Top 12 lipsticks

They say lipstick is the most affordable luxury and it’s true, because — no matter how high-end the brand — you can afford a tube of lipstick and it’s an instant feel-good boost, both for your wallet and your looks. There’s no quicker way to update your wardrobe, either. Can’t go with that over-the-knee boot trend? You can always try the matte lip.

MAC lipsticks — Kylie Jenner’s sultry pout has made MAC lippies a sellout sensation once again. The professional makeup brand turned Jenner’s favorite lip liner, Whirl, into the most sought-after lipstick of 2015. (She typically lines her lips with Whirl and fills in with MAC’s Pink Plaid lipstick.) I shopped for Whirl everywhere in vain, and only found it recently at MAC Rustan’s, where you can only buy two pieces at a time because they have such a limited supply. I scored one, elated to finally call the matte brown-pink shade my own. MAC just has that cool, have-to-have-it factor that’s difficult to resist, and — with hundreds of shades and textures to choose from, you’re sure to find your perfect lipstick.

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MAC is available at MAC stores and Rustan’s The Beauty Source.

Chanel Rouge Coco — Lipstick for millennials? Rouge Coco fits the bill nicely, with its buttery texture, luminous finish and chic colors that will make any Pinay feel as sophisticated as a Parisienne. The line doesn’t make any fancy claims because it doesn’t need to: it’s a pigment-rich, silky-smooth, high-performance lipstick that boasts Chanel’s seductive allure. Of the 24 shades named after Coco Chanel’s friends, lovers, and the artists who inspired her, I’m partial to coppery peach Misia, bright coral Catherine, brick-red Coco, classic-red Gabrielle (the hue that Keira Knightley wears in the ad campaign), and perfect nude Adrienne, the line’s Your Lips But Better shade.

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Chanel is available at Rustan’s The Beauty Source.

VMV Hypoallergenics Velvet Matte and Glitz Lipsticks — This is a godsend for those with sensitive skin, or those too allergic to even wear makeup. Created by one of our pioneering local dermatologists, Dr. Vermen M. Verallo, and grown into a global brand by her daughter, Laura Verallo de Bertotto, VMV lipsticks are free of all types of allergy-causing fragrances, phthalates, parabens and preservatives. A good number of them, like Birthday Suit, are even free of dyes! What’s more, they’ve been clinically patch-tested and validated hypoallergenic — a claim very few makeup brands can make.

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VMV Hypoallergenics is available at VMV Skin-Specialist boutiques in Glorietta 4, Makati, and TriNoma, SM Stores and Landmark department stores.

Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Sculpting lipstick — This more grown-up range features 31 hues ranging from pale nudes to bold reds. Lips are saturated with high-intensity color in a couple of strokes, which dries down to a comfortable satin finish. The “sculpting” secret lies in multi-faceted pigments that create optical definition so lips look shapelier and closer to that curvy bow we all aspire to. A time-release Moisture Complex captures and seals in hydration, making Pure Color Envy super-creamy with good lasting power to boot.

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Available at Rustan’s The Beauty Source and Estee Lauder counters in Essenses Rockwell and Mall of Asia.

Nars Audacious — This 40-strong line is lipstick at its most modern. The texture is plush and extremely smooth, with nourishing ingredients that make it more hydrating than the usual semi-matte lipsticks. But it’s the colors that really set Audacious apart: vivid, fashion-forward hues that have an amazing color payoff — full coverage with a single stroke that’s as longwearing as a stain.

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Nars is available at Rustan’s The Beauty Source.

Maybelline Velvet Matte by Color Sensational — Maybelline’s Color Sensational ranges are being raved about on Instagram and YouTube, and Velvet Matte is no exception. If you want to venture into the matte lip trend but are afraid it will leave your lips as dry as the desert, these cream-to-matte products are the ticket. What looks like regular lipstick in a tube is actually a moisturizing lacquer, revealed when you twist the bottom off. A curved brush veils your lips in an ultra-light Velvet Gel formula that, while containing anti-shine powder, prevents your lips from looking flat, dry and chalky. With such quality at such an affordable price point (P349), these look to be the future of matte formulas.

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Maybelline Velvet Matte by Color Sensational is available at Maybelline counters nationwide.

