Every girl out there has a passion for lipstick and that’s a natural fact. From the rainbow of colors available to the shiny bullet-shaped tubes it’s packaged in, there’s nothing about lipstick we don’t love. Except for the fact that there are more ways to mess up your perfectly applied lip color than there are brands of cosmetics. Smooching, smoking, sucking down coffee (or a mid-morning cocktail, for that matter) - these are just a few of the ways that lipstick finds its way off your lips and onto blank surfaces of all kinds. Luckily, cosmetic companies have learned a lot about what us ladies are looking for in a lipstick since the days of old and have subsequently brought us one of the great inventions of the modern age: long wear lipstick.

Long wear lipstick is like mana from the Goddesses. A lipstick that stays on through kisses, cookies, and other various activities without fading or rubbing off? It’s utter genius! Why didn’t Edison invent it before the light bulb? Unfortunately, like its lesser lasting compatriots, long wear lipstick is not without its downsides, the chief of which being how incredibly drying it is (moisturize your lips before even thinking about applying; if you don’t, you’ll look - and feel - like you’ve been making out with a crocodile). There is also the fact that an incredible number of brands are currently producing their version of the long wear lipstick miracle. With so much choice laid out before you, it’d be easy for the average girl to get confused and buy the wrong thing. But never fear! I, Mrs. X, have road tested several of the more popular choices in long wear lipstick and am here to give you the low down on them all. And I never lie.

I’m going to start on the more expensive end of the spectrum because it makes me feel rich. Christian Dior’s Diorific Long-Wearing True Color Lipstick is, well, Diorific in every sense of the word. Its lovely gold dumbbell package is opulent and the colors contained therein are bright and heavily pigmented. These colors are not for the faint of heart or the pale of face. Sadly, even Mr. Dior can’t keep his long lasting lipstick from turning tacky after a few hours on the lips; not what you expect for $24.50.

Keeping it in the high tax bracket, Estee Lauder offers the fantastic Double Wear Stay in Place Lip Duo ($24). It is more typical of the long lasting lippies as it comes in a dual color/gloss tube. Apply the matte color first, and then gloss up to seal it in. The gloss end of the tube is equipped with a nail polish-like teensy brush to better apply the shine. But look out - it’s very sticky, so pull back your hair unless you want it shellacked to your lips. If you’re married to the lipstick and can’t abide by gloss, Clinique Long Last Shine is a decent alternative, but without the additional moisture to soften up the lips, you may look like you’ve been drinking seawater after a few hours. I know I did.

Moving into drugstore territory, there is no shortage of similar products for much less money. Sadly, with the drop in price there is also a drop in quality. Many of the long lasting lip colors from our favorite cheap brands like Wet n’ Wild and Cover Girl are just too damn drying and smell vaguely chemical when applied. L’Oreal’s Infallible Lip Color is tempting and attractively packaged, but only lasts about 4 hours - great for date, not so great if you need it to last all day (and possibly all night). A classic drugstore caliber long wearing lipstick is from our friends at Max Factor. Their cutely named LipFinity line is similar to Estee Lauder’s color/gloss duo, except it’s $10.89 and feels like it. Remember what I said about looking like you’ve made out with a crocodile? Unless you have a soft spot for the scaly type, forgo the LipFinity for the fabulous Revlon Colorstay Overtime Lipcolor ($11.95) - same idea, much better execution. It goes on smoothly, sets beautifully, and does not budge, no matter how many hot wings you scarf during happy hour. I’ve personally stocked up on a case of the stuff: It appeals to my vanity and my frugality. Plus my lips look amazing for days on end. So go ahead, drink that cocktail, eat that bucket of popcorn, kiss that cute boy, and blow your money on a new pair of shoes - our ladies at Revlon have got your back.

***Picture thanks to Plan 59***

This entry was posted on Monday, June 23rd, 2008 at 7:22 pm and is filed under Who Doesn't Love a Makeover?. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.