Lipstick is hands down my favorite makeup product. But with the COVID-19 pandemic forcing us all to wear masks to protect ourselves and others from the virus, my lippies have been spending more time in my makeup bag than on my actual lips.
However, while during the beginning of the world, you know, falling apart, I was spending most of my time safely locked inside my home, in recent weeks, I finally found the courage to bravely venture to a Starbucks and other outdoor spaces to see my friends.
And if you think I’m going to add a little color to my lips for these special occasions, then you’re damn right!
In celebration of National Lipstick Day, I’ve rounded up some of my favorite lipsticks that will look just as good once you’ve taken off your mask as when you first swiped them on.
So if you think lipstick is canceled just because of the coronavirus, think again. Because these lip colors aren’t going anywhere — literally.
Black Radiance Metalicious Lip Sculptor
If a metallic lip is your thing, make sure to reach for this product before you head out. For a matte finish, blot with a tissue after application. If you’re more of a glossy girl, layer on a coat of clear gloss or Vaseline after it’s safe to take off your mask.
This matte stain is a fan favorite simply because it gives you highly pigmented color that doesn’t transfer. But hey, don’t just take my word for it. “[This shade] stands the test of time and won’t be around your cheeks or chin when you take off your mask,” says L’Oreal ambassador Sir John. “This ‘peek-a-boo’ color is your much needed emotional pick-me-up. Even if you have no makeup on anywhere else, doing a lip will make you feel alive and well.”
Aside from the brilliant color and little transfer, what I love most about this product is that the applicator makes it easy to put on with zero fuss. It’s also ultra-lightweight and never drying, meaning it’s a color you can comfortably wear all day long.
Much like the don dada Pat McGrath, The Lip Bar founder Melissa Butler knew exactly what she was doing when she created her line. These matte liquid lipsticks come in a variety of colors that suit every skin tone, give you a show-stopping finish, and know how to stay put.
Thought you couldn’t find a lipstick for under $10 that would last all day and offer (literally) zero transfer? NYX said, girl, you better think again. I first tried this product years ago when I picked it up at a drugstore, and to this day I can confidently say that it was one of the best discoveries of my makeup life.
Cruelty-free, vegan, 24 hours of wear, and transfer resistant. Need I say more? Pick up CoverGirl’s Outlast UltiMatte Liquid Lipstick on your next essentials run to the drugstore.
Listen, Gucci did that when crafting this gorgeous lipstick. Offering a variety of shades, this light, smooth, creamy, and non-drying matte stays in place for as long as you want it to. But, it’s also super easy to remove at the end of the day. Another plus? It’s super lightweight, so you’ll probably forget you’re even wearing it.
(Disclaimer: I do have Chanel’s consent to post her images on designated websites including Facebook, Instagram, WordPress, and use in my digital portfolio.)
Products: – MAKE UP FOR EVER Ultra HD foundation, cream concealer palette, powder eyeshadows, Smoky Lash mascara, Artist Rouge lipstick in Passion Red, Mist and Fix setting spray – M·A·C Cosmetics Studio Fix powders to set and bronze, Tan pigment – NYX Professional Makeup contour palette, Strobe Of Genius highlighter palette.
(Disclaimer: I do have Melissa’s consent to post her images on designated websites including Facebook, Instagram, WordPress, and use in my digital portfolio.)
Products: – Dior Backstage primer, Diorshow mascara – Chanel Les Beiges foundation – NARS Radiant Creamy concealer – KVD Vegan Beauty loose setting powder – Make Up For Ever sculpting powder, Mist & Fix setting spray – Physician’s Formula Butter Bronzer – Milani Luminoso baked blush – NYX Cosmetics Epic Ink liquid eyeliner, Wonder contour stick, Powder Contour Palette, Strobe of Genius highlighter palette, Suede nude lipliner – Revolution the Emily Edit eyeshadow palette – MAC Cosmetics Soft Ocre paintpot, Honeylove matte lipstick, Smoulder Eye Kohl eyeliner – Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow pomade in Soft Brown – Ardell Wispies lashes.
(Disclaimer: I do have Alena’s consent to post her images on designated websites including Facebook, Instagram, WordPress, and use in my digital portfolio.)
Whether you wear false eyelashes at all/sometimes/always, a good mascara should not flake or smudge in any case. I’ve tested SO many mascaras, at all price points, and I’m ready to share my favourites with you!
The conic shape fiber brush provides lashes with dramatic volume and sculpted length. Opthalmologically tested. Not tested on animals.
Essence What The Fake! Volumizing & Lengthening Mascara $4.99
Enriched with nylon fibers for lashes looking incredibly thicker and longer, giving your lashes that false lash look. The nylon fibers in the formula absorb some of the liquid, making this a thicker formula, great for layering and building up volume.
Essence Bye Bye Panda Eyes! Mascara $4.99
For clean volume and defined lashes – The Bye Bye Panda Eyes! Mascara by Essence is made to last all day without smudging or clumping with their tubular formula. Plus, it’s easy to remove with just warm water.
Essence I Love Extreme Crazy Volume Mascara $4.99
The deep-black, creamy texture covers each individual lash with color and the extra-large plastic brush provides sensational volume. Opthalmologically tested.
