Red Lip Classic

Let it be known that I love a bold coloured lip. Let it also be known that I love eating, and talking, and kissing, which are all inconducive to the staying power of said bright lips. More often than not, I apply my lipstick in the morning, only to have it wasted all over my first cup of coffee, or smeared about my face by mid-morning — and I can't be the only one.

So after much trial and error, as well as — let's face it — my penchant for buying far too many lipsticks, I have consolidated my go-to collection of lip products when I want the colour to last all (work) day. 

I’m sticking to red lip products, because red is bold, powerful and classic, and you should have at least one great red lipstick in your make up arsenal, because you never know, right? All of the lower-end variety, because that is my jam (and price range).

NYX Matte Lipstick - Perfect Red

Matte lipsticks are generally more long-lasting than their high shine companions, but since they are lack moisturising agents, they also get pretty uncomfortable to wear, fast. However, NYX’s Matte Lipstick magically skips that gross feeling and goes straight to being extremely pigmented and long-lasting. Also, it’s hella cheap, so you can’t go wrong.

Special mention: NYX Retractable Lipliner - RED 

Because it's a pencil, NYX's lipliner is super easy to put on. It’s also waterproof, stays on the lips, and is retractable, so you don't need to fuss with a pencil sharpener. It's a lazy person's dream. Though you might want to pair it with a little gloss, or even your favourite moisturising red lipstick (this is a lip pencil, after all) because it does tend to get a little dry after a while.

Rimmel Provocalips - Play with Fire

While I am not a huge fan of the two step colour/gloss combo, I decided to give Provocalips a try — it was on sale after all, and I had heard good things. Play with Fire is the darker of the reds, blue-based and super flattering for my skin tone. I recommend applying the colour onto a clean lip canvas: wipe off any balm or gloss you may have on, because the product is going to slide right off. It dries kind of uncomfortably sticky, but that’s when the gloss swoops in and makes your lips feel like normal again. Also it makes everything shiny.

Special mention: Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquer - Apocaliptic

The predecessor to Provocalips, this is Rimmel’s version of the lipstick/lipgloss hybrid that was so popular a few years ago. The Apocalips line is crazy pigmented and similarly, it transfers like crazy. But I’ve noticed that even though I’ve left a trail of lip stains all over my coffee cups, spoons, and tissues, there’s still enough product on my lips to say “nope, haven’t eaten a goddamn thing”. So it’s obviously magic.

Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm - Standout

Again with the matte! But I’m slightly addicted to the Revlon chubby stick rip-offs, so I have them in several colours and finishes, and I’ve found that they all have quite good staying power. Some of the glossier original balms fade to a nice stain, which is really all I could ask for. Once though, I wore a combination of Romantic and Crush, then proceeded to eat my way through a fancy degustation menu. Right before dessert, I got up to use the bathroom and noticed that the colour had lasted all the food and wine. I was amazed. I was also possibly food-drunk (and regular drunk). But still, that’s how good the Revlon Colorburst balms are. 

I heard that Standout is a dupe for Revlon's Strawberry Suede lipstick, which is sadly now discontinued. So I highly recommend this particular colour, if you're into that.

Obviously, the trend in long-lasting lip products is a little bit of matte action. Everybody says you can extend the staying power of any lipstick by blotting, applying powder, reapplying, and continuing until you get the desired effect — 

but who even has the time? 

Nobody.