Bright lipsticks for every mood: reds, pinks and plums

I’m a big fan of bright lipsticks, as is evident every time I look at my expanding lipstick collection. From the wide selection of colours and finishes to choose from, to their ability to instantly dress up any outfit with a little effort, they’re definitely my favourite makeup product to both buy and wear.

But while my younger (and for a while, braces wearing self) would shy away from anything too dramatic, I’m now firmly on the bright lip brigade; and though I love a classic nude or ‘your lips but better’ shade, sometimes you want something a bit different. This is where a good plum, pink or red comes in…

Because I do like a red lipstick and feel there’s a shade to suit everyone, I’ve featured a few options in this little products round-up. The first is quite famous in the beauty blogging world; the Rimmel Kate Matte Lipstick in 107. The colour is what I’d call a deep wine red (bordering almost on plum), and it just seems to suit everyone. This is probably because it sits somewhere between a plum and a deep red, and it’s berry-toned without being too dark.

If you do like your plums but want something that makes more of an impact, the Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips Lipstick in Hell’s Bells is a great place to start. As you can see from the bullets, this is far more purple and cool-toned than 107, and it has a hint of pink. It’s described on the Charlotte Tilbury website as ‘magenta-mulberry inspired’, which I would agree with.

Moving back to reds, and next up is the Bobbi Brown Lip Colour in Orange. Now, this might be described as a ‘pumpkin orange’ on the Bobbi Brown website, but it pulls more orange-red on me (for reference, I’m around a NC15 in Mac). Nonetheless, this is really bright and I like how it warms up my complexion, though I think it would suit a range of skin tones.

It’s no secret that I love the Nars lip pencils, which is why they’re getting another mention (see this previous post for reference). The brightest of the two is the Satin Lip Pencil in Yu, which is described as a “vivid pink” by Nars. This lipstick is almost neon in terms of vibrancy, but I still find it to be quite flattering for my pale skin tone as it’s blue-toned, rather than peachy.

Last up is my favourite of the two lip pencils: the Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dragon Girl. This is a cherry red shade with a hint of pink, making it a great option if you also have a paler complexion. In fact, it was Taylor Swift’s favourite red lipstick before she discovered Mac’s Ruby Woo (so you know it’s a good’un).

Do you enjoy rocking a bright lipstick? Which shades are your favourite?