Lippie - the stash

"Beauty, to me, is about being comfortable in your own skin. That, or a kick-ass red lipstick."

Gwyneth Paltrow

I had a law teacher back in sixth form that wore the best dark shades on her lips, Debbie I think her name was. Really deep plums, aubergines, burnished chestnuts; she never failed to look amazing, even at 5 in the afternoon. Like me, she had dark hair, blue eyes and a fair complexion, so I took a large cue from her beauty wise. My lipstick collection makes the list of my most treasured possessions. They work together with eyebrows to frame the face, and are therefore extremely important.

Bit more eclectic when it comes to lipstick. Worn enough over fourteen years to learn that so long as you keep your kissers in good repair and use a decent primer, you can wear quite a few of the more common brands sans any issues.

Approximately 30 or so in total, not a big hoarder due to at least 50% of my dressing table being taken up by perfume and jewellery.

I have kept abreast of all the top 10s for the past five years, and based a lot of my collection on articles such as these:

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/features/the-10-best-lipsticks-2374963.html
http://www.totalbeauty.com/content/gallery/best-lipsticks/p53562/page11

Bits and bobs I have lying around –

Makeup Academy – Shade 13 (bright red)

Makeup Academy – Shade 9 (Thulite pink)

Charizma – Shade 45 (Shocking pink) - that atrocious it doesn't have a website

Stargazer – Shade 130 (indigo)

No 7 moisture drench – shiny conker

Estee Lauder – tiger eye (only so due to it being a botched free sample)

Body Shop – soft heather

Stocking fillers and such

Bottom end –

Nyx – Alecto 540

Nyx – Calisto 533

Nyx – Nymphus 519

Mavalia – Amande 525

Mavalia – Vieux Rose 510

Olay Total Effects – Blackberry 380

Max Factor Stay put – Blackcurrant 18

Avon – Eternal Flame 510

Mid Market –

No7 Wild Volume  - Toffee Apple 05

No7 Wild Volume – Ruby Glow 20

Clarins Rouge Appeal – Frozen Strawberry 05

Dainty doll – Storm in a teacup 008

Clinique Almost Lipstick – Black honey 06

Mac pro longwear lipcreme – Good to go

Bobbi Brown creamy lip colour – Burnt Sugar 60

Bobbi Brown creamy lip colour – dark chocolate 12

High end –

Lord &Berry vogue – Black Red 7604

Chanel Hyrdrabase – Escapade desert rose 02 - disc

Elizabeth Arden color intrigue – Entrapment 24 - disc

Yves SaintLaurent rouge personnel – voodoo brown 20

Calvin Klein delicious truth sheer lipstick – stiletto 221

Estee Lauder Pure colour crystal lipstick – wild grape 358

Giorgio Armani armani silk – no 92

Same pic mit flash

 Favourites

Shiseido perfecting lipstick – praline p21

Shu Uemura rouge unlimited – Vivid Tangerine Red 128

Again - another Asian appraisal. I love Japanese cosmetics, they're even better than French! (something I'd never though I'd say a year ago) Incredibly rich and long lasting with a moisturising cakey texture. Eager to turn my duo into a quartet with Sensai by Kanebo’s no. 10 and Suqqu creamy glow in 07.


I do have a hefty collection of lip glosses and one or two primers/lacquers, but of course colour comes first. 

Future purchases: 

Nars - Tangier 
Tom Ford – scarlet rouge

Kat Von D - Cathedral

                          - Underage Red

                 - Hellbent
Sisley ROUGE à Lèvres - L33
Guerlain Shine automatique - 125
Dior 'diorific' - Dolce Vita

Bleh, I hate being so far away from my beloved Selfridges :(

I'm not one for swatches, I really don't like wasting cosmetics and dirtying my arm purely for the sake of  a pic, but if you'd like a more in depth review of any of the aforementioned then do let me know

x