There's nothing like putting on a bit of lippy - it makes you feel good, it brightens up your face and you're never fully dressed without a red lip (at least if you're heading on a night out). Over the years I've tried various brands of lipstick - some expensive and some not so expensive - but is it really worth splashing the cash on expensive make up when the cost of living is rising and we're all trying to cut back?
I went to find out, and tested a selection of lipsticks by different brands to see if they actually vary. Is the quality different? Do some stay on longer than others? Do some make your lips dry?
There are various things to think about when it comes to lipstick but - for me - the main thing I want to know is how long it's going to stay on. If you apply your lipstick before heading out the door you want to know that it's going to wear well no matter how much you eat and drink throughout the day.
So in an attempt to see if you can really pull off quality beauty looks on a budget I compared a few popular brands to see if they differ, no matter what the price tag may be.
Revlon lipstick in Kiss Me Coral - £8.99
The first lippy I tested out was by Revlon and the colour was Kiss Me Coral. It's a much lighter colour than I'd normally wear, but is very pretty for the summer and came in at the price of £8.99.
I'd say that's somewhere in the middle of the scale when it comes to lipstick prices, and I was quite impressed with it. It stayed on all morning, and didn't budge.
I was going to take a picture of the stain it left on my coffee cup at lunch, but the cup was so dark you couldn't see anything. What I will say is hardly any of the product came off, and it wasn't until I had something to eat that I had to reapply the lipstick.
The picture above was taken after a day in the office, and I had even popped a mask on for a little while, and it still didn't budge. For the price I'd rate it a solid 4/5.
Barry M in Love Lust - £4.99
I was really impressed with the Barry M lippy - for under a fiver you really can't go wrong. The colour isn't too bright, which makes it a great shade for the daytime when you want a bit of colour but aren't looking for anything too bright.
The texture was also really nice. Sometimes I find lipsticks can be drying, but it was quite creamy and didn't leave my lips feeling dehydrated.
I took a picture of my coffee cup after my morning break and, as you can see, hardly any lipstick came off. It's a long-lasting product and doesn't smudge easily.
The only time I had to re-apply was after I had my lunch, which is to be expected with any lippy if we're being honest. For a bargain price it's hard not to give this a 5/5.
Sleek Makeup in Hot In Here - £5.99
I'll be honest, I'd never heard of Sleek Makeup before I'd picked up this lippy at Boots, but it came in at the reasonable price of £5.99 so I thought I'd give it a whirl.
I have to be honest I was left impressed. It's really smooth to apply, and it's a lovely colour. In fact the colour reminds me of a Tom Ford lippy I once tried (which are expensive, but are definitely worth the investment for a treat), but this is a great cheaper alternative.
It stays on well, didn't leave my lips feeling dry and was easy to apply.
When I popped out for a coffee there was quite a prominent lipstick mark left on the cup, but it didn't look like it had come off much when I looked in the mirror. I didn't feel the need to re-apply it.
I've worn this a few times since trying it out for the first time, and I really like it. The only thing is it seemed to make my lips feel quite dry the more I applied it, so I'd probably need to add a balm or gloss if I wore it often.
For that reason I'd score it a 4/5.
Natural Collection by Boots in Elderberry - £2.49.
This was the deeper shade of the bunch I tried, and is quite a step away from the colours I'd usually wear. For £2.49 it wasn't that bad - the texture was smooth, it was easy to apply and it didn't smudge easily.
The one big downfall with this product was that you needed a lot of it to make it look like you had lipstick on. It comes out quite faint when you first apply it, so I was there for a while trying to achieve an even finish.
It lasted quite well, but when I needed to re-apply I had to use quite a lot to make it look like I had lippy on. For a bargain price it wasn't a bad product, but I wouldn't rush back to buy it.
When you can get other good products for £2 extra, I'd sooner go back for them. I'd rate it a 3/5.
Urban Decay Vice Matte Lipstick in 714 - £19.00
It didn't seem right to write this piece without throwing a pricier product into the mix. I opted for Urban Decay Vice Matte Lipstick in shade 714, which came in at £19.00.
If you're a fan of a red lip then this shade is for you. It's the ultimate red, and will make you feel ultra glam if you're heading for a night on the tiles. There were a few things I liked about this product.
Considering it's a matte lipstick it really didn't make my lips feel dry, and I often can't opt for matte lippies for that exact reason, so this was a big bonus for me.
As well as this it was really nice to apply, and it did last really well throughout the day.
It left a slight mark on my cup, but nothing too drastic, and my lipstick looked perfect even after I had two cups of coffee. The only time I re-applied it was after I had lunch, and even then it didn't take much to touch it up.
The only thing I'd say is it does smudge quite easily - you have to be careful when you apply it as the colour is so bright - and it's a definite no-go if you need to wear a mask.
Aside from that a good product worth splurging on if you fancy a treat. I'd give it a 4.5/5.
What did I learn?
In all honesty the biggest thing I took away from the experiment is that you shouldn't knock a product until you've tried it. I've tried various lipsticks over the years (and splurged on quite a few), but I'd definitely go back to some of these brands for everyday use.
Everyone likes splurging on expensive make-up now and again, and if that's what you want to do then go for it! But there's no harm in looking around and trying some budget brands, because sometimes it's surprising what you'll find and how similar the products can actually be to the luxury brands.
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