Fuss-Free Lips

As much as I love a dark lip in the evening or a bold liquid lipstick at the weekend, for most of the week I'm in the office so I gravitate towards quick, easy products to apply that are in natural shades. These are a few that I'm reaching for at the moment...


Lancome Juicy Shaker in Vanilla Pop | £19.50 | This is one of those product to throw in your bag when you’re already halfway out of the door or to keep in there 'just in case'. It’s a dual-phase, lightweight lip oil that has a foam applicator. It’s quick and easy to apply after a shake and leaves a warm, berry-toned wash of colour whilst hydrating the lips.

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatments in Honey & Petal | £20 each | Pricey as they are, I’m a long-time lover of these lip balms. The formula is so nice and nourishing that the pigmented, glossy colour they give is almost just a bonus! The shade Honey is a warm, brown-toned nude and Petal has a pinker hue. They're similar enough that you probably don’t need both, unless your name is Jasmine, of course…

Tom Ford Colour Shine Lipstick in Nubile | £40 | Ok so this is crazy-expensive but in my defence, I did get it in Duty Free and I wear it a lot. Perhaps there’s no justification but I do love this one! It has a glossy finish but is really pigmented lip a lipstick (as opposed to a tinted lip balm). The warm mid-toned pinky brown nude makes this really wearable on work days. You can also pair it with a smoky eye when you don’t want the lips to grab the spotlight.

Clinique Chubby Stick Intense in Curviest Caramel | £17.50 | For me, the original chubby sticks are nice but easily imitable by cheaper brands. However this extra-pigmented version is much more unique and what I tend to reach for. Like the original it’s quick and easy to apply, and is super-moisturising, however it isn’t as sheer. I’d peg it somewhere directly in between a tinted lip balm and a lipstick. The pink nude colour means it goes with just about every makeup look and is well worth leaving in your handbag for those days when you’re in a mad rush.

Covergirl Oh Sugar Tinted Lip Balm | $6.95 | I actually picked this one up from eBay as I was curious to see how these compared to my beloved ones from Fresh! It isn't quite as nourishing in texture but still feels nice and moisturising on my lips. It gives a deep berry-pink wash of colour that's perfect for everyday wear.

MAC Liptensity Lipstick in Smoked Almond | £17.50 | I don’t know why I expected this to be a sheer formula when I first picked it up, the name should’ve been a giveaway… However it was a pleasant surprise when this was a creamy, pigmented formula with a bit of a sheen. It’s of course more long-lasting than the lightweight products I’ve talked about so far, however doesn't wear as well as a matte. The colour is a bit hard to describe because it is a pink-brown however it’s deeper and more vibrant than that label gives it credit for.

ColourPop Blotted Lip in Candyfloss | $5 | This is actually part of an upcoming haul where I'll go into a bit more depth. But essentially this very similar to the Glossier Generation G 'sheer matte' formula, but more creamy and pigmented (this is much easier to build up for greater opacity). This is a warm terracotta tone that has really great longevity without being too drying.


ColourPop Ultra Blotted Lip in Zuma | $6 | This is a unique semi-sheer matte formula. It gives a stain effect on the lips and is a muted 'my lips but better' colour. It's kind of a nude mauve shade but isn't at all grey-toned and doesn't wash me out. I don't find it too drying, though it has a slightly 'powdery' finish that really lasts.

ColourPop Ultra Blotted Lip in Doozy | $6 | This is a warm pinkish toned lip colour that comes in the same formula. Despite looking quite bright in the tube, it actually translates as very everyday wearable. 

Glossier Generation G Lipstick in Leo | $18 | 'Lipstick' is a bit of a misnomer, given that this is more of a stain. It's like a sheer wash of colour but unusually, it has a matte finish. I has a balm-like texture that makes it quick and easy to apply and also not too drying. It lasts pretty well on me, however I also like that it fades evenly so you don't have to worry about keeping it topped up constantly in order to avoid the 'lip liner fade'.

ColourPop Matte Lippie Stick in Brink | $5 | I love this formula because it's so creamy and comfortable! Although it's 'matte' it does have a slight sheen but still lasts well. The colour makes it so wearable with 80% of my makeup looks. It's a sort of warm terracotta tone with slightly mauve undertones.

Bite Beauty Lip Lab Custom Matte Lipsticks | $55 each | This isn't a cheap option but I made these two at their studio in New York so they bring back amazing birthday memories, as well as being fab lip colours. I wanted to create my perfect nude shades and these are both so 'me'. The formula is matte in a similar sense to the ColourPop Lippie Stick. Shade 1 is a pinky-mauve nude with brown undertones (Brink looks like a dupe - so if you like this then try that!) and Shade 2 is a coral-toned nude. 

ColourPop Ultra Satin Lip in Echo Park | $6 | I love how easy to apply and wear this liquid lipstick formula is! It feels like a normal lipstick but gives a semi-matte finish that stays in place for hours. The colour is a warm nude with peachy-brown undertones.

Maybelline Creamy Matte Lipstick in Clay Crush | £6.99 | This is the everyday summer nude I reach for when I don't know what to wear. It isn't at all drying, and whilst it could be more opaque, it does still last on me. It's a warm terracotta-clay toned nude that I'm obsessed with.

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Super Cindy | £24 | The formula of this actually really reminds me of Maybelline's. It contains a very slight golden sheen but it doesn't translate to the lips. The shade is a warm pink-toned nude.

MAC Matte Lipstick in Strip Me Down | £16.50 | This is one of only a handful of proper matte lipsticks in this post because it's creamy, pigmented and gives a true matte finish without being drying or dragging on the lips. It's a warm beige-toned nude that I wear to work regularly.

What are your favourite everyday, fuss-free lip options?

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