Hunting For Red Lipstick: Revlon's ColorStay
You spend forever finding the perfect red lipstick, then the makeup company decides to discontinue it. Great. Beautyfix was no help, so I have to do this the old fashioned way. My beloved Superstay was sold out of all the reds at CVS, Walmart, Target and Target.com. Revlon also has a long-wear formula; I bought ColorStay in Non-stop Cherry.First of all, the color is not as advertised. It certain lights, like the light of the drugstore, it looks candy apple red. But it has strong fuchsia tones in other lights. Most importantly, it dries hot pink. Hot pink is not red.
What really turns me off this lipstick is the goopy moisturizer. It feels like the cheap lip gloss you'd buy for a dollar when you were in high school. It dries eventually, but it's a wee bit gross until then. Plus, it's sloppier to apply than Superstay's balm.
On the plus side, it doesn't dry my lips out at all, and I apply the gloss less than Superstay's balm. Amazing considering what it is.
Comments
If you're looking for long lasting, NARS Lip Gloss Stains are expensive, but worth the money. Gorgeous reds (NARS lipstick line also has lovely reds but I'm not crazy about their lipstick formulas) and very long lasting - a bit drying but aren't most long lasting lip colors? I use lip balm over it, once it's dried. It's definitely opaque, not a tint like most stains are. I have Indian Red and Daredevil and they're two of my favorites. No turning pink on me. Daredevil is the darker of the two, Indian Red is closer to a true red.
One of my favorite reds personally is MAC Underworld - it has a bit of a brown undertone to it so again, you don't get that pinky look in certain lights. It's more of a brick-ish red. MAC has tons of reds (plus you get to try them at the counter) and honestly with how expensive drugstore makeup has gotten, I don't find MAC any more expensive at $14 or so a tube. Worth it for me, I'd spend 4 times that buying drugstore stuff that I couldn't test that didn't work out for me.
I also love Chanel Vamp (deep dark red with purplish undertones) For true reds - NYC is cheap and a couple great ones, Sheer Red and Retro Red. I also love all of Clinique's Black Honey lipcolors - I have them all. :) It comes as Almost Lipstick, Superbalm Gloss, and Glosswear for Lips. Not nearly as dark as it looks in the tube either, it's actually a nice toned down red, I like to use the gloss or the superbalm over any of my red lipsticks or stains.
I haven't tried it, but I've heard YSL Opium Red is a classic.
Unfortunately some of my other favorite reds are no longer available - MAC Kirsch mattene (limited edition) MAC Rocker (limited edition) Maybelline Moisture Extreme Midnight Red (discontined) the original Urban Decay Gash (from the old line of lipsticks discontinued around 2003 - deep dark metallic red - the Gash Urban Decay makes now is not the same. The formula is nicer - smells better, goes on smoother, more moisturizing - but the color doesn't come close)
For as much red lipstick I have I should be wearing it every day!