’t find this shade on CoverGirl’s site anymore so I suspect it’s getting discontinued. Better grab this one in stores while you can find it just in case; I really like this one. It brightens up my face and is a great starter shade for transitioning to a true red.

 

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Certainly Red

 I really like Revlon lipsticks in general. I find the formula is moisturizing and long lasting. Revlon has a great selection of red shades and after debating between a few, I finally decided on Certainly Red. I found it was a little more neutral; red lipstick that is too blue or orange toned doesn’t seem to work on me. After some searching online for swatches, I also discovered that this one has been around since 1951! I figured with that kind of track record it had to be good. True red lips felt the scariest to me but are super fun to wear once I got over that. It’s amazing what a good red lip can do. I wear this shade with Annabelle lip liner in Flame.

 

I apologize for the lack of swatches! I could not for the LIFE of me take photos that accurately 

represented the colors and for that reason I decided you’d be better off checking them out in real life.

(I’m used to taking pictures of cookies. Forgive me?)

 

Things I’ve learned so far:

 Don’t forgo liner. One day I tried it without and things went South quickly.

Blot after applying. It keeps things less messy.

 Exfoliate. If your lips are dry, lipstick will only accentuate that. Which brings me to my next point…

Add moisture. If things start to feel dry, add a matte lip balm, like classic Chapstick.

 Be prepared. Always carry your lipstick, liner and compact with you for touch ups.

This is not a low maintenance look; bold lips are definitely a commitment.

 Be brave. Branching out felt a little weird at first, but I’ve been enjoying experimenting more.

I definitely feel a little more fun and pulled together with bold lipstick.

That’s it for now! If I have any new recommendations I’ll be sure to share them.