Lip products are one of the most important steps in makeup application. Lips complete and can make or break a makeup look. For the longest time, I didn’t understand why my own makeup didn’t look quite right. Once I started using the right lip products and shades for me, my makeup looks went up several notches. I looked more complete and put together.
It took many years and even more lip products for me to find formulas that lasted, looked beautiful, and most importantly were comfortable to wear. The following products are my favorites in each category that meet all of the criteria above.
I would like to preface this by saying I lean toward more nudes and soft pink colors, so most of the products mentioned below are favorites due to their nude shades. I cannot attest to darker shades in the mentioned brands, with the exception of a few.
What before was a product I had never used, let alone knew existed, is now a necessity any time I do my makeup. I feel that lip liners add definition to a lip look and can take it to the next level.
My absolute favorites are the Maybelline Color Sensational Shaping Lip Liners. These glide on so smoothly and have wonderful color payoff. There are 21 shades available and retail for around $7 at Walmart. They have no noticeable scent.
My favorite shades are Nude Whisper, a neutral-pinky nude, and Rich Wine, a gorgeous deep berry. These lip liners also come with a built in sharpener to help with precise application.
Up next is a fairly recent find: the Wet’n’Wild PerfectPout Gel Lip Liner. I came across this lip liner when looking for a new berry colored lip liner. I didn’t have very high hopes for this lip liner simply because it was so cheap and Wet’n’Wild can be hit or miss. I was shocked upon first application. The formula, like the Maybelline liners, is very creamy and glides on effortlessly.
There are 11 shades available, and they retail for around $3 at Walmart. I currently only own one shade (Plum Together), but I will definitely be purchasing more.
Recently I have become obsessed with glossy lips. I honestly cannot remember the last time I did my makeup and didn’t apply a gloss. (Most days I only apply mascara and lip gloss.) Once I became obsessed, I began my hunt for gorgeous glosses, and boy was my hunt fruitful.
The Maybelline Lifter Glosses are by far my favorite lip glosses. These glosses are formulated with hyaluronic acid, commonly found in lip fillers, to hydrate and give the lips a fuller appearance. After applying the gloss there is a slight tingling sensation that is common of a plumping gloss, but it is not uncomfortable or distracting.
This gloss is available in 10 shades and retails for $7 at Walmart. All the glosses have a sweet, cupcake like scent that isn’t overpowering or unpleasant.
Of the 10 shades my favorites are Pearl, a gorgeous sparkly white; Ice, a sparkly baby pink; and Topaz, a sparkly pinky orange. They also aren’t sticky or uncomfortable to wear, and they do provide a lifted, fuller appearance to the lips. Most days I wear these glosses on their own.
My next favorite lip glosses are the Believe Beauty Lustrous Shine Lip Glosses. These glosses are very comfortable to wear. They are not sticky at all, and I honestly forget that I am wearing them. There are nine shades available, and these glosses retail for $3.50 at Dollar General. The glosses are unscented but still have that faint makeup scent.
Of the nine shades, my favorites are Tropical Punch, a pretty purple; Juneberry, a peachy pink orange; Ethereal, a shiny champagne; and Prim and Proper a pastel pink. Like the Maybelline glosses, these are stunning on their own, but do pair nicely with a lip liner or over lipstick.
I also really like the Nyx Butter Glosses. They are incredibly pigmented for a gloss and are very comfortable to wear. They are not sticky and make for a perfect glossy lip topper. There are 21 shades available that retail for $5 on the Nyx website. They have a sweet, frosting-like scent.
My favorite shades are Ginger Snap, a decadent deep, chocolate brown; Madeleine, a neutral nude; Praline, a delicate dusty rose; and Tiramisu, a radiant, rosy pink. These glosses are stunning enough to be worn on their own, but also pair nicely with a lip liner or over lipstick.
For the times when I don’t want to wear something heavy like a lipstick, I go for the Colourpop “Just a Tint” lip crayons. These lip tints are pigmented enough to be worn on their own, but are also sheer enough to be the perfect lip for a more natural makeup look.
These twistable lip crayons are sold in 12 shades. Individual lip crayons retail for $8, and sets retail for $14. The two shades I own came from the “You’re a Peach” bundle and have a peachy scent. I do not know if this is specific to this set or if all the lip tints have this scent. The shades I own (and love) are Gimme Smore, a dusty rose, and Rise N Shine, an orange peachy shade.
