I’m not really a lipstick lover, yet always admire the gorgeous brights that our editor Lauren rocks – the pigments look so divine against her fair Eurasian skin. Add to that the fact that she’s far neater than I when it comes to drinking tea and eating lunch in the office. Lipstick is just the most intimidating part of any makeup routine for me, but I’m slowly coming around, especially after checking out some of these…
This brand is a favourite of Surmayee’s, so much so that when I asked to borrow someone’s lippy in the office the other day for a photo shoot on our terrace, out popped a UD comfort matte in Backtalk from her handbag. If you can’t bag one of Kylie’s coveted matte lip kits, the sticks from Urban Decay are a sure winner.
Available from Urban Decay for $150 a bullet
If the matte look is far too drying for you, bring on the nourishing Tinted Lip Balms from Burt’s Bees. Full of shea butter and botanical waxes, these pigmented babies will keep your smackers soft while looking fly – we love the beautiful Red Dahlia shade.
Available from Burt’s Bees online or in counters at pharmacies around town for $119 a stick
Dreaming of a tropical summer in Waikiki? If you didn’t hit Hawaii or any other beach destination, this orange matte shade in Papaya from Kiko Milano is sure to put a spring in your step and bring those summer vibes right here to the 852. Now, it’s time for a fruity cocktail or three…
Available at Kiko Milano stores in Harbour City, Times Square, Kwun Tong and Telford Plaza for $99
Tried, tested and a true Sassy fave, the black tubes of lippie from MAC litter our office desks and handbags. The Matte Liquid Lipcolors may not be in their signature black tubes, but the formula rocks: it’s non-feathering, non-bleeding, and stays on for up to eight hours. How’s that for long-wearing?! We love the true red shade, Feels So Grand.
Available for $195 from MAC counters and stores around town
Read more: That Girl – Ryoku Lau of MAC
It doesn’t hurt to splurge on a great summer lippy, including this one from Tom Ford. These brand spankin’ new formulas from TF will give you a liquid look and a high-shine finish. These shades are seriously intense, drawing inspiration from deep, rich berry tones. The texture is lightweight and the shades are vibrant: we love it in Erotic, a truly Sassy bright pink, perfect for the season!
Available from Tom Ford beauty counters in Lane Crawford Times Square, Lane Crawford Harbour City and the ifc flagship store for $410
Mwah… or xoxo, whichever you prefer! Prep your pout with Burberry Kisses. The satin finish will keep ‘em looking smooth and richly pigmented. Slick on two to three coats for a deeper colour, and the best bit is that it’s infused with rosehip, tea and lavender. Gotta stay moisturised! We love the Claret Pink shade for summer.
Available for $250 from Burberry beauty counters around town
I. Cannot. Get. Enough. Of. These. Seriously. Coconut Matter has released a range of three tinted lip balms, which are beautifully pigmented and loaded with coconut oil, shea butter and grapeseed oil… it’s actually edible! They glide on so smoothly, they don’t leave your lips looking flaky and dry. I forget I have this stuff on sometimes. My favourite is the pinky-red shade, Sparks.
Available for $135 from Coconut Matter online
Read more: 10 Ways To Use Coconut Oil In Your Life
Buck the matte trend with this creamy all-in-one from Nudestix. It’s got great coverage, blendability and the pigments are awesome. Loaded with vitamin E and Shea butter, the shades are stunningly natural and suit any and all skin tones. It’s also conveniently packaged in a tin with its own sharpener. Be sinful in the shade Sin.
Available from Sephora.hk for $191
Read more: Nudestix – Go Nude But Better
Feeling passionate, girls? If not, you will be after smacking on some Passion from Revlon’s Ultra HD Matte Lipcolor collection. Go matte – as matte as you can get, seriously! – with this moisturising and lightweight formula that’s 100% wax-free. Some of us have been rocking this formula so beautifully around the office this season.
Available at Revlon counters around town in Watsons, Mannings and Sasa for $108
This one from Sephora Collection will give you a fuller-looking pout in no time. With a long-lasting and highly-pigmented formula, slap this on in Blooming Rose (shade 6) for a blushing, nude, summer look. Oh, and another thing to note about this stick is that it’s water and smudge-proof.
Available for $118 from Sephora.hk
Read more: Sephora in Hong Kong