Giving Lip

Big on colours – they’re richer, bolder, even with the nudes Big on new textures – matte, semi-matte, liquid, vinyl liquid Big on choice – between the seven brands here, there are 202 hues Dig in.

CHANEL ROUGE ALLURE INK USP:

The French house’s first foray into liquid lipstick, it delivers matte colour, glides on smoothly minus patchiness and is packaged in frosted glass.

Shades: 8

Price: $49

CLE DE PEAU BEAUTE RADIANT LIQUID ROUGE USP:

The Japanese brand’s take on liquid colour: solid, even, with a vinyl-like shine.

Shades: 8

Price: $80

SHISEIDO ROUGE ROUGE USP:

One swipe is all it takes for a rich, creamy, pigmented pout. It also comes in a case with magnetic closure.

Shades: 16

Price: $46

NARS VELVET LIP GLIDE USP:

This is the American brand’s first liquid lipstick: A hybrid that only goes on like a gloss, gives a semimatte finish and delivers saturated colour with a flat-onone- side wand.

Shades: 16

Price: $40

URBAN DECAY VICE LIPSTICK USP:

Since this replaces all of the American cosmetics company’s lip colours, it has to really impress. And it does with a whopping 100 shades (26 are not so new, 74 are) and six finishes – Mega Matte, Comfort Matte, Cream, Metallized, Sheer and Sheer Shimmer.

Shades: Well, you know that already.

Price: $29

ESTEE LAUDER PURE COLOR ENVY HILUSTRE LIGHT SCULPTING LIPSTICK USP:

This addition to the Pure Color Envy lip franchise offers pigmented colour with fullon coverage, a pearlised finish and longevity that survived a greasy lunch. Bonus: a case with magnetic closure.

Shades: 15

Price: $48

LANCOME L’ABSOLU ROUGE USP:

The reboot of an existing product, this is bigger – 25 shades are added to the previous 14 – has more modern textures to choose from (cream, sheer and matte instead of satin and shimmer), and now comes in a new case (press the top to “release” the lipstick, which comes off from the bottom).

Shades: 39

Price: $46