Next are liquid lipsticks, and I must say these are not my favorites of the lip products I have mentioned in this article. Most tend to have an overly drying finish and just don’t look good. I have found two that do not fall into that category.
The first isn’t technically a liquid lip, but more of a creamier mousse. I absolutely love the Revlon Hyper Matte Ultra HD Matte lip mousse. This is the softest and most comfortable liquid(ish) lipstick I have ever worn. I came across this product when I was searching for a berry colored lip, and upon trying it I fell in love with the formula.
There are 14 shades in the Hyper Matte collection that retail for $9.99 on the Revlon website. I own the shade Crimson Sky, and it has an almost sickeningly sweet, cherry-like scent. Once you put it on, however, the scent is no longer noticeable.
I own one of the darker shades in the collection, and it is a little patchy upon first application. It does require a couple layers to be one nice wash of color, but the formulation keeps it from getting cakey or overly dry. For this to be a hyper matte liquid lip, it is so comfortable and doesn’t look dry after it has set.
The only other lipstick I can stand to wear almost didn’t make the cut for this article, but because I am a procrastinator and didn’t immediately write this when I had the idea for it, The Rimmel London Provocalips Kiss Proof lip colour made it. I found this product when I was perusing the beauty section at Walmart like I tend to do during every Walmart trip I make. I had heard of this product when the Nyx Shine Loud went viral (gotta love the power of TikTok), and since the Nyx one is out of stock nearly everywhere, I was excited to find this in the Martin Walmart.
This dual-ended product has two steps. You apply the liquid lip first and allow it to dry completely before applying the gloss. While the liquid lip portion is drying it is incredibly uncomfortable and dry; however, once the gloss is applied it becomes so much more comfortable to wear. It is creamy, smooth and soft, with a satin finish and tiny flecks of glitter, and there is ZERO transfer. This is the perfect product for those of us who refuse to give up our pigmented lip products in our mask makeup routine.
I will say there is a strong smell reminiscent of a grandmother’s or great-grandmother’s cologne. That, however, I am able to overlook because I am so stunned by the formula, but if you are more sensitive to smells, this might not be the best choice. There are 10 shades available and they are around $7 at Walmart. I own only one shade (Make Your Move, a pinky-terracotta) but you can bet I will be purchasing other shades.
Finally, on my list of favorite lip products we have lipstick. When I started out doing my makeup, I wasn’t the biggest fan of lipsticks. I still wore them because I didn’t like doing my makeup and not having anything on my lips. I think I just hadn’t found the right one because I absolutely love lipstick now.
If you’re anything like me and you watch Beauty review channels on YouTube, you probably get targeted ads (and are sick of seeing them) for the e.l.f. SRSLY Satin Lipsticks for $3 featuring Katy Hodges and Jasmine. Well, those targeted ads worked on me. I gave in and bought one just to try it out, and I was impressed. It definitely has a satin finish and is very creamy and easy to apply.
There are 10 shades available for $3 on the e.l.f. website and at Walmart. I own the shade Nectar, an orange toned nude. This is one of the more comfortable lipstick formulas I’ve worn. It’s satiny without being slick.
Next is the Morphe Mega Matte Lipstick. These lipsticks are incredibly pigmented, and even though they do transfer some, the pigment is not lost. Even though this is an incredibly matte lipstick it is not uncomfortable or dry feeling.
There are 13 shades available, five reds and eight nudes, and retail for $10 on the Ulta website. I don’t tend to go for red lipsticks, but I love the shade Morphe, which is a beautiful cherry red.
This last product I hold near and dear to me because it is home to my perfect nude lipstick. It is so difficult to find a perfect nude lipstick, especially in a drugstore brand.
The Maybelline Color Sensational Cream lipstick in 920 Nude Lust is the perfect nude lipstick for me. True to its name, it is a sensational cream lipstick and has a nice satin finish. This lipstick has a faint, sweet scent. There are 40 shades available and are around $6 at Walmart.
If you are struggling to find lip products that are worth it without spending a fortune, I hope that my favorites/suggestions will be helpful in your search.
Pacer Photo / Hannah Hughes
