Best Lipsticks – Ultimate Beauty Beginners’ Guide

A woman’s lips are the crowning glory of her face. A pout, a smile, a smirk – her small changes of expression can make a world of difference. Dressing up your smile with the perfect shade of lipstick creates instant glamour. As former first lady, Lady Bird Johnson once said, “Flowers in the city are like lipstick on a woman—it just makes you look better to have a little color.” 

We live in a time when shopping for new lipstick means you get bombarded with hundreds of options. Since not everyone is a makeup expert, it can be challenging to sort through the choices and find the best items to add to your makeup stash. In the ever-changing world of makeup trends, we sorted through the clutter to bring you this list of must-have lipstick for every woman. From the classic red that transcends style to that nude lipstick perfect for daytime wear, let this be your ultimate guide to finding the best lipsticks that will become your favorite beauty accessory. 

Top 8 Lipsticks of 2020 Reviewed

1. Yves Saint Laurent ROUGE PUR COUTURE SPF15Pure Color Satiny Radiance 1 Le Rouge, 1 Count

Best Long-Lasting Lipstick

The ROUGE PUR COUTURE by Yves Saint Laurent is an iconic lipstick that has been redefining and reinventing boundaries since its inception in 1978. Every woman would love this product, given the variety of colors in which it exists. Some of the available colors include the reds, the fuchsias, the oranges, and the nudes. With the best long-lasting lipstick, the choice if yours. If you are a fashionable woman, you can never claim to have encountered luxury until you use this product.

We are talking about a long-lasting lipstick that stays in place for up to six hours after application. With this lipstick, you will get anything between medium to full coverage. It features proprietary hydro-spheres, designed to give you hydrated, soft lips. You can say “goodbye” to dry cracked lips. It has SPF15 capabilities, which protects your lips against damage by UV rays. If you want an assured soft satin finish, this is the lipstick you should use daily.

Yves Saint Laurent

2. Maybelline New York Color Sensational Lip Color in Red Revival

Best “Budget” Red Lipstick

Splurging $30 to $50 on a single lipstick is not always practical and not within everyone’s budget. Luckily, there are fantastic options from cult drugstore brands like Maybelline. The best part? You are paying less but not sacrificing quality! With this lipstick, you can cop the iconic red lipstick look similar to some of the most popular brands which we won’t name any more. Here is what we love about this product:

  • It comes in a highly pigmented formula with a satin finish.
  • The cherry-red hue matches most skin tones
  • It is versatile enough to wear full, or as a lip stain

There are other red lipsticks from Maybelline you can consider if Red Revival is not your shade. Some of our other favorites include Maybelline Color Sensational Matte Lipstick in Siren in Scarlet. Trust us, with Maybelline; you won’t spend more than $8 to achieve a bombshell red lipstick look. Maybelline New York Color Sensational Lip Color in Red Revival

3. M.A.C Lipstick in Half ‘n Half

Best “Everyday Nude” Lipstick

Some women steer clear of nude lipstick fearing that it will make them look washed out. But when celebrity influencers like Kim Kardashian made nude lipstick their signature style, there is no surprise that many are now a fan of the “barely there” look.  Why is MAC’s Half n’ Half the perfect nude for everyday wear?

  • It has a creamy finish that will leave your lips looking luscious and moisturized. 
  • It is pigmented, so a little goes a long way. 
  • It flatters all skin tones without making you look like a corpse!

When you find your perfect nude shade, you can wear it to the office, match it with bold, dramatic eye-makeup, or just swipe it on for a “no make-up” make-up look on a lazy day. There is no surprise that MAC is a favorite lipstick brand because they have iconic shades fit for every woman’s lifestyle. M.A.C Lipstick in Half ‘n Half

4. Huda Beauty Liquid Matte Lipstick in Trendsetter

Best “Long-Wearing Liquid” lipstick

What do we look for in a liquid lipstick? Three must-have liquid lipstick characteristics separate the best from the mediocre. First, it must be highly pigmented. Second, it needs to be long-lasting. And last, it should not be drying and keep your lips looking moisturized. One product that ticks all these boxes is the Huda Beauty line of liquid matte lipsticks. 

  • The consistency feels slightly like oil which is light on the lips and has a buildable color and dries matte.
  • Matte coverage lasts hours without touch-ups
  • It is not too heavy on the lips even after full application leaving a soft, subtle sheen

The shade featured here is Trendsetter which is a pinkish nude that flatters most skin tones. The original collection has 16 shades to choose from including reds, pinks, and nudes. Since the line was introduced, Huda Beauty added more shades to the collection making it easier for you to find what suits you. Huda Beauty Liquid Matte Lipstick in Trendsetter

5. Nars The Multiple in Orgasm

Best “Multi-Use” Makeup

While this product may not be a lipstick per se, we still think it is worth including a multi-use makeup in this list. If you are looking for a best-value product that will reduce the clutter in your purse, here is why this make-up stick is a favorite:

  • You can use it as lipstick, blush, highlighter, and eyeshadow.
  • It comes in a creamy texture that is easy to apply which gives you an overall radiant glow
  • It is perfect for those lazy days when you don’t feel like spending too much time on your makeup.

