Four Pretty Pink Lipsticks (From the Drugstore!)

After years of painting my lips red and shades of nude I recently rediscovered pink. The first, and only, time I wore pink lipstick I was in my mid-teens.  My mother and I were shopping together at Macy’s when I came upon a shimmery pale pink lipstick by Christian Dior.  It wasn’t my look but it was really, really pretty. My mother must have liked the innocent effect because she purchased the tube, and I spent the next year or so taking it out, trying it on, deciding it wasn’t me, and putting it away.  The stuff smelled amazing, but I wasn’t a pretty pink sort of girl.

My self perception must be changing because last year I tried a pink lipstick and was struck by how pretty it was against my skin and just how “me” it felt. Perhaps I finally have gotten past looking “cool” and can enjoy the charming qualities of pink. If you haven’t tried pink lipstick now is the time.  Summer is just around the corner, and every shade of pink from neon to fuchsia to shell pink is enjoying a rush of fashionability. Here are a few of my favorite inexpensive pink lipsticks to get you started.

Hot Pink Gloss

The pink lipstick that changed my perception of pink lipstick isn’t a lipstick at all, it’s a gloss. Revlon Colorburst Lipgloss in Hot Pink is a bright pink glaze with a lot of shimmer. Last year I wanted to wear a bright pink shawl for an evening out and felt I needed a matching lipstick. (You can see the outfit here.) I purchased this gloss and it’s been a favorite ever since. Even though it looks overpowering in the tube, once on the lips it doesn’t seem neon at all. It still isn’t an everyday sort of color, but I love wearing it in the evening or for special occasions when I want my lipstick to match my outfit. The gloss is sharing the photo above with the lipliner I used in all these photos: Revlon Colorstay lipliner in pink.

• Color - Bright medium pink shimmer
• Staying Power - It stays glossy and pretty for about an hour.
• Feel - It’s smooth and oily on the lips.
• Bleed - This doesn’t seem to bleed at all.
• Scent- Unfortunately the smell is a little unpleasant. It reminds me of imitation vanilla.
• Price - Around $5

When looking for a specific lipstick color it makes sense to search out a line that includes a large range of options in that color family.  Maybelline Color Sensational Lip Color offers at least a dozen different pink lipsticks.  If you can’t find a pink that looks good in this line maybe pink just isn’t for you! I picked up “Pink and Proper” last month. It goes on sheer, shimmery and glossy but doesn’t impart much color. Of all my lipsticks this one reminds me of that Christian Dior lipstick from long ago.

• Color - Medium pink shimmer
• Staying Power - Minimal
• Feel - This makes my lips feel soft and moisturized.
• Bleed - The lip color is too soft and sheer to bleed.
• Scent – It smells a lot like a crayola crayon.
• Price - Around $8

Wearable and Wonderful Pink

Early this year it seemed like every drug store company launched a new long wearing lipstick.  I tried them all, hoping I’d find something great in the process. In the end I realized that a good quality, long wearing, regular cream lipstick suits me just fine as I like reapplying my lipstick after meals and coffee breaks.  Boots Moisture Drench Lipstick in “Silk” is a beautiful, creamy lipstick that lasts very well. Of all the colors reviewed in this post I find this color the most wearable and versatile.  This velvety creme lipstick is a pretty, flattering, mellow sort of pink.

• Color - Mid-tone warm pink creme
• Staying Power - Very good.  It lasts a few hours at least, thought needs to be touched up after coffee breaks.
• Feel - This goes on creamy but becomes dry after a few minutes.
• Bleed - The lipstick does not seem to bleed.
• Scent – It smells very softly of citrus.
• Price - $10 at Target

A Mod Pink Pout

Revlon Super Lustrous Matte Lipstick in “Stormy Pink” is probably the most unusual looking lipstick I have in my makeup drawer. This matte pale pink looks like something Twiggy would have worn in the mid 1960′s, or it would if it were thicker.  The color is wearable because it’s actually quite sheer for a matte lipstick.  I don’t wear it all the time, but I love it anyway.  How can I not love a lipstick called “Stormy Pink”?

• Color - Matte light pink
• Staying Power - I don’t find that this lipstick lasts very long, but it is sheer.
• Feel - This feels smooth, creamy and not as drying as many matte lipsticks.
• Bleed - Nonexistent
• Scent- This lipstick has almost no scent
• Price - Around $8

Do you ever wear pink lipstick?  Have a favorite?  Please share in the comments!