Imagine you're home right now (not at your apartment—home home) having a wonderful respite from all of your worldly possessions in favor of spending some quality time in your childhood bed. Better yet, you're in Miami, finally putting that Lisa Marie Fernandez bathing suit to some good use and hoping that your Kindle is piña colada-resistant. Not to put a damper on any of that, but perhaps you forgot something? Maybe something in your makeup bag? Hey, that's understandable—it's not easy to miniaturize the contents of your medicine cabinet and bring all the right ones with you on your getaway. Don't fret; hotel toiletries are there for a reason. That said, no hotel seems to stock really good matte lipstick yet. Until that happens, it's just you and the drugstore aisle, and that's plenty good. There's more than enough to pick from. Such as:
Maybelline Color Sensational 'The Buffs' Matte Lip Color in Blushing Beige
For that Jean Shrimpton glamorous nude feel that goes so well with a chunky turtleneck and a weather report that could be classified as “Wintry Mix.” Maybelline is worth its weight (and then some) when it comes to matte staying power—even though this one goes on more like a cream. That's a good thing though, because the formula stretches with you, meaning no weird, dry cracks. Lighter colors can be tricky during colder months though, so brush lips clean of any dry skin and moisturize first.
Nyx Soft Matte Lip Cream in London
Very, very easy to apply. And good for anyone desperate to get their hands on a Kylie Lip Kit dupe (or a more flattering color of the same sort of thing). The wear is almost too long-lasting—have Bioderma's better tasting cousin, Vichy Micellar Solution, on tap for removal.
Rimmel Lasting Finish Matte by Kate Moss in Shade 110
Coral might feel a bit summery, sure, but remember what Isabel Toledo said: The real fun is in the application. To keep any color seasonally relevant, blot on the center of the lip and smudge out. Gives your mouth a bit of that inner glow the rest of your face sports so well.
Wet n Wild Megalast Lip Color in Sugar Plum Fairy
This lipstick is literally two dollars. $2. Sometimes you can find it on sale, too. Wet n Wild deserves to win something for their efforts. In the meantime, wear any and all of their everlasting colors a little messy, without a distinct line, and well blotted. Your insurance here is that it will stay put no matter what, so a good time to experiment with procedure, no?
L'Oréal Colour Riche in Blake's Red and Freida's Red
L'Oréal's line of celebrity endorsed reds (and nudes, for that matter) are some of the most flattering in the game. So why use just one? To contrast with the above, use the matte texture to match the exact shape of your lips for a graphic look.
Rimmel Show Off Lip Velvet in Meteoric Matte
This is the least matte of the batch—but that's because it's velvet. So, still fancy. If you wanna go the extra mile (you do) apply with a lip brush or add lip liner to keep color contained and get a crisp edge. Blot with a bit of translucent powder if you're a matte die-hard.
Eden Weinhardt (New York Models) photographed by Tom Newton. Makeup by Mayia Alleaume (The Wall Group).
Next up: Read ITG's guides to the best drugstore mascaras and concealers.
