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… that’s also office-friendly.
It’s kind of weird how much a lipstick color can change the way you look. I remember once wearing red lipstick to work and all day, all I kept hearing was how different I looked. Red lipstick, while very much a classic and I love wearing it places other than work, can be intimidating. I’ve always been into mauve, dusty rose, and nude-ish lip colors because that’s what I feel most comfortable wearing.
Another plus? Colors like red tend to get literally everywhere. Like, why is there red lipstick on my earlobe? I don’t remember applying it there… I mean, at least I am hoping that it isn’t just me.
When it comes to office-friendly or those “everyday” colors, I always went for “barely there” nudes because wearing bright shades always requires a few touch-ups during the day which most of the time, I just can’t be bothered with.
So, it’s not really that I wouldn’t feel comfortable wearing colors like deep or bright reds to the office. There is so much work with those colors- you have to prep and prime, make sure that the application is flawless. I have zero time for that, during the workday.
When I don’t feel like wearing a lot of makeup but still want to make it look like I put in the effort, I go for Glossier’s Generation G lipstick in Zip. Yes, it is a red, but it’s nothing like those IN YOUR FACE reds, and it has the most amazing, matte yet comfortable formula. It also compliments blue eyes very nicely and really makes them pop.
Urban Decay’s Hi-Fi Shine Glosses and Fresh Sugar lip treatments/balms are also great for those days when you’re either in a hurry or if lipstick just isn’t your thing. My favorite “everyday” Sugar balm is in Rose– it’s buildable, but just one coat adds that pretty sheer color, while also hydrating your lips. Hi-Fi Shine Glosses are also very comfortable to wear, without feeling sticky; they have a sheer color and slightly plump the lips. They remind me a bit of Dior’s Addict Lip Maximizer (this one will always be a favorite though!) Of course, one of my most used shades is 1993– no surprise here, as the lipstick version is also one of my most-loved lipstick shades from Urban Decay.
SOOC, taken in natural light, from left to right are: CT Pillow Talk, Chanel L’Amoureuse (Rouge Allure Velvet #47), Fresh Sugar in Bloom, Glossier’s Zip, Rodial Suede Lips in Big Apple, Urban Decay 1993 Hi-Fi Shine Gloss, Burberry’s Liquid Lip Velvet in Fawn, Maybelline Super Stay Matte in Lover and Revlon’s Matte Lip Color in Seduction.
Of course, there are also a few matte formulas that I love- because my lipstick collection consists mostly of matte lip products. Two drugstore superstars: Revlon’s Ultra HD Matte Lip Color in Seduction, which is a pretty nude/brown and Maybelline’s Super Stay Matte in Lover, which is a pretty, pink/mauve that has the most amazing staying power. Seriously, I took these swatches yesterday, two showers ago, and I still have a hint of color left on my arm. Again, both wear very comfortably, despite the matte formula.
Another one of my most-loved everyday lipstick mattes is Burberry’s Liquid Lip Velvet in Fawn. I mean, the formula of these is just incredible. They really do feel like velvet; incredibly smooth, and all shades I’ve tried so far have great pigment and staying power.
This roundup wouldn’t be complete without Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillow Talk. This has replaced a bunch of MAC shades I used to reach for interchangeably and it’s become my go-to color. It doesn’t matter if I’m going to work or out for drinks- whenever I can’t decide on a lip color, I ended up reaching for Pillow Talk. Universally flattering, beautiful and long-lasting.
When I’m feeling like I want to go for something brighter (usually in spring or summer) I love Chanel’s Rouge Allure Velvet in L’Amoureuse. It has a matte formula that isn’t flat and glides on smoothly. Rodial Suede Lips in Big Apple has probably my least favorite formula out of all of these (it can be drying) but I do love that it has a hint of berry and mauve.
What are some of your favorite “everyday” and office friendly lip colors? I am so jealous of those who work in the beauty/makeup industry and get to have fun with all the crazy and bold lip colors on daily basis!