A Life In Review

It’s finally the holiday season and that means FAMILY PICTURES (if you can’t tell, I LOVE family pictures). It’s the one time of year you can make the family dress nice and doll everyone up to get the best shots (usually this involves a lot of bribery and threats on a moms part). This review might seem super silly (I actually laughed when my sister suggested it), but when you are dolling yourself up, it’s nice to add a good lipstick to your make-up routine. Hopefully this review will save you some time (and money) as you prep for family pictures this season.

To give you some background, I have loved wearing lipstick since childhood (not always in public because that wasn’t allowed until high school *rolling my eyes at my mom with teenage attitude*). Speaking of my mom, she didn’t wear a lot of makeup, but she always had lipstick. I think it ran in the family. Both of my grandmothers were the same way. Limited makeup, but always a pretty color on their lips. My obsession began then. However, when I started wearing make-up (in public) I was too afraid that lipstick would make me stand out, so I only wore it at home. It took Taylor Swift debuting her famous red lips for me to finally step out with color on.

That being said, I’ve tried so many different brands and types of lipstick, trying to find one that I could love for a lifetime. In my search I found four contenders. Along the way I have also used some not so great lipsticks. I’ll share those too and try to save you some money. It should be noted that these are all drugstore type finds because that’s where my budget is at (though I probably could have afforded fancy make-up if I hadn’t spent so much trying out all these different lipsticks).

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Burts Bees Lip Shimmer: I’m starting off with one that isn’t quite a lipstick, but I think it’s still worth noting. This lip shimmer has more of a chapstick feel, but it gives your lips a little lively tint. If you are not big on lipstick, then this is the choice for you. It doesn’t dry on your lips so you will get a light tint on anything your lips touch, but it’s not really noticeable.

Covergirl Outlast All Day Lip Cover: This one goes on like a gloss but dries on your lips. Once it dries, you put the topcoat on to “seal” in the color (it’s basically fancy chapstick). It has lasted up to 8 hours for me before I needed a touch up. However, the tubes of lip cover aren’t that large so you go through it fast if you wear it daily. That was my big draw back. I now only use this for special occasions, instead of everyday use.

Covergirl Exhibitionist Lipstick: There are SO many color options for this lipstick (sparkly, matte, bright, light, dark etc.). Each color has its own pop to it. I have 12 different colors currently. However, this is a lipstick, so it does NOT dry on your lips and everything your lips touch will get color on them. I stopped wearing this lipstick when I had a baby because I love giving her kisses (you can imagine what happens when you kiss a baby with dark lipstick on). This lipstick would work well for someone in an office job setting.

Maybelline SuperStay Ink Crayon Lipstick: This is my number one. I’ve been using it for almost a year and I am still hooked. It definitely has a crayon feel when you put it on, but it dries to your lips pretty quickly so that it doesn’t stain everything. You will need to keep it with you if you are going to be somewhere for a length of time because it only last for 2-3 hours, but it’s super easy to re-apply. I have worn it to weddings, doctors offices and just when I’m home wanting to feel pretty. It’s really versatile and totally work $8.00.

LipSense Lip Color: Hear me out. I know that this comes from an MLM, and I am the first to be skeptical of MLM’s, however, their lip products are amazing. I recently bought my first color and I was sold. This is great for big events where you have no time to touch up your makeup. With the help of their gloss, this lip color will stay on for 8 hours (I checked). I have no idea what they make it with (you can look it up), but it’s worth a shot for those of you that are busy and on the go. This is the priciest of my favorites, but it’s definitely worth it.

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Here are a few that I tried and didn’t like for various reasons (save yourself some money):
– Burts Bees Liquid Lipstick: It’s SUPER sticky and gets on everything. I hated this one so much.
– Wet & Wild Lipstick: It’s inexpensive and frankly just cheap feeling. It’s fine to use in a pinch, but it doesn’t last on your lips.
– E.L.F. Lipstick: This is another one that is cheap feeling and doesn’t last. This brand has come a long way, but I think in the lipstick front, they still have a ways to go.

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Have a wonderful holiday season and don’t be afraid to let your lips shine this year!