Lipstick is the one makeup product people replace most often and think about least. It is also the easiest to get right, because unlike foundation there is no shade to match to your skin - only a decision about finish, wear time and how much attention you want the colour to draw.

What sits on the lipstick shelf

Faberlic's colour cosmetics are a core category alongside its skincare, and the lipstick section is built around finish:

  • Matte lipsticks - flat, modern colour with the longest wear
  • Liquid matte formulas - applied with an applicator, the most transfer-resistant of the range
  • Satin and cream lipsticks - softer shine, more comfortable on dry lips
  • Caring and tinted balms - sheer colour with conditioning ingredients
  • Powder and soft-nude finishes - muted everyday colour

Named lines appear and retire with the campaign cycle, so the exact products on offer change roughly every three weeks.

Matte or not: the honest trade-off

Matte formulas last longest and photograph best, and they are also the most demanding. They emphasise every dry patch and cracked edge, so they need lips that have been exfoliated and balmed beforehand. If your lips are naturally dry, or you are outdoors in cold weather, a satin or caring formula will look better at hour four even though it looks less striking at hour one.

Liquid mattes take this further in both directions: the wear is exceptional, the comfort is lowest, and they are close to impossible to touch up neatly mid-day. They suit long events, not casual reapplication.

Picking a shade you will actually wear

  • A muted rose or soft nude close to your natural lip tone is the shade you will finish the tube of
  • Bright reds and berries are event purchases - buy them as a second lipstick, not a first
  • Cool undertones suit blue-based reds and pinks; warm undertones suit corals, brick and terracotta
  • If you wear strong eye makeup, keep the lip quiet, and the other way round

Shades, finishes and the current line-up are listed in the Faberlic catalogue and change from campaign to campaign. Consultants order at a discount of up to 26 percent.