Favorite Everyday Lipsticks

The other day, a friend asked me to recommend a MAC lipstick that would work well for everyday. I love when people ask me for advice like that – I love talking about makeup the same way that I love Diet Coke and caramel creams - but it’s also a tough question to answer since your coloring and personal preferences play such a big role in determining what constitutes a good everyday lip color.

But my friend’s question did get me thinking about what my go-to lipsticks for everyday are, MAC or otherwise, and when I looked through the lipstick drawer in my makeup stash, I realized that there was definitely a few shades that got more love than all the others. I was going to try to limit my selections to five shades, but in the end, seven made the cut because I just couldn’t bring myself to cut two.  These are the lipsticks that I turn to when I don’t want to think too much about what I’m wearing or worry about my lip color working with the rest of my makeup.

Now, keep in mind that I have extremely fair skin and red hair, so the shades that work best for me might not work for everyone.  In past month or so, a couple of Revlon Lip Butters (Crème Brulee and Peach Parfait in particular)  have been heavy in my lipstick rotation too but I left them off since I haven’t had them as long as the other shades.

MAC Cute-ster

1.       MAC Cute-ster

I wondered for moment if I should include a limited edition shade in my list, but the fact is, this is the lipstick that I wear most often and it’s truly my favorite shade.  And if MAC ever decides to re-release this lipstick, you’ll remember that it’s one worth checking out. Cute-ster came out with MAC’s Hello Kitty line several years ago, and as far as I know, it hasn’t been re-released since. Fortunately, I have a back-up since this tube is clearly well-loved. I’d call it a light peachy pink with subtle shimmer that just looks really pretty on the lips.

Too Faced Free Love

2.       Too Faced Free Love

I think of this as the fully pink equivalent of Cute-ster. It has a slightly shimmery finish and looks nice and glossy on the lips. I tend to go with Free Love when I’m wearing cool toned eye shadow or darker eye looks since it’s a light to medium pink that doesn’t look too bold.

MAC Viva Glam V

3.       MAC Viva Glam V

I’m sure this one is hardly a surprise since I see Viva Glam V get plenty of love from makeup junkies – but there’s good reason for it. It’s a neutral pink that should work for pretty much any skin tone and like Cute-ster, it’s a luster finish so it has a nice pearly look on the lips. I like to wear Viva Glam V with darker eye looks because it’s light but still deep enough to give me a balanced look.

Urban Decay Naked

4.       Urban Decay Naked

This shade is actually somewhat similar to Viva Glam V, but Naked may have some cool undertones for a rosier look. On me, it’s truly a ‘My Lips But Better’ shade so I wear it with a lot of natural looks for a bit of added color. I love the feel of Urban Decay’s formula, but I have to say I’m not crazy about the smell – I’m terrible at describing scents but to me it seems almost licorice-y.  Now I hate licorice so that may be why I’m not fond of it, but whatever the reason, the smell doesn’t keep me from wearing Naked all the time.

MAC Sandy B

5.       MAC Sandy B

MAC describes this as a light shell pink, but to me, it’s a pretty peachy shade. It’s actually peachier than Cute-ster and has a frost finish. I tend to wear this one a lot in the summer just because I go for warmer looks then.

Rimmel Summer Angel

6.       Rimmel Moisture Renew in Summer Angel

I’m not sure if this one is still available – I don’t see it on Rimmel’s website, but it’s still available on Ulta.com so perhaps you can still find it. Summer Angel is a light rosy bronze shade with a frost finish. It also has a pretty strong smell – kind of a floraly perfume scent – but again, it doesn’t keep me from wearing it all the time.

Hourglass Grace

7.       Hourglass Femme Rouge in Grace

This is probably the warmest shade in my list, but I’m crazy about it. It’s kind of a peachy nude shade with a cream finish. This is the only Hourglass lipstick that I own, but the formula is so amazingly creamy and smooth that I’m eyeing a few more when my tax refund comes in.  If I ever feel like Grace is pulling too warm or orange on me, I just top it with a light pink gloss to help tone it down.  Even if this shade isn’t for you, I definitely recommend checking out the Hourglass lipsticks – pure heaven.

Left to Right: Cute-ster, Free Love, Sandy B, Naked, Viva Glam V, Summer Angel, Grace

When I look at all of my shades swatched next to one another, they look pretty similar – but I swear, they’re all just a little bit different.  I definitely have a thing for peach and peachy-pink shades.  I can’t help it.

Do you switch up your lip color daily or are there shades in your collection that get a little more love than others?  What are your go-to everyday lipsticks?  I’m always looking to add a few more to my collection.