Lipstick is essential to a complete makeup application, and is one cosmetic few women are ever without! In order to make the Best Products list, a lipstick, regardless of texture (cream, matte, sheer, and so on) had to:
- Apply smoothly and evenly
- Feel comfortable and have an attractive finish
- Come in a range of basic and dramatic colors
- Offer reasonable to excellent staying power
- Not contain needless irritants or excessive fragrance
How does one decide what constitutes a "best" lipstick? Given the number of lipsticks available and women's wide range of preferences for this essential cosmetic (some like sheer with a glossy finish, others want moderate coverage with a satin finish, or semi-matte textures with shimmer, and on and on and on…) it's a daunting task!
The lipsticks on this list include all of that and more, with the widest range of choice being the cream lipsticks. Cream lipsticks are middle-of-the-road options that balance what most women want from a lipstick (comfort, moisture, and long-wearing color) with what they don't like but are willing to tolerate (slippery feel, routine touch-ups, and lipstick coming off on coffee cups and significant others).
The cream lipsticks on this list have remarkably smooth yet non-greasy textures that provide lots of moisture without slip-sliding all over your mouth.
The color range for each lipstick was taken into consideration as well, and almost without exception (such as the case with a couple of matte-finish options) the shade range includes soft pink, rose, and nude tones along with deeper reds, burgundies, and plum tones.
It must be noted that the numerous lipsticks rated as "Good" are also worth considering. It all depends on your preferences; that's why it was so difficult to narrow down the list of the best options in this category. Despite the struggle, we feel confident that after all of the lipsticks we tested at counters (not on our lips, nor did we show a bias for lipsticks whose colors looked great on us) those that made the cut are exemplary in their category and worthy of must-see status.
We're thrilled that there are so many wonderful options in the long-wearing lip color category. Whether you go for a true matte lipstick or one of the lip paint/glossy topcoat products, it's easier than ever to keep lip color on your lips rather than on anything and everything they touch!
