While no one needs to wear makeup, it's no secret that the right products can make you feel like a million bucks, but usually these products will set you back a pretty penny.
Lipstick is one of those items that can really make a difference, especially if you opt for a bold matte colour.
However, too often matte lipsticks can leave your lips feeling dry and in need of some TLC, which isn't ideal.
In a bid to solve this problem Avon has launched a brand new lipstick today that's a world first - a matte lipstick with a hydrating hyaluronic core.
The company boldly proclaims that the Hydramatic Lipstick makes "the impossible possible" and uses "breakthrough technology" to give a matte finish without compromising on moisturised lips.
The lipstick, which costs £8 as part of an introductory offer but has an RRP of £10, had a lengthy waiting list ahead of its release and early reviews claimed it "stands toe to toe" with Chanel lip products.
Eager to see if it really is that good, I decided to put it to the test.
I wore the Avon Hydramatic Matte Lipstick for an entire day at work to see how it would last and if it really does prevent your lips from drying out.
I kept an eye on how it was looking hour by hour and I have to say, I was very impressed - I'd even go as far as to say it's better than my favourite Dior Rouge 999 matte lipstick that costs more than four times as much.
Yes, really.
I applied Avon's Hydra Rosy shade just after 8am as I was heading out the door to get the Tube. It went on nice and smoothly and the colour was stunning.
My only small disappointment was that as soon as you use it the hyaluronic core in the middle, which starts out white, gets covered in the shade of the product and looks a bit messy, but I'm sure this does nothing to impact the hydrating element itself.
As I took a seat at my desk to start work at 9am, I checked my face in a compact mirror to find the lipstick looked just as good after my busy commute as it did on the first application. It didn't need any touch-ups whatsoever. Brilliant.
And this seemed to be a recurring theme for the next few hours, with the colour remaining firmly in place until midday and no signs of dry or cracking lips in sight.
By lunchtime, I'd had several cups of tea, tucked into a wrap and some crisps and drank quite a big glass of water so I expected to have lost some of the lipstick.
I nipped to the loos to inspect my lips and was surprised to find the colour predominantly intact, with just a little definition lost around the sides of my mouth.
During the course of the morning, the lipstick also didn't smudge at all and didn't end up on my teeth, which earned it a big thumbs up from me.
By 1pm the lipstick had started to fade a bit on the middle and bottom of my lips and even more so by 2pm, however, there was stlil a noticeable tint of colour there and a colleague even complimented me on the 'pretty lip stain' she thought I was wearing.
Between 3pm and 4pm, after a good seven hours of wear, the lipstick had pretty much all worn off and while my lips didn't feel dried out and they hadn't cracked, they were starting to feel like they needed a bit of a moisture hit.
I resisted the urger to whip out the lip balm and instead decided to reapply the lipstick as I left the office at 5pm, it didn't glide on quite as nicely the second time, but it was still a vast improvement on any other matte lipstick I've ever worn, including the Dior one.
The second coat of lipstick survived the trip home and lasted through a Chinese takeaway and several episodes of Gilmore Girls that evening before I decided it was time to wash it all off at the end of the day.
A decent amount of rosy colour came off on the cotton pad when I removed my make-up, proving this stuff really does have strong staying power.
Overall I was a big fan of the Hydramatic Matte Lipstick and agree that Avon has a hit on their hands with this new product. My lips weren't left in a bad way at the end of the day, and it didn't feel overly uncomfortable to wear for hours on end.
Essentially, this lipstick does exactly what it says on the tin.
And if that weren't enough the colour was an easy way to add some glam to my everyday look and it stayed put for hours, which is a win.
If you love the matte look but have never loved how it feels, I'd definitely recommend getting your hands on one of these.
Will you be trying the new lipstick? Let us know in the comments below.
