Best Lipstick

MAC, Revlon are best bets among lipstick brands

Choosing the right lipstick for you, more often than not, comes down to personal preference. Lipsticks vary greatly from one brand to another in several elements, including texture, color choice, depth of color and added ingredients. The lipsticks discussed here are a good starting place because they, for the most part, are well liked by many.

MAC Lipstick (*Est. $14) is chosen as the best lipstick more often than any other brand by consumers and experts alike. It was originally created as a professional product designed to stand up to the heat and light of photo shoots. MAC (which stands for Make-Up Art Cosmetics) Lipstick is one of the highest-rated lip products at both TotalBeauty.com and MakeupAlley.com, where users praise the line for offering unparalleled color choices and finishes. MAC Lipstick is available in seven finishes: Frost, Lustre, Satin, Amplified Creme, Cremesheen, Glaze and Matte. MAC's matte finishes, which have an opaque look without a lot of shine, are the most popular even though they tend to be more drying than the others. Consumers, however, say that the long-lasting color is worth the sacrifice. Several users at MakeupAlley.com claim that applying lip balm first can make a big difference in the comfort level of these lipsticks.

Russian Red and Ruby Woo are both particularly popular shades in the matte line of MAC lipsticks. Russian Red (and MAC) became famous when pop star Madonna called it her favorite color back in the 1980s. Both are reds with blue undertones, which Julyne Derrick at About.com says can help camouflage yellowish teeth. Russian Red is a brighter red, while Ruby Woo has more of a pink tone that TotalBeauty.com editors say "anyone can wear." In addition to these popular hues, MAC offers 10 other matte shades and 144 shades in total. MAC lipsticks are available in MAC stores, department stores and online, but you won't find them at discount stores.

MAC also offers a line of lipsticks and glosses called Viva Glam; the entire purchase price of these products is donated to AIDS causes. MAC also accepts empty packaging for recycling; return six empties and you can receive a free lipstick.

Nars Lipstick (*Est. $24) is another popular option, especially in their Semi-Matte formula, which like MAC lipsticks is highly pigmented with deep, lasting color but not as drying. Begoun says that "creamy lipsticks don't get much better than this." She praises it for offering some of the best red-lipstick shades on the market. Experts at InStyle magazine also praise the line for offering a good range of colors that don't dry out the lips. Some users at TotalBeauty.com, however, insist that Nars is pricey and that there are better lipsticks for less money. Nars lipstick is available in three formulas and 54 shades.

As for cheaper, more widely available drugstore brands, Begoun gives high marks to L'OrŽal Paris Colour Riche Lipcolour (*Est. $6.50) for being more affordable while still offering creamy and intense colors. InStyle editors describe it as having a moist and creamy texture as well. Although cream lipsticks generally don't have as much staying power as matte lipsticks, L'OrŽal is praised by consumers at MakeupAlley.com for being long-lasting. Begoun warns, though, that it is creamy enough to bleed into the lines around your mouth. Like many other cream lipsticks, Colour Riche contains moisturizing ingredients like omega 3s, vitamin E and argon oil. It has a smooth texture that imparts more shine than matte lipsticks. Several consumers complain that the lipstick has a strong fragrance. L'OrŽal Paris Colour Riche is available in 54 shades in addition to eight shades in the Star Secrets line.

Revlon Super Lustrous (*Est. $7) is another cream lipstick that gets high marks for its wide range of shades. It is similar to Colour Riche in that it has a satiny texture, but it gets slightly higher user ratings at MakeupAlley.com for its lightweight feel and for being widely available. Revlon also offers more color choices. In fact, Paula Begoun says, "If you can't find a color you like (in this line), perhaps lipstick just isn't for you." Super Lustrous is available in 72 shades that InStyle calls "wearable" and "current." Consumers at MakeupAlley.com also love the available colors and the affordable price but a few complain that it dries out their lips. Most lipsticks, even creamy ones, don't provide the same degree of moisture as a lip balm.

Experts say that lips need sun protection as much as the rest of your face does, and Clinique High Impact Lip Color SPF 15 (*Est. $14) does a good job of providing it. This cream lipstick includes zinc oxide as one of its sunscreen ingredients to provide broad-spectrum coverage. Paula Begoun says that it has a creamy texture that isn't too greasy or thick but points out that it won't maintain color for eight hours like it claims. It lasts long enough, however, to keep one tester at SheKnows.com satisfied. She also claims that the lipstick is moisturizing and feather-resistant. Rona Berg, writing in her book, "Beauty, the New Basics," adds that most matte lipsticks, even those without an SPF rating, have enough opaque pigment to offer at least some sun protection.

Long-lasting lipsticks

If you can't stand constantly having to reapply lipstick, experts say that long-lasting formulas are for you. These liquid lip colors involve two steps: applying a liquid color stain and following up with a gloss coating. Reviewers across the board say that they really do work, but that they can be especially drying. The clear gloss, however, can be reapplied as often as you like and makes the smudge-proof color much more comfortable. Most experts find that long-lasting lipsticks at the drugstore are just as effective as those from the department store.

CoverGirl Outlast All-Day Lip Color (*Est. $9) tops reviewers' charts for living up to its promises and lasting through virtually anything. Editors at Self magazine say that this lipstick stays put even through drinking and kissing, and is completely smudge-proof. The major caveat, however, is that it dries out the lips. Consumers at MakeupAlley and TotalBeauty.com either love it or hate it. Indeed, experts say that Outlast isn't for everybody, but if you need something that lasts and lasts, it is an affordable option.

If you like something more high-end, Paula Begoun says that you can't go wrong with MAC Pro Longwear (*Est. $20). The lipstick tube is dual-sided with lip color at one end and a clear gloss at the other. Begoun claims that MAC "took a good thing and made it even better" because it glides on more smoothly and the topcoat feels better than competing products. Editors at TotalBeauty.com say the color holds up whether biting into fruit, sipping a hot beverage or kissing. Consumers at MakeupAlley.com are not quite as convinced. Reviewers there have mixed opinions, with several saying that the lip color is "gritty" and doesn't feel very comfortable. Most agree, however, that the lipstick lasts all day and must be removed with a special remover such as MAC's Cleanse Off Oil (*Est. $21) or a petroleum jelly.