5 Lipsticks No Woman Should Live Without

When I was younger lipstick was beyond intimidating to me.  I thought I looked ridiculous with it on, and I probably did look awkward and out of place.  But of all the ways to dress up a look, lipstick has quickly become my go to as I get older.  A smoky eye feels too heavy, and it takes too long.  I have zero talent when it comes to styling my hair.  But swiping on a bold lip? That I can do.  There are now five hues that I simply can’t live without, and I’m willing to bet you need them in your life too.

1. The sexy red.

Matte or shine, blue-red or orange-red, it doesn’t matter what shade is most flattering for your skin tone, you have to have a red lip in your bag of tricks.  I love either NARS Jungle Red or Yves Saint Laurent ROUGE PUR COUTURE #1 – Le Rouge.  Jungle Red is the iconic shade from NARS, and it’s a great semi-matte look.  The YSL lipstick featured I’ve just recently fallen in love with since it was included in our swag bag from Neiman Marcus for the San Antonio Fashion Awards.  It’s a glossy red, true to color and covers beautifully.  And if you want to pick one up or try it on locally, you know Neiman Marcus San Antonio will have it ready for you!

2. The pale pink.

Ultra feminine and gorgeous on anyone, a pale, almost frosty pink is one of my go-tos when I need just a hint of color but not too much. TOM FORD in FLYNN #17 is a limited edition shade but in my opinion, he’s the best when it comes to pinky tones.  You don’t want to look washed out but with this particular lipstick there is just the right undertones to avoid the kiss of death look.

3. The subtle nude.

I once spent an entire afternoon Googling the top cult favorite lipsticks of all time, and MAC Lip Stick in Myth consistently made the cut. Flesh tones in a lipstick can be insanely difficult to pull off, but apparently this shade is a long-time choice of the queen of the nude lip, Kim Kardashian, so I gave it a shot.  It’s honestly the only nude that goes on creamy and doesn’t end up making me look like a corpse by the end of the night.  Therefore, it’s safe to say I’m a fan now as well.

4. The deep merlot.

Marsala, the Pantone color of the year, has been all over the runways on model’s perfectly painted pouts.  Laura Mercier Creme Smooth Lip Colour in Merlot is one of my favorite variations of this shade because it’s dramatic without going overboard.  It’s a little ’90’s grunge meets mysterious vampire of your dreams.  But in a very, very cool way. 😉

5. The fresh berry.

Now if you tend to lean towards lipsticks with blue understones, this is going to be your jam.  I absolutely love this creamy NARS Semi-Matte Lipstick in Funny Face for daytime or date night looks.  It’s a little feisty, and a whole lot of fun.  And it fades on your lips ever so slightly to a just bitten look, flush and ripe for kissing.  Or whatever else you’ve got up your sleeve.  I actually worry this shade to the San Antonio Fashion Awards and it was perfect for a day-to-night extravaganza.

Also, can we talk about this BAG?! As much as I love my lipsticks, this almost steals the show when I pull it out to select a shade for the day.  Breakups to Makeup is already well-known for their cheeky slogans strewn across makeup bags, apparel, and more, but this new size of clutch is perfect for tossing in a few must-have items and including it in a larger tote.  It’s perfect for the girl who loves her makeup, but also has a sense of humor.  Because when you’re spending this much of your paycheck on mascara and contouring palettes, you gotta be able to laugh about it, right?  Check out more of their catchphrases and clutch sizes here.  And tell me what lipstick shades you can’t live without in the comments!

XO,

A

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P.P.S. I was gifted with a makeup clutch for .  Don’t worry though, all opinions are my own!