I have worn lipstick since I was 11. My first was a fluorescent shocking pink in 6th grade. STFU, that was popular back then.
At the Hello Dance that year, I went to the restroom with my friends, giggling and running, like all idiot 11 year olds at a party. I looked in the mirror and proceeded to reapply my hot pink lipstick, and glanced over at a girl on my right, and then started to stare. She was smothering her face with Cover Girl foundation, drawing in her eyebrows with an eyebrow pencil. She looked at me. I'm not sure what sort of face I made at her.
She scoffed, looking at the lipstick in my hand, and said out loud, "You know, I only wear makeup that matches my natural face."
And I laughed, and exclaimed. "Why even wear makeup then?!"
I didn't see her expression or hear any reply - my friends were talking, pulling me out the door and back to the party. It didn't even occur to me to use makeup to look natural. Why use makeup to hide something? What was there to hide? Shouldn't makeup be for adding colour?
Its okay, I figured it all out later. I do still feel the same way though.
For the next 10 years I'd wear a wide range of colours from pastel pink to metallic purple to straight black. (I was gothic lolita in highschool, you wouldn't believe how much fun I had with that)
Sometime after I turned 20, I started liking colours that were paler than my natural lips. Golds and soft nudes. I still love the look of dark eyes and pale lips. I tried back in 2010 to wear a bright pin-up girl red lipstick. It looked so gross.
Here is my small lipstick collection:
L'Oreal's Infallible Le Rouge, in Opulent Organza.
This goes on silky smooth, and dries to a satin finish, and it lasts forever. I use this one super often, even sometimes as a base for other colors.
L'Oreal's Colour Riche, in Golden Splendor.
People complain a lot about these lipsticks, but I think they are wonderful. I love the smell of these, its like faint sweet perfume, and not offensive to my nose. This is a soft golden sheen, simple and pretty. I've used this particular color for many years.
And my NYX lippies. These are some of the best cheapy lipsticks out there. They have ultra high pigmentation, smooth texture, and a sweet floral scent. They have no real staying power, so you'll have to reapply after a cup of tea, but they look wonderful enough to overlook the lifespan.
I initially only picked up some of the more popular colours for photoshoots and runway shows, but I do intend to extend my collection with some personal exploration (trial and error) someday.
1. Strawberry Milk
This is a milky pastel pink. This is a sweet girly colour, and is a lot more flattering on paler skintones. This one is trickier with me, I wear this more often in the winter, with pink clothing. I add a little blush, and keep the eye makeup bright and youthful.
2. Indian Pink
This is a pale coral-ish pink-orange with a golden sheen. This one is a surprisingly beautiful colour that suits nearly any occasion, and looks lovely on any skintone. I often use this one if I'm in a hurry and undecided. The shimmer makes this one easy to maintain, and doesn't require any sort of base or gloss.
3. Orange Soda
This is a solid nude tone with a hint of orange cream. This is one of my favourite nude lipsticks. I layer this one over the L'Oreal Infallible, because these matte colours tend to sink in to the lines on my lips unless there's a base beneath it. This is gorgeous with a clear gloss over it.
4. Circe
This is a simple and perfect nude lipstick. I love almost all of the NYX nude colour palette! It was very difficult to just pick one.
5. Earth Angel
This one I chose purely for me. I love gold and copper coloured lips, and this is the perfect shimmery gold. This is almost sheer but deliciously metallic. This is my party lipstick, for nightlife and dancing, paired with super dark eyeshadow, it gives a mysterious creature-of-the-night aura. And I do love scaring the boys.
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