For a long time, I wasn’t kissing anyone. In that time, I started a lifelong love affair with lipstick. Then, as most of us do, I started kissing people. That is precisely when the love triangle between lipstick, men, and I began. If you are a lipstick-loving lady like me, then you know exactly what I’m referring to. You’re getting ready for a date with the hope of a possible kiss at the end, so you opt out of rocking that perfect red lip in pursuit of a kiss. Sometimes I would wear the red lip with reckless abandon; his lips be damned. I thought if he liked me enough, he would be willing to take the risk of being marked by my red pout.
However, if we’re being honest, that’s not fun for anyone. We all end up with lipstick everywhere. After a particularly messy incident, I embarked upon my quest to find the perfect lipstick that will stay on my lips and not on my partner’s.
On behalf of all lipstick lovers, I decided to take one for the team in the pursuit of women wearing their lipstick and kissing too. I recruited a friend who was willing to endure the trauma of kissing me and didn’t mind the risk of getting lipstick all over him. This is important research, after all.
Before I applied the it, I used my favorite tricks for longer lasting lipstick in order to produce optimal results. Here are a few tips to make the lipstick more kiss-proof:
Apply foundation or concealer prior to applying your lipstick.
Foundation or concealer acts as a primer for the lips. Doing this creates a smoother surface for lipstick to be applied and helps it to stick to the lips longer.
Blot and powder.
Take a tissue and place it on your lips. Then, using a big powder brush, blot loose translucent powder (or baby powder!) over the tissue on your lips. This will lock in the lipstick and keep it looking flawless.
Avoid lipstick on the teeth.
A quick trick to avoid lipstick getting on your teeth (because we all know that’s the worst) is to put your thumb in your mouth, like you’re going to suck your thumb and quickly remove it. This will remove all the lipstick that could potentially end up on your teeth! Drinking from a straw can cause lipstick to get on your teeth, so be aware of that if you’re going on a dinner date!
Once my lips were prepped, I was ready to pucker up. I started off with lipsticks that claim to stain your lips or be long lasting. I assumed that these lipsticks would be able to give me the best results. I found three that ended up being the best I could find. Two of them still left a little mark, but one ultimately became the winner and has been deemed the most kissable lipstick.
The first is Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm Stain in the shade Standout, which happens to be one of my favorite red lipsticks at the moment. When I read that something is a balm stain, I expect that it will stain my lips, thus staying on my lips and not getting on the things that it touches. This was not the case. The lipstick did manage to stay looking great on my lips, but it also ended up on my partner’s lips. On this kissable scale, I would give this one a 7/10.
The next one we tried is Revlon Colorstay Ultimate Suede in the shade Backstage. This is one of my favorite everyday fall shades that I wear quite often, so I was excited to see how it would do in the kiss-test. Revlon describes this formula as being “food proof and doesn’t quit.” If something can withstand the rigor in which I eat my food, then it can surely take a simple kiss, right? Wrong. While this was not the worst mess I’ve seen a lipstick make, it definitely wasn’t ideal. My lips still looked great, just like the previous lipstick. My partner still had a little smudge on his. This wasn’t as bad as the last one, so I would give it an 8/10.
The final and winning lipstick is Rimmel London’s Lasting Finish by Kate in the shade, ironically named, Kiss of Life. This color is a classic matte red; perfect for a date where you want to look classy and sexy. This shade is similar to the first lipstick, Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm Stain, but not identical. It is a little brighter and more matte. Rimmel claims that the lipstick “locks color to lips for up to 8 hours wear.” All of these factors caused me to have high hopes for this lipstick and it did not disappoint. All its shiny luster managed to stay on my lips and not end up on my partner’s! He had a small red shadow on his lips, but it wasn’t noticeable. It wasn’t absolutely perfect, so it gets a 9/10. However, it was still the best of them all, so I deem it the most kissable lipstick.
Ultimately, none of the lipsticks were completely perfect. The winning lipstick even left a slight hint of red on his lips. I guess that the best way to avoid messy lipstick while kissing is to not wear any at all, but what’s the fun in that?
Images provided by the author
Featured image via Karolina Grabowska on Pexels
I really like the revlon matte lip stains. Once you put them on they don’t come off
cool