There are some girls out there who are confident rocking a statement lip everyday; slicking on fuchsias, reds and purples with gay abandon. I, however, am what’s known in the industry as a ‘coward’. Bold lip colours are so risky; what if I clash, what if I get it in my hair, what if people mistake me for a clown? I prefer to stick to neutral lips on most days, and so usually have at least 8 different lip products floating around my bag at any one time, all slightly different shades of nude and pale pink.
There are 3 that I’m currently reaching for most at the moment that I decided to share with my fellow neutral-loving chicas. They’re all from different brands and are in very different price brackets, so there’s something for all the Fancy Nancys and Cheap Chelseas out there. Let’s begin with the cheapest of the 3, which has been a staple in my makeup bag for years…
Collection Lock ‘n’ Hold Lipgloss in Urban Punk – £2.99, Boots
I know some people find lipglosses a bit dated, and considering I think I first picked this up when I was still a teenager it should really be very dated. However, I just can’t let go of a decent, easy to apply nude lip gloss, and this one from Collection does the job. Lauren gave the Rock Steady shade a mixed verdict when she reviewed it here, but I will say that Urban Punk is a slightly warmer, less milky shade than Rock Steady, making it more wearable. The 6 hour wear claims are, as Lauren said, really high on the nonsense-ometer, and I apply this lipgloss fairly regularly throughout the day. But despite that, I always like how it feels on my lips, like the colour, and when it does fade it does so evenly and still leaving a nice sheen.
For £2.99 this is a cheap and cheerful lipgloss that I think still does a lot better than a lot of its similarly-priced rivals.
Bourjois Rouge Edition Lipstick in Beige Trench – £7.99 from Boots
Although it’s a drugstore brand, I always find Bourjois to be the slightly pricier end of the scale and so don’t usually get much from them. However, I fell in love with this shade during a recent swatching frenzy and had to have it. Although it looks very brown in this photo, it’s actually a cool-toned nude. With a slightly purple undertone to it, it gives quite a 90s effect while still being basic. This is the first of the Bourjois Rouge Edition lipsticks I’ve tried and I have to say, I am super impressed. The formula is creamy and moisturising, and lasts well without flaking. I still think paying £8 for a lipstick is a bit steep (you know Cheap Chelsea I mentioned earlier? SURPRISE, SHE’S ME!), but for an everyday colour that you know you can rely on, I suppose it’s worth it. It’s also double worth it if you can buy it while there’s a Buy One Get One Half Price offer on, like I did (Chelsea wins, hurray).
MAC Cremesheen Lipstick in Crème Cup – £15.50 from MAC
Finally, we have the brand that really needs no introduction. I recently added Crème Cup to my pitifully small MAC lipstick collection as I was looking for a neutral shade for my sister’s wedding, but wanted something slightly pinkier than my beloved nudes Crème D’Nude and and Pret-A-Pretty (which can look a bit foundation-lip-esque if over-applied). Once again ignore the darkness of the photo; Crème Cup is the perfect pastel pink. My toes curl at the cliche phrase ‘my lips but better’ but unfortunately that’s probably the best way to describe this shade. The Cremesheen formula is smooth and moisturising, though I do think you have to be careful when re-applying if you have any dry patches on your lips. Other than this though, it is of course HEAVEN in a lip case, and the typical vanilla scent will have you belting out “I’M SO FANCY” to any passers by.
Collection | Bourjois | MAC
So there we have my current 3 favourite everyday lip shades. If you have any you think I should try, let me know in the comments below!
These are very similar aren’t they? I’m completley the opposite to you, I find these nude shades very scary, they just don’t seem to suit me, I waaaay prefer deep reds and purples. I wish I could pull them off, because they look SO gorgeous on your skin tone. Such pretty shades. I thought £8 was quite reasonable for a lipstick when Mac lipsticks are SO expensive. So I may try one of the cheaper options here to TRY to find my perfect nude.. One day, Hehe. Thanks for sharing !
All my love,
Jamie xox Reaping Beauty
Yes, and believe me I have at least 10 other products that are also very similar 😉 I agree it does depend on skin tone too, nudes can actually look quite harsh or wash out some people – though I’m also sure there must be a nude for all, so let me know how you get on in your quest haha! xx
Bourjois rouge edition looks gorgeous!! I actually wear bright lipstick everyday so going for neutral scares me as I look really washed out but I am shopping for a few lighter colours to get out of my habit! xxx
It really is lovely, definitely going to have to pick up a couple more shades in the range! I think I need to shop around for a few more wearable brights, maybe we need a makeup swap haha 🙂 xx
I love that Collection lip gloss too! I’m like you & love pale nudes so I might have to check out these other brands too, thanks for the recommendations 🙂 xxx
Yay glad I’m not alone in my Collection lovin’. Let me know if you give them a go! xx