Essence The False Lashes Mascara Dramatic Volume Unlimited $4.99
The deep black texture and unique shape of the Essence The False Lashes Mascara Dramatic Volume Unlimited fiber brush ensures dramatic volume and a gorgeous false lash effect. Not tested on animals.
The special braided design of the cap has never been seen before. Enriched with lengthening fibers, this styling mascara provides an 18hr longlasting volume effect and ensures fully extended lashes. The fiber releasing brush has the perfect shape to reach even the smallest lashes!
Covergirl LashBlast Volume Mascara $6.99
Get a blast of lush, volumized lashes! LashBlast’s patented volume-boosting formula and patent-pending brush are designed to max-out each and every lash, leaving you with the ultimate big lash look. Instant volume and fullness. Smudge and wear-proof. Hypoallergenic and suitable for contact lens wearers. “Cruelty Free”.
Rimmel Scandaleyes Volume On Demand Mascara $7.99
Lash-conditioning formula delivers a smooth, clump-free finish every time. Unique brush contains wavy fibre technology, catching, loading and separating every single lash. Sweep through hard-to-reach lashes with the tapered brush shape. Layer it up for bigger, bolder volume anytime with zero clumps. Available in two shades: bold black or natural-looking brown.
Covergirl Exhibitionist Mascara $8.39
With COVERGIRL’s Exhibitionist volumizing mascara, lashes are full and defined after only one coat. Our volumizing mascara formula glides smoothly onto lashes. Get soft lashes with no flaking or smudging. “Cruelty Free”
L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black Volume Building Mascara $8.99
L’Oreal’s Voluminous Carbon Black Volume Building Mascara has a unique formula of panthenol and ceramide-R that builds and thickens voluptuous lashes while conditioning them, so they remain supple and healthy. An exceptionally plush brush is designed to glide on just the right amount of mascara without clumping or flaking. Non-irritating, fragrance-free formula is safe for sensitive eyes and contact wearers.
Maybelline Falsies Lash Lift Mascara $10.49
Get an instant lash lift effect from a mascara. Falsies Lash Lift from Maybelline NY delivers dramatic volume and long, lifted lashes. The double curved lifting brush and fiber-infused formula grabs lashes at the root to lift, thicken, and lengthen. No clumps, smears, or flakes, just volume that lasts all day.
Maybelline Total Temptation Mascara $10.49
Build on bold volume to create irresistibly soft, separated, and fluffy lashes coat after coat. Maybelline’s Total Temptation Mascara features a creamy and whipped formula enriched with coconut extract.
Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara $10.99
This mascara unfolds layer upon layer of lashes for a new full-fan effect.
NYX On The Rise Volume Liftscara $11
Delivering quick-charge lift and volume in just a few strokes. Featuring an innovative applicator that¿s part rounded, part hourglass to lift you lashes up to new heights! The “curling” effect results in a far-reaching fringe so that eyes look bigger and lashes look thicker.
L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara $14.77
This is the mascara for voluptuous volume and length, now with even more black pigment. Soft wavy bristle brush holds maximum formula for a dramatic volumizing charge.
MAC Extended Play Gigablack Lash Mascara $20
The breakthrough lightweight waterproof formula creates beautiful defined lashes with a petite brush. This long-wearing mascara lasts up to 16 hours, yet the washable formula removes easily with warm water thanks to an innovative thermal-sensitive technology. The unique slim-type brush reaches and grips even the tiniest hairs with an advanced lifting formula in a saturated blackest black colour. This extreme defining composition enhances length, resulting in gorgeously distinguished, out-to-there lashes.
Glossier Lash Slick Mascara $20
Curls and sculpts as it lengthens, creating a natural “baby extension” effect without clumping. Teeny-tiny fibers coat lashes from root to tip, while flexible film-forming polymers lift and lock each fiber into place.
Fenty Beauty Full Frontal Volume, Lift & Curl Mascara $24
A do-it-all mascara that is designed to expose every lash, featuring an exclusive flat-to-fat brush that instantly volumizes, lifts, lengthens, and curls.
MILK Makeup KUSH High Volume Mascara $24
A high-volume mascara formulated with heart-shaped fibers, conditioning hemp-derived cannabis seed oil, and pure pigments for an intense black finish.
NARS Climax Mascara $24
With its buildable formula and stellar brush, NARS’s Climax Mascara surrounds every lash with a lightweight coating that stays supple and soft to the touch – avoiding that unwanted “crispy” feel.
Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara $25
An intensely black voluptuous volume mascara for the sexiest, defined, multidimensional lashes possible.
Benefit Roller Lash Curling & Lifting Mascara $25
A mascara inspired by hair rollers, this super-curling and lifting mascara gives a sexy, wide-eyed look. Its patent-pending Hook ‘n’ Roll™ brush features tiny custom-designed hooks to catch, lift, and curl even short and straight lashes.
Benefit They’re Real Mascara $25
A lengthening mascara that curls, volumizes, lifts, and separates lashes for an “out-of-here” look.
