We are knee deep in year two of a very weird holiday season. Supply chains are imploding, there are not one, not two, but three Princess Switch movies, and most recently, Omarion Omicron oh-yeahed onto the scene like the Kool-aid man. The stars have seemingly aligned to let me live out the Christmas season of my dreams: At home with my man, my dog, and kitsch television. The clothes will be comfy, but the beauty... that will be something else.

December isn’t just December without at least a little razzle dazzle—even if you don’t decorate, don’t bake, or don’t care, the month calls for some kind of specialness that sets it apart from the other four cold months of the year. Otherwise it’d just be depressing. It used to be sparkly nail polish for me, but I’m too old and boring for that now. These days, whether you’re entertaining a party of one at home, or more over Zoom, the perfect holiday look is effortless but impactful: it starts and ends with a glossy lipstick.

I’m talking about this new generation of lipstick that is in our midst—packed with nutrients, pigment, and glamour. They go on smooth like a balm, last like a stain, and shine like a gloss. I have so many new favorites that it’s really hard to suss out only a few, but here’s my attempt. EM’s Lip Cushion Tinted Lip Luminizer is an easy winner. I gravitate towards the shade Mystic, which is a not-too-intimidating berry. It’s bright enough to make an impression across Zoom, but not bold enough to make you a stranger to your own face. Roen’s Kiss My Liquid Lip Balm in Scout is like Mystic, but glossier and vampy. Where it ranks higher in general sex appeal, it loses points in some lasting power, but it’s overall more confortable, no doubt thanks to the many oils that make up its base.

There’s no question that Ultralip is the most hydrating of the glossy lip options—there’s hyaluronic acid in there! For the festive season I’m drawn to Vesper the most. It’s cheery but not cheesy (if you know, you know). But there’s something about Dior that screams holiday to me. (It’s the marketing, definitely the marketing). That damn gilded holiday collection has had a chokehold on me since 2013, and yet these days it’s their newer edition, Dior Addict Stellar Shine, that I reach for the most. Shiny, cushiony, and comfortable. Superstitious always makes an impression. Even when the only thing around to impress is my one-year-old pup.

—Ashley Weatherford

Photo via ITG