Whenever I’m having a bad day, I swipe on my favorite shade of lipstick or lipgloss, which I embarrassingly admit, tends to change week-to-week. As a beauty editor, I’m required to hoard and test approximately 1,000 lipsticks a year. I’m not complaining; instead, I’m here to tell you that this is a job I don’t take lightly. To help you make an informed decision about your next unavoidable beauty splurge, I’ve tested the good, the bad, and everything in-between. Today’s focus? Luxury lipsticks.
Right now, I’m loving YSL Rouge Volupté Shine Lipstick Balm, which comes housed inside of gold packaging that looks and feels luxe. The oil-infused formula applies like lip balm and gives lips an instant hydration boost and high-shine color. I’ve been reaching for the neutral-toned shade named Nude Lavalliere over and over again, which is making it very difficult to test out new lip launches.
As much as I love my YSL balm, there are plenty of more luxe options worth raving out: stay-all-day mattes, date night reds, and environmentally friendly lipstick refillables. With so many options on the market, it can feel impossible to shop for just one, especially when finding the perfect product really comes down to personal preference.
To make your search for the perfect luxe lipstick easier, we’ve curated a list of popular picks loved by stars (and normal people, too). Take note: Tracee Ellis Ross loves Pat McGrath Labs MatteTrance Lipstick and Kaia Gerber loves YSL Rouge Volupte Shine Lipstick Balm just as much as I do. Obviously, they have great taste.
Keep scrolling to shop our picks and find the perfect match for you.
This formula is so thin and silky that it feels like a balm, but delivers intense, glossy color.
You can always rely on famed makeup artist Pat McGrath’s products for serious color payoff. Celebs sure do. Naomi Campbell, Hailey Baldwin, and Jennifer Lopez are just a few of the stars who wear McGrath’s beloved cosmetics.
If you can’t live without Christian Louboutin pumps, then you might as well add this one to your shopping list. This isn’t one that we recommend losing in the bottom of your handbag. It deserves to be shown off as frequently as possible.
Everyone needs a budge-proof lipstick in their makeup bag, especially for wearing under a protective face mask. This lightweight formula will lock into your lips for eight hours of wear (if not more—just be sure to survey the damage if you eat something greasy or oily).
British makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury has more celebrity clients than we can count and it makes sense! Her products are top of the line. We’re particularly obsessed with this vibrant shade of pink that looks double take-worthy on all skin tones.
Here’s how Guerlain’s Rouge G lipstick collection works: Simply choose a shade of Guerlain lipstick on the brand’s site and then pick a case that best fits your aesthetic. And that’s not even the best part. The packaging features a double-mirror design so you can expertly swipe on lipstick on-the-go.
French fashion designer Pierre Hardy is responsible for dreaming up these stylish and sustainable lipsticks cases. When you near the end of your favorite shade, you can easily purchase a refill of a new shade or the one you’ve been loving.
Meet the elevated version of the tinted lip balm you reach for time and time again. This silky formula is as addictive as it is stunning and its weighed gold casing makes it feels extra luxe.
This lipstick features an innovative petal-shaped tip that’s designed to make it extra easy to apply your favorite shade—no selfie camera or mirror required. Seriously.
You can’t go wrong with scooping up any Tom Ford lipstick (or any of the aforementioned options, either, TBH) but this one’s made for the makeup-lover who can never have enough shimmer. Achieving a glitter lip quite literally has never been so easy.
Does shopping for lipstick seem like a difficult and daunting task? With so many different lipstick shades, undertones and finishes on the market it can be overwhelming. We have put together a guide on how to choose the best lipstick shade for your skin tone. But always remember, makeup is a form of self expression! You should select a lip colour you feel the best in. If certain shades make you feel confident and beautiful but don't necessarily align with the "rules," just go ahead and #GETYOURMODELROCKON.
The first step to finding your perfect shade of lipstick (and foundation) is to identify your skin's undertone. Generally, people are one of two undertones, which is warm or cool. If it is hard to distinguish which one you are, you may have a neutral undertone which is a mix of the two.
An easy way to determine your undertone is to look at the colour of the veins on your wrist.
The best lipsticks for warm undertones are lipsticks in warm shades. Peachy pink shades, oranges, brick reds, and terracotta browns will complement your skin tone best.
Forever Mattes Longwear Lipstick in HONEYBUN
Liquid to Matte Longwear Lipstick in ROCK OUT RED
The best lipsticks for cool undertones are lipsticks in cool shades. Blue or purple undertoned shades such as dusty nudes, plums, cherry tones, mauves, crimsons, and purples will complement your skin tone best.
Liquid to Matte Longwear Lipstick in PURE POUT
Graffiti Collection Lip Paint in DON'T PANIC
Neutral undertones can suit a variety of different shades as they are a mix of both warm and cool. Try blush-toned pinks, mauve shades, berry tones and balanced reds.
Forever Mattes Longwear Lipstick in CLEO
Forever Mattes Longwear Lipstick in GOING TO BERLIN
If you're still having difficulties finding the perfect lip shade in store, try swatching your options. While the most accurate method is to try lipsticks on your actual lips, it's not a safe or hygienic option when it comes to testers. Instead, swatch the shades on your fingertips as they have a similar texture to our lips. Doing this, you can also hold your fingers over your lips to see if the shade looks good with your skin tone. Repeat this process until you find a lipstick you are happy with.
We hope this blog helps you with your lipstick shopping. Let us know in the comments below what your all time favourite MODELROCK lipstick is! We would love to know.