Lancome Monsieur Big Mascara $25
A long-lasting, voluminous mascara with a black-boosting polymer in its pigment for 12 times more volume and up to 24 hours of wear.
Marc Jacobs Beauty Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara $27
An ultra-volumizing mascara that delivers instant dimension for epic lashes.
Marc Jacobs Beauty At Lash’d Lengthening And Curling Mascara $27
A long-wear, lengthening, and curling mascara for a highly defined, full-extension lash look.
Hourglass Caution™ Extreme Lash Mascara $29
An all-in-one mascara that delivers a look of endless length, intense volume, and sky-high lift for extreme, dramatic lashes.
Hourglass Unlocked Instant Extensions Mascara $29
You can expect the longest lashes going with this new Hourglass formula. The brush easily gets through every lash, creating a defined, fanned-out appearance that stays put; it’s also a tubing mascara which means it comes off easily with water – no scrubbing needed.
Pat McGrath Labs Dark Star Volumizing Mascara $30
A gravity-defying mascara that delivers instant volume, multidimensional length, and weightless lift in a single stroke.
What are your favourite mascaras? Let me know in the comments below!
Products: – Dior Backstage primer, Diorshow mascara – Chanel Les Beiges foundation – NARS Radiant Creamy concealer – KVD Vegan Beauty loose setting powder – Make Up For Ever sculpting powder, Mist & Fix setting spray – Physician’s Formula Butter Bronzer – Milani Luminoso baked blush – NYX Cosmetics Epic Ink liquid eyeliner, Wonder contour stick, Powder Contour Palette, Strobe of Genius highlighter palette, Suede nude lipliner – Revolution Reloaded Neutrals 2 eyeshadow palette – MAC Cosmetics Soft Ocre paintpot, Honeylove matte lipstick, Smoulder Eye Kohl eyeliner – Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow pomade in Soft Brown – Ardell Wispies lashes.
(Disclaimer: I do have Alena’s consent to post her images on designated websites including Facebook, Instagram, WordPress, and use in my digital portfolio.)
Parisian makeup artist Violette’s top secret for how to apply foundation? Execute it without a trace. “I want people to say, ‘Oh my god, your skin looks amazing!’ not, ‘Your foundation is so great,'” she explains. And while finding the perfect formula is half the battle, once you have it, making like Houdini and ensuring it vanishes into your complexion is just as crucial. Here, three in-demand makeup artists share their fine-tuned tips for how to apply foundation and achieve that ever-elusive, second-skin finish.
Create a Glowing Canvas
Clean and moisturized skin is a no-brainer, but to really supercharge your glow, begin with a hydrating mask and follow it up with a lymphatic facial massage. When makeup artist Nina Park works with clients such as Zoë Kravitz and Bella Hadid, she begins with a sheet mask specifically targeted to their skin type, with ingredients such as rose to combat oiliness, aloe to treat dryness, and green tea to soothe inflammation. After masking, gently massage your moisturizer into the skin to boost circulation and reduce puffiness. “It creates a natural flush that makes the face look more awake,” says makeup artist Kira Nasrat, who helps give Jessica Alba that perpetually luminous complexion.
Prime as Needed
To prime or not to prime? It’s an eternal question for amateurs and pros alike. While Violette typically skips the extra base step in the interest of using as little product as possible, when applied correctly, it can prolong foundation for all-day wear. “I use an anti-shine primer for hotspots like the forehead, hairline, sides of nose, and around the mouth, and then a sheer, illuminating one for the tops of the cheekbones,” explains Park, adding that she applies each with her fingertips.
Only apply foundation where it’s really necessary, insists Violette, who counts Estée Lauder Futurist Hydra Rescue Moisturizing Foundation with SPF 45 among her favorites. “Start in the center of the face, on the apples of the cheeks, and slowly blend out,” she instructs, adding that another key part of the face is the area around the mouth, which is prone to yellow undertones and shadows. To ensure the foundation looks as natural as possible, Violette often skips the bridge of the nose—letting freckles show through for those who have them—and the corners of the nostrils, so the pigment doesn’t cling to dry patches.
Don’t Paint, Buff
No matter what tool you’re using—a foundation brush, a BeautyBlender, or your fingers—buff (or bounce, if you’re using a sponge) the foundation into your skin as opposed to “painting” it on to build coverage smoothly and avoid streakiness, says Park.
Strobe Wherever the Sun Hits
For dimension, blend highlighter into the high planes of the face that catch light naturally, such as the cheekbones, temples, and Cupid’s bow. “I’m not a fan of powder highlighters because it looks a bit fake to me,” says Violette. “Creamy balm textures will give you a dewiness as if you’re not wearing any products.”
Blot, Then Set
First, sop up excess oil with blotting papers. Then, look to a featherweight translucent powder to seal in foundation and prevent unwanted sheen. “Use a brush to apply it very lightly and only to the areas that get the most shiny,” says Nasrat, adding that the leftover luster is what will really drive home that second-skin guise. Silky smooth and even-toned, with just the right amount of lit-from-within dewiness, that’show you execute believably perfect skin.
(Disclaimer: I do have Katie’s consent to post her images on designated websites including Facebook, Instagram, WordPress, and use in my digital portfolio.)
