Lipstick has to be one of the most essential beauty products, whether it’s finishing your look or the centre focus of it. I can’t think of a time or a place where lipstick isn’t appropriate. If you told my 14 year old self that in just a little over 10 years I’d be okay with leaving the house without a full face of makeup, I’d probably laugh at you. By my early teens my parents (well, more my mom) let me experiment with makeup pretty freely which was definitely a help while I went through my personal style discovery, like my punk-rock goth phase. There wasn’t a day that I didn’t have heavy dark makeup on, even if it was just to go hangout down the street with friends. As I got into my mid-teens I may have toned down my makeup but everything from foundation, to eyeliner, mascara and lipstick were always a must.

It wasn’t until my 20s that I started to turn to more minimal makeup looks, and actually went makeup free every now and then. But the one thing I’ve never been able to take out of my makeup bag, let alone my purse is lipstick. Whether it’s a done up night look, or a simple BB cream for a casual weekend look lipstick is that one thing that makes me feel put together. To me lipstick is the easiest way to use makeup to transform or define your look. And in today’s world of cosmetics, we have so many different options for application like liquid lipsticks, lip stains, lip crayons and of course the classic lipstick.

Whether I like to admit it or not, I probably one one too many lipsticks and I especially own one too many lipsticks that are nearly identical in colour. I really don’t discriminate when it comes to brands and have fallen in love with everything from expensive to affordable drug store brands. All that really matters to me in a lipstick (other than ingredients of course) is that it doesn’t cake, it lasts long and feels good on the lips. And even with my never ending lipstick collection that probably could rival some makeup artists, I always tend to gravitate towards the same rotation of colours. I’m often asked what colour lipstick I’m wearing and with the Holidays around I’ve got a lipstick for every occasion to complete your looks this year!

For a while I strictly wore deep, dark reds if I was going anywhere after 8pm and although I own 5 or 6 red lipsticks in this shade MAC Cosmetic’s Sin lipstick is the one I’ve worn the most. It’s a blue toned red in an extreme deep tone, almost brownish but still a very vibrant red overall.

I remember in the late 90s, early 2000s my mom had this amazing brown Cover Girl lipstick that I was obsessed with. A favourite brown of many, this shade from Urban Decay is nearly identical to that brown I remembered, the perfect 90’s brown. It’s a medium brown shade that has a bit of a mauve tone, while still being warm.

The beginning of my obsession with lipstick started when I was 19, when I owned 8 or 9 similar shades of pink. Years later, I really don’t wear pink lips and gravitate more towards pinkish nudes if I’m going in that direction. This Matte Creme Lip Crayon from BITE Beauty in Glacé is a little pinker than I usually go but I love the shade and the formula is amazing! It’s more of a dusty mauve, but on my skin tone it wears more pinkish.

Overall, I own more MAC lipsticks than any other brand mainly because their formulas work great for me. I was looking for a good nude tone for everyday wear that I could throw on while on to go, and didn’t need to worry about applying properly with a mirror. The Luster formula is sheer but buildable so it was perfect for what I needed, and Fresh Brew is the perfect creamy nude colour!

With all these lipsticks, this is the one that I wear the most, probably 3 times a week if that. And this is probably the lipstick colour you’ve been wondering about. I fell in love with Bow N Arrow in the Everlasting Liquid Lipstick formula, but quickly needed this colour in a classic creme lipstick version for everyday wear. It’s another great nude shade with an ashy brown tone that can be worn both day and night.

Did you find a new lipstick shade to try for the Holidays, or maybe your favourite one made the list? Either way I’m sure this list will help you lock down a colour for every occasion you have this Holiday season, or maybe give you an excuse to treat yourself. If you liked this post, make sure you keep up with all beauty posts on themjelle.com where I’m sharing my picks, tips and tricks for better hair, skin and makeup!