REVIEW | 7 Days of Red Lipsticks

Welcome to a lipstick lover’s dream!

I’ve been in my red-lip era for 15-years, and it was time to move on! Not from the red-lip (obvs) as that is iconic, but from the brand I never branched away from as I got older. I was lucky enough to try out several different brands of red lipsticks, all available at MECCA and I think I have found THE ONE team.

Each day brought a new hue and a fresh experience as I went all out to get the best red lip. I embarked on a lipstick journey with MECCA, the home of a wide range of incredible brands, to meticulously testing and trialing some of the most coveted shades on the market. From bold bright reds to sheer light stains and balms, the spectrum was vast, and the results, were equally varied. I put these bad boys to the test to find out which ones could deliver on longevity, be hardwearing through drinking and eating, and how many times I had to reapply throughout the day. I didn’t use a lipliner or a lip primer because I really wanted to test the products as a standalone. Full disclosure, I am not a makeup artist, but I am an avid red lip wearer and this is my first time branching away from my all-time faves. My goal was to find something I can apply once, doesn’t smudge or bleed and packs a vivid punch. Tall order, I know, but let’s give it a crack.

Day One

NARS Matte Lipstick in Inappropriate Red, $50

Up first, we have the NARS Matte Lipstick which had a lot of pigment and a good long lasting formula. It had a strong colour all day, but ended up quite dry by 5pm. Didn’t need too much of a touch up as I skipped lunch. I had a bag of chips and four drinks throughout the day – I was very busy running around. Dinner was Japanese takeaways, and the colour was still good after. No bleed after a long day, but I had quite dry lips by 9pm. I think that’s a great trade off considering the power of its colour all day.

Our Rating: 8/10

Day Two

Shiseido TechnoSatin Gel Lipstick in Soundwave, $42

Amazing moisturising lipstick, its silky formula glided on effortlessly.. Great colour all day, and the touch up was minimal. Look don’t judge me, but I had two sandwiches for lunch and it didn’t bleed at all. Love the shape of this lipstick head, square head very easy to apply cupid’s bow. It boasts a full coverage with a satin finish and it was very comfortable to wear.

I was super surprised by this one.

Our Rating: 7.5/10

Day Three

Laura Mercier Chloe Petal Soft Lipstick Crayon in Chloe, $68

I have to be honest, this one left me feeling rather disappointed. While I am in search of red lipsticks, this may not count within the realm of what type of product I am after. The lightweight formula of it was incredibly noticeable, to the point where it felt like I wasn’t wearing anything at all. While it might be suitable for those lazy makeup days when you want just a hint of colour, it fell short of my expectations. It lacked staying power, impact and after lunch it seemed to vanish altogether. On the bright side, at least it didn’t bleed or smudge, so that is a plus!

Our Rating: 5/10

Day Four

Hourglass Unlocked Satin Creme Lipstick in Red, $74

I am a huge fan of Hourglass so I was super pumped for this one. Unfortunately, it was a bit of a mixed bag. While the shade was incredible. Impactful, visual, everything you want in a pigment – the application process had its moments. The lipstick had a tendency to melt almost instantly upon contact with my skin, which made it difficult without a lipliner to achieve a precise line. We all know by now I am a fiend for a sharp cupid’s bow, but it required multiple attempts and blotting to get my desired look. Despite its initial wetness, which can be attributed to its creamy formula, the lipstick held fairly well throughout the day. It even survived my lunchtime sandwich with minor fading! The inner parts of my lips needed a small touch up but other than that it held really well.

While it certainly has its merits, such as its vibrant colour and decent staying power, the challenges with application and tendency to transfer onto teeth probably won’t make it a go-to for everyday.

Our Rating: 7/10

Day Five

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Cinematic Red, $54

Okay, wow, I was impressed with this one! My first Charlotte Tillbury product and it did not disappoint. It is VERY pigmented. It is matte, moisturising, easy to put on. It’s ticking my boxes so far! I loved the squared tip, and its sharp edges were brilliant for me to play with and I nailed my sharp cupids bow. It had great vivid colour, all day, and really passed a lot of my trials. I also really enjoyed the darker red hue. Absolutely will be purchasing this in another colour.

Our Rating: 8.5/10

Day Six

Too Faced Melted Matte in Lady Balls

I am a big fan of liquid lipsticks so I tried to keep this towards the end of the week so I could give the others a chance, but damn did it impress me. Easy to apply, sharp edges, doesn’t smudge. I was happy as a clam with this one. Even through lunch, no touch up required. The only time I touched it up was before an evening event I had to go to. Even then, I had four cocktails and a giant degustation. You would think that after four hours and eating and chatting it would move – but NO, it not only survived, it thrived.

Our Rating: 10/10

Day Seven

Chantecaille Lip Chic in Red Juniper, $81

This style I was hesitant to try because of its shape. I love to have a sharp cupid’s bow and this rounded sheer style was not giving me much hope. I gave it a good try but it started to bleed within the first ten minutes. For my skin type and style of lipstick, this wasn’t ideal for me. However it does have hyaluronic acid in it so it is moisturising. The result for me was wet, glossy, and bled a lot. I could taste bits of it all day and it didn’t survive my morning coffee let alone a burger for lunch. I didn’t really enjoy this one compared to the others, but I also didn’t use the brand’s Lip Keep which is the base product, so if I was to try again I will definitely follow the application recommendations.

Our Rating: 3/10

Day Eight – Bonus!

Red lipstick

Violette Fr Bisou Balm (Sheer Matte Lipstick in Sucette, $54

After the Chantecaille, I was worried, but this one despite its very round shape, was easier to apply! It delivered a strong moisturising balm product that had a very saturated colour. It was great for the first two hours, but needs to be reapplied frequently for my skin.

Our Rating: 4/10

A crucial element or explanation of my ratings is when I ask myself, would I reach for this again? Would I buy it again? For most of them, yes I definitely would. Especially all of the colours from Too Faced.

Without further ado, I present to you my official ratings of the week!