Some Favorite Summer Bright Lipsticks

Note: Pre-written post from before I started traveling!  I actually didn’t bring most of these with me for my trip, but they are my favorite bright lipsticks, nonetheless.

After a whole slew of travel-related posts, I've come back to dabble in beauty for this post. It's a bit hard to talk about beauty when I'm traveling with just a little makeup bag, but it is one of my favorite subjects to talk about, so I'm taking a little break from travel for now to talk about my favorite summer shades.

Once upon a time, I was very terrified of bright lipstick.  I look back now and scoff at my hesitancy to wear even muted red shades (remember when MAC’s Viva Glam Cyndi was considered an ‘everyday red’ by many?  Not I).  And my brights were quite limited to reds. I shuddered at the thought of wearing purple, or even a bright fuchsia.  However, over the past year, I have slowly become acquainted with the idea of bright lipsticks, slowly building up my tolerance to the point where nothing is too bright for me anymore.  Orange lipstick?  A gateway bright for me.  I’ve moved on neon purple, no longer reserved for special occasions, but for every day activities. 

I think over the past year, my bright lip stick collection has tripled or quadrupled…which is quite easy to do when I only really have one or two lipsticks before.  However, despite my excitement for bright lipstick at any time, summer is the time when they all really come out to play, desperately calling my name while I happily oblige.  

I’ve pulled out some of my favorite bright lipsticks, ranging from the sheer to the fully opaque. For me, the easiest way to get used to the look of bright lipstick on me was to wear sheerish glosses until I finally got too curious for my own good. 

 Read after the jump to see some swatches >>

Revlon Super Lustrous Matte Lipstick in Strawberry Suede is the definition of what a matte lipstick should be.  It glides on smoothly, and doesn’t emphasize every line in lips.  I also had trouble wearing this shade at first, even though it’s absolutely gorgeous.  It’s very much a strawberry coral shade – red-coral with a hint of pink thrown in.  It is a completely unique shade in my collection, despite all the reds and pinks I have managed to accumulate over the past year or so.

Maybelline Color Sensational Vivids in Neon Red is one of those reds that screams summer.  Yes, I’m crazy/obsessed enough to distinguish between winter and summer reds. It’s a warm red with strong orange undertones that most definitely feels like a neon red.  I love the formula of these lipsticks so any shade would be a win for me.  They are pigmented, smooth, and extremely long lasting without feeling heavy or thick.

Revlon Super Lustrous Gloss in Firecracker is a great no fuss lipgloss for the summer.  It’s a sheer warm red lipgloss with pretty strong orange undertones.  Although it’s not actually too bright, I added it to this post because it is one of those effortless glosses that gives your lips a slight reddish tint.  Since it looks and feels light and is also sheerer than al my other Super Lustrous glosses, it’s perfect for those hot summer days when I can’t be bothered to put anything too heavy feeling.  

Revlon Balm Stain in Redezvous is not actually a very bright lipstick, but I mentioned it here anyway because of how much I wear it in the summer. It has a light formula that can be sheer or layered, and the pencil type design also makes it convenient.  I like that it’s not overly bright because I can just throw it on and leave if I have to.  It’s less high maintenance than my Sephora and Pantone lipstick, but still has the same flattering orange color.

Sephora + Pantone lipstick in Tangerine Tango has the distinction of being the bright lipstick that got me into bright lipsticks, and for expanding my shade range beyond red and pinks.  When it was the color of the year back in 2012, I knew I had to try it. I admit, I was definitely hesitant at first, but as soon as I put it on for the first time, I was in love.  It turns out that orange is one of those shades that flatters my tan NC35 skin tone perfectly.  In fact, when I wear this, it barely even feels like a bright.

Maybelline Color Elixir in Mandarin Rapture is another orange type lip shade that I have been loving this summer.  I justify owning it in addition to my lipsticks is because it’s a gloss and therefore it’s sheerer and provides a different look than a lipstick.  That’s what I tell myself, anyway…however, despite it being another orange shade, the texture of this gloss makes it worth having.  It is a cushiony and moisturizing formula that lasts longer than most other glosses that I’ve tried without being sticky.  Definitely a win for me.

Revlon Super Lustrous Gloss in Coral Reef is one of my favorite lip glosses, both in formulation and in color.  I am still a little heartbroken that they discontinued this perfect sheer, but buildable coral shade that had the magical ability to moisturize my lips and stay on for a while.  Admittedly, it’s not actually super bright when applied, but it makes it easy enough to apply on the go when I don’t have a mirror handy.

Revlon Moon Drops Lipstick in Blasé Apricot is officially my first “bright” lipstick.  Actually, it was one of my first lipsticks in general, even though I rarely wore it.  It’s a bright coral shade with a creamy medium coverage finish.  It’s one of my favorite coral shades, but since it has a drier and more matte texture than some of my other coral lipsticks, I don’t reach for it as often as I should.

The Kiko Smart Shade Lipstick in 104 is a beautiful bright pink with some coral undertones.  It works beautifully on my NC-35 skin tone to brighten up my face without actually wearing something that is neon.  It reminds me of the Revlon Colorburst Lipgloss in Strawberry without the shimmer, but I prefer the moisturizing lipstick formula far more.  

Revlon Super Lustrous Gloss in Pink Pop is another one of my favorite glosses, except it is just the hot pink version of Coral Reef.  It has the same creamy moisturizing texture that I love.  I find myself using this gloss slightly more than Coral Reef, but only because it matches most of my other makeup and clothing.

Clinique Chubby Stick Intense Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm in Plushiest Punch is another bright pink that I’ve been loving this summer.  It’s more of a standard pink with some blue undertones.  It has a great smooth formula, and it’s so great to take with me on the go because it’s one of the pen type lipsticks.

Maybelline Color Sensational Vivids in Electric Fuchsia is probably the summer bright lip that I’ve been loving.  When I first bought this last year, I was still weary of how bright shades would look on me.  At that time, this was the brightest lipstick I owned, although just one year later, I now own brighter brights.  I find this shade oddly flattering on me, having the perfect undertones for my skin no matter what time of year it is. This is definitely one of the top shades in my collections, and the Maybelline Vivids formula also can’t be beat.

L’oreal Color Riche Extraordinaire in Fuchsia Orchestra is seriously bright.  I mentioned it (HERE) and how it is nearly neon on me.  That being said, it is the perfect statement lip for the summer…or for any time of year, really.  It is a neon fuchsia/purple that goes completely opaque with one swipe and also lasts for almost the entire day without reapplying.

I’ve also tried to order these shades from sheerest to most opaque to show that even though the color may look scary in the tube, it may actually apply sheerer than it looks.  But it also shows exactly how pigmented L’oreal Fuchsia Orchestra is despite the gloss formula.

 

Now that I’ve gone back and looked at this post, I realize that I bought most of the brightest lipsticks and glosses this year…oops.  I think it just shows exactly how much I’ve been loving these bright shades!  

What are some of your favorite brights?  I think I am officially obsessed and will always be looking for more recommendations!