“Pour yourself a drink, put on some {red} lipstick and pull yourself together” – Elizabeth Taylor
Oh hello friends & Happy Monday!
Can you believe Christmas is only a few days away?! I sure as heck can’t!
Over the last few weeks, I’ve been watching my favorite YouTuber’s post their holiday makeup looks which of course, has made me want to rush over to Sephora.ca in search of some bright red lippies. For some magical reason, I’ve been able to fight off every single one of those urges + do something I NEVER do. That’s right friends, your lipstick obsessed girl has been SHOPPING.HER.STASH. Who would have guessed that with over 300 lip products in my collection, there would actually be a handful of incredible red options already at my disposal!
So far this month, we’ve chatted about the best binge-worthy Holiday movies, my top gift ideas, stocking stuffers AND holiday candles. But today my dear friends, we’re chatting…LIPS. And red holiday lips at that!
Whether you’ll be spending the holiday’s on Zoom or will be surrounded by the folks in your household (as per the new COVID rules), I’ve got a red lip for you AND at every price point.
So if you’re looking for some great holiday lip options, then just keep on reading 🙂
GLOSSES
2020 was definitely the year of lip balms + hydrating glosses. Yes they made the inside of my mask look like a murder scene, but all in the name of beauty, am I right?!
Too Faced Lip Injection Extreme in “Cinnamon Bear”
2020 was also the year I rediscovered my love of lip plumper; more specifically, the cult classic Lip Injection Extreme by Too Faced. If you’re not familiar with this brand of plumpers, man oh man do these ones hurt (but in an oddly satisfying way haha). Anytime I didn’t have to leave the house, I found myself reaching for one of the 6 Lip Injection Extreme’s I currently own (because could you imagine getting THAT all over your face with a mask on? OUCH!).
While these plumpers are typically clear (or with a hint of sparkle), as part of their holiday collection they launched the most gorgeous red shade called “Cinnamon Bear”. As you can see from the above swatch, it has the perfect amount of color with a hint of red + pink reflects which believe you me, make the lips look big and juicy (aka my dream). While I’ve been wearing this alone, I do think it would also be the perfect little topper over any red lipstick shade.
MAC Lipglass in “Mingling”
Ahh the MAC Lip Glasses.
Do these take anyone else back to a MUCH simpler time? If my memory serves me right, I believe these Lip Glasses were the first “high-end” lip purchase I made as a pre-teen lipstick lover (and I’ll use the term high-end since at that age, anything that I didn’t buy at Shoppers Drug Mart sure felt that way). While reminiscing about my past with the Lip Glasses gives me ALL the warm and fuzzies, the thought of actually wearing them is a WHOLE other ball game, one I don’t particularly want to participate in.
SO, let me be clear my sweet friends. Because MAC sells to China, they DO still test on animals, which I am NOT here for. And so, my point in including “Mingling” in this post is to share with you how gorgeous and perfect the shade is for the holiday’s. In doing a little bit of research, a possible dupe for MAC “Mingling” could be the Hourglass Unreal High Shine Gloss in “Impact”. While the Hourglass shade might be a tad more plum, I do think it’s a gorgeous shade that would work overtop of a red lip liner!
What do you think? Are they similar?
FENTY Beauty Gloss Bomb in “Cheeky”
What are my top 3 fav lip gloss formulas you ask?
Hands down one of them would have to be the FENTY Beauty Gloss Bombs.
1) They smell divine
2) They’re SO comfortable + are hydrating AF!
3) The shade range is actual perfection (literally every shade is incredible + totally wearable)
Last year, FENTY launched their limited edition Glossy Posse Holiday set which included 5 never before seen shades from the brand. Included in that lineup was the shade “Cheeky” which in my opinion, is the most stunningly sheer, orange-y red shade with little gold reflects. While I prefer to wear these Gloss Bombs on their own (well paired with a lip liner of course), the shade “Cheeky” makes for the perfect topper over a more bold lip color.
LIQUID LIPSTICKS
Liquid lipsticks + I have never quite gotten along (which is surprising since I somehow own so many of them). They’re drying and leave your lips looking all weird and wrinkly, and HELLO, I’m not about that life. And then I tried a few of the liquid lipsticks mentioned below and…well the rest is history.
OOYOO Beauty Liquid Lip in “100”
When the incredible ladies at OOYOO Beauty reached out asking if I wanted to try out a few of their lip products, I mean how could I resist?! They’re female founded, Canadian, AND their products are incredible. The moment my eyes ran over their Liquid Lip in the shade “100”, well, my heart skipped a beat. It’s one of the most vibrant red shades I’ve ever seen.
This formula does.not.budge. Once it’s on, it’s on, so it definitely takes a commitment. I do find this formula to be a tad too drying for my liking BUT one thing I’ve been doing to combat that is layer it on top of a balm which I find helps.
RARE BEAUTY Lip SoufflĂ© in “Inspire”
I seriously can’t say enough wonderful things about these heavenly Lip SoufflĂ©s, mainly because they’ve made me rethink what it means to be a liquid lipstick. These are hydrating, YES I said that about a liquid lipstick (haha)! Trust me, I was just as shocked to discover that! So yes, they’re hydrating, they won’t dry your lips and they’re super comfy. Once applied, it almost feels like a velvety lip oil/balm hybrid. The shade “Inspire” is founder, Selena Gomez’s’ signature shade + it will blow your mind. It’s a bright orange-y red which in my opinion, makes it THE perfect shade for every season.
