You may have heard through the grapevine (the grapevine being my rather chatty Twitter feed) that I'm jetting away this month for a much needed summer vay-cay (in fact, by the time you read this, I'm probably sitting on a beach somewhere, dipping my toes in the sand whilst sipping on a Pina Colada - just sayin'). In true beauty blogger style, I've been rushing around making sure I have all my trusty lotions and potions ready to go. As well as suncream, hair care and the usual holiday related bits and bobs, I've also been rounding up my chosen cosmetics - a task n' a half I'm sure you're all aware. My biggest downfall has to be lipsticks. I kid you not, every single holiday I go on, I must dedicate half of my makeup bag purely to lip products. I shall hold my hands up and confess I'm the biggest lipstick hoarder ever - whenever it comes to selecting one or two to take away with me, well, let's just say it ain't no easy job. I'm all in favour of a bit of choice and I'm definitely partial to a bit of colour whenever I jet away so simply throwing in a couple of everyday favourites isn't an option for me. No surprise then that this year it seems as if I'll be cramming a grand total of 9 lipsticks into my suitcase with me. There's method in my madness though - I have a colour to suit every mood, every occasion and every level of tan possible...all crucial things to consider. Without further jibberjabber, I shall introduce you to my 'chosen ones'... (oo... sounds very 'final' and important, doesn't it?)
Tanya Burr | Lipgloss in 'Let's Travel the World'
Tanya's lipgloss range is seriously impressive. After trying the brown/nude shade 'Chic' (also included in this post), I thought I'd treat myself to one of the more brighter options. It was a toss up between this and a bright pink named 'Exotic Island', but I settled on this beautiful orangey-red shade with an equally appropriate name: 'Let's Travel the World'. It isn't as pigmented as 'Chic' but I bought it to wear on top of my red lipsticks anyway - I thought it would create a lovely bit of dimension and add an extra bit of 'ooomph' when I decide to opt for a statement lip. I've written a full post on these lipglosses earlier in the week if you fancy an in-depth read up!
Bourjois | Rouge Edition Velvet in 'Hot Pepper'
Again, it was a toss up between bringing this or Mac's infamous 'Lady Danger' - but I decided I'd bring Bourjois' offering along with me as it's much more lightweight on the lips and is ever so slightly brighter - the orange hint will also help emphasise my tan. It has a matte finish but doesn't feel drying - perfect for a holiday as it packs in all the staying power but doesn't feel uncomfortable over the course of the night. I'm planning on wearing Tanya Burr's gloss over the top as I much prefer a bit of a sheen - together, I can imagine they're going to be my summer holiday dream team! I have a full review of these lipsticks in a past blog post here.
Mac | Cut a Caper
Ok. So clearly I have an obsession with corals and oranges. As soon as summer rolls round I go crazy for lipsticks like this and Mac's 'Cut a Caper' has to be one of my most loved daytime lipsticks. It's actually a limited edition so I try my hardest not to wear it down too much and I save it for special occasions or days out, but its a gorgeous subtle coral shade with a hint of a pink and a slight sheen. Wear time isn't the best as it's a Lustre finish, but it's perfect for popping on when you're in a rush as you don't really need a mirror to apply it. If you can get your mitts on it, I really recommend doing so. I wish they'd make it part of the permanent range - Mac? Take note!
Stargazer | Lipstick in '124'
I was sent this lipstick to review last summer (you can read my post on it here) and I have to say, it surprised me. I can't say I'm a fan of the packaging - it does feel incredibly cheap and if you're not careful, it's very easy to cut into with the lid, however, the colour is simply amazing. It looks gorgeous with a tan and has a certain 'neon' quality to it that makes it perfect for taking away on holiday. If you're after a mid-coral shade to really make your tan pop then I recommend this shade - it's a reet bargain, i tells ya!
