On the hunt for a new lippie or gloss? What do you look for? In our fast-paced city, a long-lasting lipstick with the right hue, great hydration and lip-care qualities is a rosy dream! Here are some lipstick brands, lip glosses and colours that EL staff and readers have tried and loved, so you can find the best one for you too.
Maybelline SuperStay Matte Ink
I came across Maybelline SuperStay Matte Ink and decided to try it on after seeing many positive reviews. I picked the shade GroundBreaker that has orangey-red shades as it complemented my skin tone. One swipe is good enough to bring out the colour. It dries pretty quickly once applied, and performs well throughout the day without having to reapply – no stain on my coffee cup, and I can even enjoy heavy dishes and it’ll appear untouched all day! I picked up another shade, Enthusiast, that’s slightly lighter than GroundBreaker and I’m loving it too!
– Hana Kamal
Rouge à Lèvres Mat Lipstick in 25 Goldie Red
When Gucci first launched its makeup collection back in 2019, I was a little sceptical. But to my pleasant surprise, the Rouge à Lèvres Mat Lipstick in 25 Goldie Red has become one of my go-to lipsticks anytime I want to add a pop of colour to an otherwise neutral look. It’s a classic, timeless medium red with coral undertones and glides on seamlessly. The colour lasts a while without needing to be topped up and, although the hue is pretty vibrant, it still leaves the lips feeling hydrated for hours after application, which, for me, is a winner.
– Cynthia Xandria Tan
Clinique Pop Lip Colour – 09 Sweet Pop, and Revlon Matte Baume crayon – 205 Elusive
Lipstick is the most important makeup basic, in my opinion. My mother was never without it, and I’m the same. I’ve been using these two as my everyday basics for several years: Clinique Pop Lip Colour – 09 Sweet Pop, and Revlon Matte Baume crayon – 205 Elusive. They complement my skin tone, go with everything I wear, and moisturise my lips while staying put for hours – especially the Revlon crayon.
– Verne Maree
Fenty Beauty Stunna Lip Paint Longwear Fluid lip colour and gloss
I like long-lasting stuff! Lipstick and gloss stay on my lips for about five minutes, so my eldest daughter got me the Fenty brand’s Beauty Stunna Lip Paint Longwear Fluid lip colour and gloss for Christmas. I love the gloss for everyday use, because it’s more natural – but the lip colour is perfect for when you’re going somewhere a bit more special. It stays on much longer than any normal lipsticks. Love the colour, too – I find a lot of lipsticks look good in store but are too warm-toned when I wear them; this colour is just right for my skin tone. I like the texture and the applicators as well.
– Rebecca Bisset
Amplio Dusty Rose Lipstay
For lipstick, I love the Amplio brand’s Dusty Rose Lipstay. It’s a great natural colour for daytime wear and really does stay on all day! My go-to for lip gloss is Dior Addict Lip Maximiser, which has a plumping effect for added volume as well as shine. It’s also not too sticky unlike many lip glosses I’ve tried.
– Juliet Keys
New and Notable
Looking for lovely lips? Here are some new products we like the look of for our makeup bag…
Classic Red
Keen to have classic red lips for every occasion? Fenty Beauty has introduced a new Red Collection of Semi-Matte Refillable Lipstick designed to make the ultimate statement. Inspired by the signature red tones that Rihanna loves to wear, this lipstick was created to luxe up your everyday style and make it look effortless at the same time. There’s a triple threat of lovely shades (Danger Danc’R, Freak-Went Fly’R and Kissin’ Kutie), so everyone can find a hue to fit their mood.
Colours Galore
The new Anastasia Beverly Hills velvet-matte lip collection includes six new shades of Matte & Satin Velvet Lipsticks, four new pigmented lip liners and four date-ready lip glosses. Besides the sheer diversity of colour available for every preference and skin colour, the highlight also lies in the radiance of the glosses. Bonus point: they’re long-wearing too!
Silky Smooth
We’re fans of Gwen Stefani’s signature red lip, so we’re happy to hear we can recreate the iconic look with the cushiony, high-performance lipstick by GXVE by Gwen Stefani. It’s formulated to give a rich payoff and a smooth finish, gliding on for a bold colour in one swipe. The lipstick wears comfortably and stays put all day without fading or feathering – oh, and it’s also vegan and cruelty-free!
Available at sephora.com
Did you know?
While lipstick has been around since Ancient Sumerian and Egyptian times (Cleopatra is thought to have worn a lippy made of crushed ants, flowers, ochre, fish scales, carmine and beeswax), it only became available in its iconic cylinder shape in the early 20th century. In the 1910s, pots of lipstick were replaced by a tube that had a small lever on the side that you pushed to bring the product to the top. Then, in 1923, a Tennessee man named James Bruce Mason Jr patented the swivel-up tube that we all know and love today. Plastic replaced metal in the 1940s, and the first long-lasting “no smear” lipstick hit the market in 1950 – with the slogan, “Stays on you … not on him.
Like this article on best lipsticks and glosses? See more reviews and beauty tips in our Style & Beauty section.
This article first appeared in the Spring 2023 issue of Expat Living magazine. Subscribe now so you never miss an issue.