CHANEL Le Rouge Duo Ultra Tenue in the shade “Daring Red”
I don’t even know where to begin with this gorgeous lip duo. Packaging aside (which is stunning), “Daring Red” is the most gorgeous, classic red shade that makes all of my red lip dreams come true. Much like the Rare Beauty Lip SoufflĂ©’s, this lippie has made me believe that liquid lipsticks CAN be comfortable and not leave your lips looking all shriveled. And talk about long wearing! This formula easily stays on the lips for 6+ hours before needing to be topped up.
SMASHBOX Smashbox Be Legendary Liquid Metal in “Crimson Chrome”
This is a crazy product if I ever did see one!
It’s a glossy liquid lipstick that’s…metallic?! Weird right?! I have a hard time putting this in the liquid lipstick category because it feels exactly like a gloss with a hint of tackiness. Never the less, it’s super comfortable, long lasting and is a really cool look!
I decided to take a chance + wore this to my work Holiday party (back when that was a thing, I suppose that was in 2018) and I LOVED it! In the picture below it doesn’t look super chrome-y but up close it definitely does.
Kat Von D Liquid Lip in “Outlaw”
Regardless on where you stand on Kat Von D, her liquid lipsticks are GORGEOUS. They’re thick and creamy and I mean, the shade “Outlaw” should speak for itself. If I had to sum up Christmas in a shade, it would be this one!
LIPSTICKS
I LOVE LIPSTICK (hence Lipstick & Bubbly) but I’ll be honest, I don’t wear a lot of it. More often than not, I find them to be drying, while settling into the very few fine lines I have on my lips (which thankfully aren’t a lot – #thanksfiller). I would much prefer to wear a moisturizing gloss or balm that’s comfortable, makes my lips look full and juicy and well, bigger (because #goals). These 4 lipsticks that I’m about to share have totally redefined the lipstick game for me because they do the opposite of pretty much every other lipstick I’ve ever tried.
e.l.f. Cosmetics Matte Lips in “Wine”
A pack of 4 of these e.l.f. Cosmetics Matte Lipsticks landed in my collection a couple of years back + I’ll be honest, I turned my nose up at them and tossed them in my collection. When I wasn’t ordering from Sephora every other day in 2020, I was getting reacquainted with my stash, annnnd these lip pencils stole the show.
1) They’re pigmented
2) They’re super comfortable on the lips
3) They cost LESS than $5 CAD.
The shade “Wine” is the perfect, merlot-y shade that’s super wearable for everyday. I don’t know if these lip crayons are sold separately or if you need to purchase the set of 4, but listen, if you’re looking for an inexpensive, comfortable lipstick, look no further than these bad boys!
BURT’S BEES Matte Lip Crayon in “Redwood Forest”
Vegan. Cruelty-free. Natural ingredients. Affordable.
Tell me friends, what more do you want from a makeup brand? Burt’s Bees has some incredible products in their line and for some reason, they’re totally overlooked. I don’t know if it has to do with their placement in the drugstore or what, but they’re seriously a hidden gem. These lip crayons are available in a matte and a glossy formula and they’re both pretty great. The shade “Redwood Forest” is part of their matte collection and let me tell you, it’s stunning. It’s more of a burnt red shade that is comfortable on the lips (considering it’s marketed as a matte product) and surprisingly lasts for hours.
MAC Love Me Lipstick in “You’re So Vain”
Don’t worry, I’ll spare you the MAC rant again haha!
Ugh I wish this shade wasn’t as gorgeous as it was so I could talk about a different lipstick. “You’re So Vain” is the perfect shade for bold lip beginners. It’s described as a fuschia pink shade, but I do see it leaning more on the lighter berry side.
As far as dupes are concerned, looking at the Bobbi Brown Crushed Lip Colors, there are actually several shades that would be comparable to this one from MAC.
REVLON Super Lustrous Glass Shine Lipsticks in “Fire & Ice”
Before we jump into the last lipstick on our list, let me be very clear.
If you haven’t tried these REVLON Super Lustrous Glass Shine Lipsticks (gosh that’s a mouthful) then make it your mission to pick one up ASAP because they are INCREDIBLE. Honestly the very thought of them makes me smile because they are THAT amazing. While I know a scented lip product isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, if you like vanilla cupcake scented lippies, this is the one for you.
Scent aside, they are SO glossy, incredibly hydrating + moisturizing and pack quite the punch when it comes to pigment. Seriously, you have the option of building this up from a sheer wash of color to a bold lipstick. The shade “Fire & Ice” is a gorgeous candy apple red shade that’ll be guaranteed to get you through the holidays. It’s also worth mentioning that these Glass Shine lipsticks are available in 25 shades so even if “Fire & Ice” isn’t your jam, you’ll be sure to find one more suited for your liking!
THE SWATCHES
And there you have it friends, a handful of my favorite red lippies to get your through the holiday’s!
Do you find that you reach more for red lips during the month of December? Or does your choice in lipstick shades change based on the season? Let me know in the comments below!
Thanks so much for stopping by & until next time,
xo