Lipsticks are definitely something that I have way too much of, and yet, there is still a constant need to buy more. I’d like to argue that it is a product that will be constantly used throughout the day, and it is extremely easy to switch up the shades as and when, thus perpetuating my temptations to purchase more.
My wise professor in university once told me that the first and constant two products that women tend to use are nail polishes and lipsticks and that, in my opinion, is extremely true. I still remember my very first purchase from the drugstore when I was 16 years old, and that was a red lipstick from Silky Girl. I seriously hope that I did not just wore that alone without any ounce of makeup on the face, but I am pretty sure that I did. Regardless, I know better now (I think).
But that brings me to sharing this list with you. Lipsticks range from the super affordable to the extremely hefty, but for those who are just starting out with makeup or are unwilling to spend tons of money on it, lipsticks are a good way to save. Generally, the ones with the more expensive price tags are really just because of the brand and the prettier packaging. If you’re willing to forgo those, here is my top 5 list of affordable lip products that you can easily find at the drugstore or online.
Essence Long Lasting Lipsticks
Essence really does a wonderful job of providing good quality options when it comes to affordable makeup. I am a huge fan of their lipsticks and mascaras till this day, and I always highly recommend them. Nothing too fancy about the packaging as they come in a simple black tube. Their lipsticks are extremely creamy and they glide onto the lips like a dream. They are slightly sheer, giving you the option to layer for a bolder look and the room for imperfect application (great if you’re touching up on the go). They are not the most long lasting on the lips despite the name, but it is because of its creamy and moisturising formulation which I really enjoy. I can use these without having to prep my lips beforehand with lip balm and they do not dry my lips out one bit.
I have the shades 01 Coral Calling, 03 Dare to Wear, 04 On The Catwalk!, 06 Don’t Stop The Nude (from their Long Lasting Nude Lipstick Collection), 07 Natural Beauty (my favourite!), 09 Wear Berries and 15 Oh So Matt!
Palladio Matte Lip Velvet Cream Colour
I have constantly raved about these liquid lipsticks as they have wonderful pigmentation and their formulation is just top-notch in my books. For my full review and swatches, you can check this post here. I love that they glide on nicely and that they do not set to a matte finish as those tend to suck up all the moisture in my lips and the creases on my lips tend to be amplified.
These are a lovely creamy mousse formula that does not dry down after application and if you’re not a fan of texture or creaminess on the lips, simply blot the top layer off and you’ll get a long lasting colour on the lips! I believe these retail for SGD 8.90 and they also recently came out with 5 metallic shades [review and swatches of those here].
Colourpop Ultra Satin Lip
Let me begin by stating that I absolutely hate Colourpop’s Ultra Matte Lips and that deterred me from trying out the Ultra Satin Lips as I assumed that the formulation would be equally drying. However, I received 3 small samples of it when I recently purchased from them and decided to give them a try. I am a convert. These remind me of the Palladio Lip Creams as mentioned above, except that these do set and dry down after application. These are not drying one bit and they last for a really long time. I am a huge fan of the shade Dopey and am planning to try more shades out soon! These retail for only USD 6 on Colourpop’s main website here.
NYX Butter Lipsticks
I only own one shade from the range but I have to include this in here as that is probably my favourite nude lipstick of all time. I’m talking about my trusty NYX Butter Lipstick in BLS17 Pops Explosif .
However, I can’t find it online or in stores anymore, I think that they might have discontinued this shade, but I do find the shade Root Bear Float extremely similar! That breaks my heart but I have been swatching these in stores and goodness, the creamy formulation and high pigmentation just makes me extremely happy and satisfied. These lipsticks really suit the name, as it glides on like butter. These are extremely moisturising on the lips and since it is so pigmented, one layer always does the trick for me. These are really affordable too, at SGD 13 at Sephora.
Wet N Wild Mega Matte Lipsticks
The king of drugstore makeup in my opinion has got to be Wet N Wild. They have such affordable products and while some can be a hit or a miss, their Mega Matte lipsticks are really worth checking out. However, these lipsticks are definitely not packaged in the best way, as I keep smashing my lipstick into the plastic cap as it does not fully twist down into the bullet. I do like the clear cap though, as it makes it so much easier to pick a shade.
I love these so much that I have almost every shade in the range, sans about 3 as they were too pink. These glide on really nicely on the lips without being patchy (some shades do tug a little on the lips, but warming up the product on the back of the hand helps). Pigmentation is superb and this lasts a good amount of time on the lips despite it still remaining slightly creamy. Despite it being called mega matte, it does not set entirely matte like those matte liquid lips. I’d say it has a satin finish to it, and I actually prefer it more as they aren’t drying at all. These are SGD 6.90 and can be found at SASA and some Watsons outlets locally.
There we go! I truly love these lip products and the fact that they are super affordable. Lipsticks are one of the fastest products to go bad too, so I rarely do like spending a ton of them. Hope these recommendations and swatches were useful!
Do you have any recommendations for affordable lip products? Please do share them with me!
Till then,