This product is best for those who like to keep their make-up routine effortless and straightforward. With Nars The Multiple, you can worry no more about rummaging through your cluttered purse for a quick touch up before going out for drinks with your girlfriends.Nars The Multiple in Orgasm

6. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Carnival

Best “Trendy Orange” Lipstick

Coral is the color of the year, and since the fall of last year, orange lip colors have been donning runways. The trend is expected to continue, and if you are slightly timid in wearing a bold lip, this product is an excellent starting point. Revlon is a drugstore brand, which makes this an affordable purchase you won’t regret. 

Orange is more versatile than you think. Celebrities like Lupita Nyongo are seen wearing coral in the red carpet as an alternative to other bold colors. Coral is not only a fall color; you can wear it any time of the year. What we love about Revlon is not just the affordable price, but like many of their other popular lipsticks, the product is highly pigmented, does not dry your lips, and has a satiny matte finish. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Carnival

7. Givenchy Le Rouge Lipstick in 205 Fuchsia Irrésistible

Best “Pink” Lipstick

Go big or go home, right? The same applies to wear pink lipstick. Some say that pink is the trendiest color and we certainly agree. Those who love to wear red lipstick needs to switch up the game and try the Givenchy Le Rouge Lipstick in 205 Fuchsia Irrésistible. 

  • It is highly pigmented lipstick with a satin sheen.
  • Long-lasting wear with a lightweight feel and consistent bold color
  • Does not leave the lips dry after application

This fuchsia shade is bright, joyful, and youthful. If you want to feel like a millennial and join the pink lip trend, this product is a perfect choice. Givenchy Le Rouge Lipstick in 205 Fuchsia Irrésistible

8. Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer

Best Lip Gloss

Lip gloss is a returning trend from the ’90s and for a good reason. Celebrities are rocking the shiny lip trend and what we love above this product is that:

  • It is a flattering rose shade which is perfect for every skin tone
  • The shine is non-sticky, and a single swipe will leave your lips looking luscious, plump, and smooth
  • Easy to apply and long wearing

Rihanna’s entire lip gloss line became an overnight sensation because the shades flatter almost anyone. If you want to mix and match your look, wearing lip gloss is easily the best trend to try right now.

There are many other products worth mentioning in this list which we didn’t get to review extensively. Runners up include Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty Stunna Lip Paint Longwear Fluid Lip Colour in Uncensored, Colour Pop Ultra Satin Lip in Reign, and Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips Lipstick in Kim K W. Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer

How to Choose the Best Lipstick: The Ultimate Buying Guide

Apart from the suggestions listed in this article, we also want to help you with an ultimate guide to choosing the best shade, brand, and texture that fits your physical attributes and personal style. By selecting the right lipstick, you can enhance your appearance and feel more confident in putting on make-up. Makeup experts agree that finding the perfect lipstick is often achieved through experimentation, so here are some tips to help you. 

High-End vs. Drugstore

Some high-end lipsticks are worth the one-time splurge like the iconic YSL Rouge Pur Couture Le Rouge Lipstick in No. 1 included in this list. For a go-to shade like the perfect red, you won’t regret spending on quality. Nevertheless, drugstore brands like Revlon and Maybelline have become cult beauty favorites because you can achieve celebrity-inspired looks without breaking the bank. 

Buying lipstick is all about balancing your budget and priorities. If you like to keep things simple and would want to stick to a few signature shades, splurging is fine. But if you plan to build on your collection and love to experiment on different looks all the time, drugstore brands are an excellent choice to have variety while at the same time keep the cost low. 

Know Your Skin Undertone

Your skin undertone is either warm, cool, or neutral. Knowing your exact skin undertone is extremely helpful in finding a perfect shade that looks best on you. The visible veins on your wrist are your guide in identifying your undertone. Blue veins mean you have a cool undertone, green means warm undertone, and a combination of both means you have a neutral undertone. 

The Maybelline New York Color Sensational Lip Color in Red Revival we included in this list is an example of a red lipstick perfect for those with warm and neutral skin undertone. Senior MAC make-up artist John Stapleton also advise that for olive-toned skin or warm undertones, any color will do so don’t be afraid to experiment and try bold choices like the Maybelline Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Carnival.

Choosing Between Matte, Gloss and Satin Finish

Choosing a texture is all about preference. There is no hard and fast rule to wearing make-up, but satin and gloss finish lipsticks typically look more casual and great for daytime wear. Matte and liquid lipsticks that dry matte are often highly pigmented which are best paired with a dressier outfit or bolder makeup. 

This list aims to give you a foundation on the top lipsticks and lip products you need to have for every season. These are products we love and recommend you to try, but wearing makeup, especially lipstick is all about experimenting. Beauty mavens and influencers are never afraid to try something new and break the rules to express their personalities. We hope to have covered the basics and shed some much-needed light into the remarkable and exciting world of lipstick shopping. One of these lipsticks will definitely have a special place in your makeup organizer

SHARE
Previous articleBest Safety Shoes to Protect Your Feet at Work
Next articleBest Lip Glosses For All Types Of Skin and Lips
I'm a mom of 2 boys, avid cooker and active lifestyle propagandist spending 8+ hours/week to stay fit and healthy. Took my boys to travel hiking since they were 6 months old. As an contributing editor to a small local newspaper, I occasionally also write for Forbes, USAToday, etc and I care about democratic values of our Nation a lot.