Buying lipstick badly is easy because three decisions get made at once. Taken separately they are all straightforward.
Decision one: how long it needs to last
This determines the texture, and it is worth deciding first.
- Liquid matte — the longest wear, the least comfortable, essentially impossible to touch up neatly. For long days and events
- Matte — long wear, flat modern finish, demanding on dry lips
- Satin and cream — moderate wear, comfortable, flattering on most lips
- Tinted balm — barely lasts, most comfortable, ideal for daily wear
Matte lasts longest and shows every dry patch. If your lips are naturally dry or you are outdoors in cold weather, satin will look better after four hours even if matte looks better after one.
Decision two: undertone
This decides which shades suit you, and it is simpler than the internet suggests.
Look at the veins on your inner wrist in daylight. Bluish suggests cool undertones; greenish suggests warm. If silver jewellery flatters you more than gold, that points the same way.
- Cool — blue-based reds, berries, pinks, plums
- Warm — corals, brick, terracotta, warm nudes
- Neutral — most things work
This is a guide, not a rule. Wear what you like.
Decision three: how much attention it should draw
Be honest about what you will actually reach for.
Everyday: something within one or two shades of your natural lip colour. This is the tube you will finish.
Occasion: the red, the berry, the bright coral. Buy these second, not first, however tempting they look.
Most people own the reverse of this and wonder why they wear the same balm every day.
Testing it
On your lips if possible, or the fingertip — which is closer to lip colour than the back of the hand. Check in daylight, and give it a few minutes: many formulas shift slightly as they set.
Making it last
Exfoliate gently, balm, then blot the balm off completely before applying. Residual balm is the main reason long-wear formulas slide.
For what is currently in the range, see the lipstick guide.