Since we have had such lovely weather recently (obviously being sarcastic), I thought I'd do a post on my top 10 bright lipstick picks for summer (such a weather appropriate post). Now I know we tend to have a dull and dreary summer in the UK and if truth be told it really hacks me off because of two reasons. One, I've got a shite load of clothes in my wardrobe that I can't wear (which I've spent a fortune on), and two, it generally just makes me feel sad. So since I can't wear my bright summery clothing, I opt for bright summery makeup instead, doing this kills two birds with one stone so to speak, as I still look summery even though it's pissing down and I also feel a whole lot happier. There's just something about wearing bright lipstick that makes me feel all jazzy.
I have chosen 10 bright lipsticks that I think are perfect for summer, or should I say 'sinter' (a mix of summer and winter). Some people may love every lipstick I've chosen but some people may not hence why I have chosen a selection of different shades, from red to orange to pink to purple. So if you like pink lipsticks but hate red lipsticks, I've hopefully included a lipstick you might like. It's also important to mention that the lipsticks are bold and bright so if you're not fond of wearing bright colours on your lips, you're probably not going to enjoy this post. I've also chosen lipsticks that aren't limited edition and are readily available to anyone, how thoughtful am I!
So let's crack on and look at the lipsticks!
MAC 'Lady Danger' (matte) - £14.00
MAC 'Lady Danger' is possibly my most favourite red lipstick of all time and this is due to the colour and the lipstick itself. It's a beautiful coral toned red lipstick that has a matte finish. In terms of colour, this beauty packs a punch, it's a vibrant fiery red that is perfect for wearing in summer. In terms of the product, it is wonderful as it has excellent pigmentation, immense colour pay off, great staying power and it isn't too drying. The one thing I worried was that it would be too drying and that the lipstick would cling to the dry, flaky patches on my lips as matte lipsticks tend to do that, but I have to say that the lipstick is quite moisturising even though it has a matte finish. It's a great bright red lipstick and I thoroughly enjoy wearing it in summer.
Rimmel Apocalips in 'Stellar' - £5.99
I bought this not long ago and I have to admit that its quickly become one of my favourite bright red lipsticks. Again like 'Lady Danger', 'Stellar' is a coral toned red lipstick but in my opinion it's verging more on the coral side than the red side. It's insanely pigmented meaning you only need to use the smallest amount, and like the OCC Lip Tars, if you apply too much of the product, feathering around the edges of the lips will occur. It's important that you either use a small amount of the lipstick or a lip liner to prevent feathering or bleeding. The Rimmel Apocalips are a lip lacquer which is a hybrid of lipstick and lipgloss. Due to the Apocalips being a lip lacquer it means they are extremely creamy and slightly sticky and they will not dry down. They are ideal for those of you who have dry lips but are not so great if you don't like lip products that are either sticky or don't dry down. 'Stellar' has amazing colour pay off and good staying power. I love 'Stellar' and I'll be wearing this often as it's perfect for summer.
YSL Rouge Volupte in '27 - Rose Paris' - £24.50
There were two things that drew me to this lipstick, one, the colour and two, the packaging. I absolutely adore the colour of this lipstick and I'm so glad I bought it, even if I did cry about it's ridiculously high price tag. It's a typical bright coral lipstick, despite it being called 'Rose Paris' (really don't understand that one), and it is uber creamy meaning it's the dream lipstick if you have dry lips. It's also very pigmented and has great colour pay off meaning you only need to use a small amount. However, there is one issue. I'm not going to bullshit here by saying that it has amazing staying power because it doesn't, if you drink or eat, it's game over.. it will be all around your mouth and on your chin. So to sum up this gold tube of lovely coralness, it's a gorgeous colour, has great pigmentation and the packaging is beautiful but the staying power needs tweaking. If you were planning on selling a kidney in order to buy one of the YSL Rouge Voluptes, I'd have a re-think but if you're in the position where you can easily splurge on a £20 lipstick, then go ahead!
MAC 'Costa Chic' (frost) - £14.00
Now I'm not going to lie, I'm really not a fan of MAC's frost finish lipsticks as I haven't had any pleasant experiences with them. I have MAC 'Tanarama' (also a frost finish) and every time I wear it, it makes me feel like I should be in Saved By The Bell sporting a high ponytail and uber high waisted jeans. I think MAC 'Costa Chic' is the only exception when it comes to MAC frost finish lipsticks as it's utterly beautiful, I love the colour and yes, I love the finish. 'Costa Chic' is a light coral colour, it also have a slight sheen to it which makes it different from other coral lipsticks on the market. It has great pigmentation and staying power and it also feels silky on the lips. The only thing I will say about it is that you have to build up the colour as one layer can look patchy and uneven. Personally I don't mind building up the colour as I like to spend a while doing my lipstick, every ounce of my makeup has to be perfect. 'Costa Chic' is a lovely summery lipstick and I would recommend it to anyone, especially to those of you who want to wear a coral lipstick but don't want to wear a mega bright 'in your face' coral lipstick. It's also a lipstick that would probably suit everyone, it doesn't matter if you have a light, medium or dark skin tone, this lipstick will suit you. I love it and I especially love wearing it when I've got a tan.
