Top 9 | Low Cost Lipsticks & Lip Treats

I normally talk about things I have just received, purchased or want so I decided to strip it right back and do a post about some of my older items that I really do love.

While I have many varied brands from expensive Dior lipsticks (which I forgot to add but truly adore) down to Poundland own brand type chubby sticks I judge each item on its wearability, quality and pigmentation. I want a product that is usable, looks good and lives up to its promises, I want a product that feels good, highlights my natural beauty and doesn't look downright strange when it's on my face.

I've chosen this product for those exact reasons and some of you die-hard brand fans may be surprised by my choices. Although these are some of my favourites from my own collection I have many coveted products that I plan to add this year, at this moment in time these are my favourites.

Maybelline Super Stay Color 18h (Magical Merlot)

This really does have 18 hours and more worth of staying power, stupid me thought I'd do the right thing and swatch all of the colours on my arms for you guys to see, well I'm typing this post 26 hours later and I am left with 2 stripes of the Maybelline super stay on my arms. I look so silly *smiles* The Magical Merlot shade is a gorgeous pinky-red with shimmery highlights, you simply apply the colour onto the lips and let it dry (take about 30 seconds) and then you apply the balm to moisturise your lips and seal in the lip stain. These lip stains don't end up flaky and uneven even after you drink, eat and smooch with your loved ones either.

Maybelline Super Stay 18h Color (Soft Taupe)

This is exactly the same product as the Magical Merlot above but this shade is a natural neutral shade. I prefer the Magical Merlot as this can make me feel washed out depending on my outfit but for day wear it is really nice if you wear pops of colour in your outfit or on your eyes. I love the Maybelline balm that you get in the other end of this and actually purchased the balm separate to keep in my handbag, you can purchase these to top up but the balm you get with the product itself is more than sufficient to last you a long time.

Laqa & Co Lip Pencil (Lambchop)

Laqa & Co are an American company that is becoming really popular in the U.K. Currently you can purchase Laqa & Co in Selfridges and ASOS and they offer a range of colourful products such as these chubby lipsticks, nail polish pens and nail polishes. This colour is a vibrant girly pink and is so easy to apply, it has a lot of pigment so if your shy I wouldn't advise you to try this. Laqa & Co lip pencils also have a huge amount of lasting power and can withstand eating and drinking without the dreaded lip stains and smudges that some brands leave you with. I also adore Laqa & Co's packaging and while I truly love this product the only flaw is the smell/taste as it resembles school crayons? I wish it has a vanilla flavour like the Maybelline balm does.

CK Lipgloss (Sizzle)

My husband purchased the Sizzle and Black Diamond for me as a surprise, I love reds and had been coveting the trend for black lipsticks around that time. I tend to go for glosses as a fail-safe especially when it's a brave colour like black. Sizzle is a red gloss and has a lot of sparkle in the bottle, I had hoped this would transfer to the lips but it didn't as much as I had hoped, however, the gloss has a lovely texture and tone and while it does shimmer it could do with some more. It looks amazing over lipsticks and lip pencils and really gives more depths to a sexy letterbox red lip.

CK lipgloss (Black Diamond)

Black gloss for the lips? surely not? just like the Sizzle, this looks very shimmery and diamond-esque in the tube but this doesn't transfer to the lips, this isn't a bad thing however as the black gives the lips a real natural goth shade. This looks amazing with purple toned lip stains and can give the lips a glossy natural look without the faux Barbie look.

Urban Decay Pocket Rocket (Jesse)

My favourite by far out of this little collection and this is one of my newest purchases out of this lot. 'Jesse' is a purple toned red gloss and packs a punch with the shimmer. While most glosses look pretty on the lips and pretty standard in the tube Urban Decay's 'pocket rocket' looks pretty amazing both on the lips and in the tube. The lid of the pocket rocket has an image of 'Jesse' who is an indie rocker type of hunk, if you move the gloss it shows him dressed and then undressed *smiles* The body of the gloss says 'rub to release pheromones' I have stupidly done this and nothing happened, not sure if it's just making me look silly but the colour is super sexy.

Sally Hansen Comfort Colour Lipstick (Sunburst)

While I don't tend to really both about Sally Hansen products I do love this natural-toned pinky brown tone, it's really smooth and is so forgiving especially if your lips are dry in places. It has a creamy formula and as you will see below it does have a ton of pigment in it. Lasting power while this is moisturising and pretty it tends to come off quite easily so re-applying is necessary.

Rimmel Lipstick (Pink Champagne)

Rimmel is a brand that makes me feel so old, it was one of the first brands of lipsticks I purchased in my youth and I kind of feel sentimental towards it. This shade is a gorgeous pink, it's quite light and very pigmented and reminds me of my Dior lipstick but the Rimmel has less sparkle. This is a flat toned colour so lips need to be in tip-top shape before applying and I tend to pop a balm over the top as it's not as moisturising as the Sally Hansen but the colour is really pretty and looks amazing in the Summer.

Chit Chat Stick Lipstick (Fiery Red)

Browsing my local Poundland I came across the Chit Chat brand and was slightly disgusted, it looked cheap, tacky and some of the products looked useless or gloopy. I had picked up these chubby sticks before and wondered if they would be any good because they did look really moisturising and colourful but you can never tell with cheap makeup can you? One day I got an email about the soon to be released Clinique chubby sticks (way back) and thought well I'll give the Poundland ones a try at only £1 I really had nothing to lose (I hoped) I picked up the fiery red because this colour suited my skin tone better than the others which were really light and when I tried it I was shocked at just how amazing it is. It's easy to apply, the colour is pigmented enough to be more than noticeable, the colour is true, the flavour is nice and it has lasting power.

Needless to say, I went back and bought some more colours and stocked up on this £1 miracle. FYI the rest of the Chit Chat brand is rubbish so I wouldn't waste your money on it.

Laqa & Co // Urban Decay // CK Sizzle // CK Black Diamond // Chit Chat // Sally Hansen // Rimmel // Maybelline Soft Taupe // Maybelline Magical Merlot.

While I adore these lip treats I doubt I would re-purchase the CK lip glosses or the Rimmel only because my wish list is getting pretty huge and there are so much more than I feel are more exciting. When I purchased these ones I think I was going through a pinky red phase whereas I am currently adoring the orange and plummy purple tones that suit my skin tone so much better than these do.

Do you find that you go through colour crushes, I find it hard to get myself out of these crushes until an amazing product comes out. Currently, I am super coveting M.A.C's Morange Lipstick and I can totally imagine it on my lips right now. *sigh*

Do you have any old trusties? brands that you feel faithful to or any surprise buys that we should know about?