Clinique Pop Lip Colour + Primer — I’m a big fan of Clinique’s Almost Lipsticks and Chubby Sticks, so any new lip product they release catches my attention. This clever iteration merges bold, saturated color with a smoothing primer in a weightless formula that glides on effortlessly. The result? Velvet lips that feel comfy and moisturized for eight hours. And since a dermatologist founded the brand, everything Clinique has been allergy tested and is 100 percent fragrance-free.

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Clinique is available at Rustan’s The Beauty Source.

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick — Who can forget Emma Stone decked out in “Rich Girl Red”? Super Lustrous happens to be Revlon’s most iconic lipstick — a staple in women’s cosmetic bags for 70 years. The Super Lustrous range features lip color in four finishes: crème, matte, pearl and shine, available in 82 (count ’em!) vibrant shades, and Revlon’s many loyal followers clue you in to the brand’s secret: an unbeatable combo of great quality and a vast range of choices at very affordable prices.

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Revlon is available at department stores nationwide.

Happy Skin Shut Up & Kiss Me Moisturizing Lippies — I’m addicted to these lippies, which are staples in my kikay kit. Why? They distill the three steps to a knockout kisser — lip balm, lipstick, and lip gloss — into one ingenious product. Rich in hydrating ingredients like shea butter and collagen, they also sport adorable names like “Best Date Ever,” “Crushing On You,” and irresistible packaging. And since Happy Skin is a local brand, the lip colors are tailor-made and tested to flatter Pinay skin tones, from fair to chinita to morena. The good news is, they’ve launched more clever multi-taskers like a double-duty lip and cheek mousse, and two new lippie formats — matte lippies and moisturizing lip lacquers called Power Pout — all the better to help you achieve the coveted lip looks of the moment. Happy Skin’s matte lippies may be the only lippies that provide an ultra-matte finish while hydrating your lips like a balm! After all, their lippie philosophy is to give you kissable lips no matter what and, lipstick-wise, I can’t think of a nobler goal than that.

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Happy Skin is available at Rustan’s The Beauty Source, Beauty Bar, The SM Store beauty section, Watsons, The Landmark, and Plains & Prints.

Laura Mercier Lip Parfait Creamy Colourbalms — Operating on the three-in-one principle of today’s top lipsticks (it’s a balm, lip color and gloss in one!), these Colourbalms boast an ultra-thin formula that slicks on succulent color and wet shine with one stroke. Twelve shades with mouthwatering names like Amaretto Swirl are packed with smoothing and volumizing butters and vitamins to care for lips while they beautify. And since they’re slightly sheer, they’re the perfect texture to get the fuller-looking ombré lip that’s in vogue right now. Mercier suggests lining lips first with a complementary lip liner. Then apply a lighter shade in the middle of the lips over a slightly darker shade to give you a fuller-looking pout: for example, Lip Glacé in Cosmic or Bellini over Lip Parfait shades Sweet Guava, Juicy Papaya or Creamsicle for added shine and richer color. Bon appetit!

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Laura Mercier is available at Rustan’s The Beauty Source.

L’Oreal Paris Colour Riche Collection Exclusive — Love the concept behind these two collections — Custom-Made Nudes and Exclusive Reds — which have been carefully curated, using L’Oreal’s roster of celebrity endorsers, to flatter every skin tone. Thus, you’ll find that Jennifer’s Nude will suit women with medium-olive skin tones like J. Lo, or that Freida’s Red will match those with honey skin like Freida Pinto. (Personally I’m looking to try Eva [Longoria]’s Nude and Eva’s Red for light-medium skin tones.) Nude lips are a no-brainer for most women, especially those into the no-makeup look, but a red lipstick for every woman? Rock on.

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L’Oreal Paris is available at department stores nationwide.

Bobbi Brown Lip Color — Bobbi Brown made her name on nude lipsticks, but the celebrity makeup artist has since branched out to innovative new formulas and colors, from sheer to creamy to shimmer to luxe. Her lipstick-in-a-pencil Art Stick has become a customer favorite thanks to its bold colors and ease of use. Newbies can try a sheer lip color like Pink Rose for day and its darker alter ego, Party Rose, for more festive evening occasions.

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Bobbi Brown is available at Rustan’s The Beauty Source.