Mac | Costa Chic
Quite possibly my most favourite summer lipstick of all time. Yep. Big claims right there but it's honestly one of the best lipsticks I've ever used and every single year it manages to top the list of favourite summer products. If you're going to buy one lipstick this summer - make it this one. It's quite a difficult colour to describe but like the Stargazer lipstick, it really does help to bring out a tan. It has a slight frost finish which tends to put some people off, but personally, i think it works in its favour and the pigment is incredible - I'd definitely liken it to some of the 'amplified' formulas from Mac. It's slightly darker and a little more wearable than the Stargazer lipstick despite how similar they appear on the swatches below. I can't explain in words how much I love this shade.
Mac | Saigon Summer
This shade is, in my opinion, one of Mac's unsung heroes. I never really hear much about Saigon Summer on blogs - it seems to be the slightly less raved about cousin of Mac's 'Morange'. The cremesheen formula means that it's much more wearable for the daytime if you're a little bit scared of rocking the orange trend - but it's still very bright and more than pigmented enough to wear in the evening too. It's definitely a more versatile orange shade to opt for and I really recommend it. Like Costa Chic, it's also one of my summer favourites and it's actually quite unique - I'm yet to find a cheaper dupe for it.
NYC | Blue Rose
Everybody needs a bright, blue-toned pink in their life, right? Not only do they bring out a tan like no other, they also help to whiten the ol' tegs (a good one to opt for if you'll be taking a lot of photographs). This is one of the closest dupes I've found for Mac's 'Show Orchid' lipstick (I've been lusting after it ever since I first started blogging and still don't have it in my collection - such a crime!) Again, like the Stargazer lipstick, I find the packaging to be a faff and it's not exactly the most luxurious of the bunch, but for the price and the quality of pigmentation, it's well worth it. It has flecks of shimmer in it which help add dimension (without feeling gritty) and the shape of the lipstick means it's quite easy to get a good, even line if you've forgotten to pack your lip liner. It's not for the faint hearted but it's so flattering when worn and it's such a lovely, unique sort of colour.
YSL | Rouge Volupte Perle '114' Sparkling Fuschia'
This is one of those lipsticks that I only really reach for when I've got some colour to my face. Any other time of year and it can have a tendency to wash me out for some reason, but my goodness, just look at how beautiful it is! It's a gorgeous mid-toned pink with flecks of glitter running through it. The consistency is really soft, smooth and creamy and it gives such a beautiful glossy finish which eliminates the need too apply lip balm beforehand or any gloss over the top. YSL's 'Rouge Volupte' range is amazing and the pigmentation is always second to none - well worth it if you're after a duty free treat (or two...) I have a feeling this was a limited edition (i might be wrong) but it's one of my favourite summer pinks and I always get compliments on it when I wear it.
Tanya Burr | Lipgloss in 'Chic'
I don't take many nude shades abroad with me as what looks great on day 1 often looks like I've smeared concealer over my lips by day 5 thanks to the melanin kicking in (inner science-geek coming out to play there). As my skin gets darker, I need a nude shade that's going to be versatile and that's exactly what Tanya Burr's 'Chic' is. It's a gorgeous brown toned nude - really sophisticated and classy - and it's perfect for wearing both on it's own and over the top of other lipsticks. I paired this with the Stargazer lipstick today to tone down the brightness slightly and it worked a treat. One of the best buys of the past few months - I've had it on constantly since I got it! I speak about it a little more in this recent beauty haul and I also wrote a full review on the range in a post earlier this week if you skip back a few days.
Swatches | Top to Bottom | Tanya Burr - Let's Travel the World / Bourjois - Hot Pepper / Mac - Costa Chic / Mac - Cut a Caper / Stargazer - 124 / Mac - Saigon Summer / NYC - Blue Rose / YSL - 114 / Tanya Burr - Chic /
And so there we have it - my chosen holiday lipsticks. To be honest, after looking at the swatches, I really don't need all of those corals and I'll probably manage to narrow it down further - but so far, this is what I've got it down to. My aim is to get it down to 6 or 7 but I'll let you know how that goes - it's much easier said than done, trust me...
What's your favourite summer lipstick?
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