OCC Lip Tar in 'Divine' - £12.00
I love OCC Lip Tars hence why I own about 500 of them, they come in a whole array of bright colours which can be worn alone or mixed together. OCC Lip Tars are so super pigmented and have insane colour pay off so it means you only have to use a small amount, and when I say small I literally mean pin head sized amount. The reason why you have to use a small amount is because they spread like wildfire, if you use too much then feathering will occur around your lips. It's also important to apply the lip tar with a lip brush as you physically cannot apply it directly from the tube, if you attempt to apply it from the tube you're going to be in a pickle. They also have incredible staying power, especially when when over the top of a lip liner, meaning you don't have to worry about re-applying. I love OCC Lip Tars and I especially love 'Divine' as it's a fab coral lipstick. Just like 'Costa Chic', 'Divine' would be the perfect coral lipstick for anyone who doesn't feel brave enough to wear an extremely bright coral lipstick.
MAC 'Viva Glam Nicki' (satin) - £14.00
I bought this when it was first released and it's become one of my favourite lipsticks ever since. It's one of my most worn lipsticks as I tend to wear it at least twice a week. If I were to write a 'favourite lipsticks of all time' post, this baby would definitely be in it. 'Viva Glam Nicki' has a satin finish and is described as a bright yellow toned pink lipstick, it's quite bright but can be worn lightly if you're not a huge fan of very bright lipsticks. 'Viva Glam Nicki' also has a satin finish which is great as it's soft and creamy, ideal for anyone who wants a bright coral/pink lipstick but has dry lips. 'Viva Glam Nicki' is pigmented, has good colour pay off and has great staying power (and that's WITHOUT a lip liner). I absolutely love it and I personally think it's a great lipstick for wearing in the summer. I honestly think I'm going to buy a backup because I'd be devastated if they ever discontinued it.
YSL Rouge Pur Couture in '22' - £25.00
I love wearing this lipstick in summer as it makes me feel girly and summery, a bit like a barbie really. '22' is a blue toned baby pink, it's identical to MAC 'Viva Glam Gaga' except it's a little brighter hence why I included '22' instead. '22' ticks all the boxes in terms of packaging, pigmentation, colour pay off and staying power but the only thing it lacks is opacity as it can be a little patchy. Due to it being patchy you have to build up the colour to make it even. If you wear a lip liner underneath it you don't have to build it up but if you wear it alone, you do. '22' is a perfect colour, especially for wearing in summer.
MAC 'Candy Yum Yum' (matte) - £14.00
MAC 'Candy Yum Yum' is my all time favourite bright pink lipstick and I think the above photo explains why. 'Candy Yum Yum' has a matte finish and is described as a neon pink and that's exactly what it is, it's probably the brightest pink lipstick I've ever come across (and I've come across a few!). It's not a lipstick for the faint hearted so if you don't like insanely bright lipsticks, you won't like this, it's not as if you could wear it lightly either as it would still be quite bright. 'Candy Yum Yum' has great pigmentation and colour pay off and due to it having a matte finish it also has great staying power, it lasts around 10 hours on the lips.
Maybelline Color Sensational Vivid in 'Hot Plum' - £7.19
My mamma absolutely loves the Maybelline Colour Sensational Vivids and has told me to try them for months. Since I'd forgotten all about them, she recently bought me one so I could see how amazing they are. She bought me the shade 'Hot Plum' as she knows how much I like purple and pink lipsticks. 'Hot Plum' is a purple toned pink lipstick and it has a satin finish. It's very pigmented, has great colour pay off and it has incredible staying power. I'm not exaggerating when I say this but it's honestly better than any high-end lipstick that I own, I would definitely choose one of the Vivids over a MAC lipstick any day. A MAC bright lipstick usually lasts around 5-6 hours on the lips whereas 'Hot Plum' lasts all day on the lips, and that's without using a lip liner. Another positive thing about 'Hot Plum' is that it's really hydrating meaning it does wonders for dry lips. I love 'Hot Plum' and I'll definitely be wearing it loads in summer.
OCC Lip Tar in 'Hoochie' - £12.00
I'm not going to go into much detail about OCC Lip Tars as I explained about them earlier on in this post. All I can say about 'Hoochie' is that it's a beautiful bright purple lipstick. This won't be many people's cup of tea as it is rather bright and it is different to the norm as it's not a pink, red or orange toned lipstick but I thought I'd include it as it's a fab colour and it's a lipstick I'd definitely wear in summer. So, if like me, you like wearing unusual shades of lipstick, you're probably going to love this.
Swatches
As you can see, all these lipsticks are extremely bright and are perfect for summer. I hope this has helped you discover some of the bright lipsticks that are on the market.
I hope you all liked this post and if you have any questions, please feel free to comment below.
Much love,
Cole
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