Winter is a horrible time to try new matte lipsticks, but… here I am, testing every brand and color ever produced.  I’m always up for a challenge, so why not?  I also figured if I’m going to review some new matte lipsticks I’ve tried, I might as well throw a few of my favorite lip crayons and a gloss or two in while I’m at it.  Since I’m doing the near impossible feat of wearing matte lipsticks in the dry winter months, I’ll also provide a few tricks I’ve found to keep my lips from looking like dried little raisins.  You’re welcome.  Pucker up and enjoy!

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream

This one is a bit of a mixed review.  NYX is the first TRUE matte lipstick I tried and although I guess I liked the formula (I really didn’t have it on long enough to give it a fair shot), the colors I chose couldn’t have been more terrible for my complexion.  Seriously.  Absolutely horrible.  All I see are nude matte lips.  Well, let me tell you, this is not a look for this girl whose skin hasn’t seen the sun in quite some time.  Sadly, it went into the drawer and I went back to my trusty stand-by lip crayons (they’re way more forgiving around the lip line anyway…).

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick

You guys.  These are AMAZING.  Every color in this set is perfection (which is hard to do with my skin tone), the consistency of the actual lipstick is great, and it stays all. day. long.  No joke.  I applied it at 6:30 am and took it off with micellar water that night at 8:45 pm and it still liked great before I removed it.  I bought this set on Amazon as a set of minis so I could avoid my previous failure of a nude NYX set.  I couldn’t be happier with these and now the only down side is that I want every single one of them in a full size.  The good news?  Amazon carries them! Woohoo!

Lip Crayons

I use several different kinds of lip crayons.  They’re so forgiving when applying, give you a hint of color or a lot (depending on how you apply), and aren’t overly harsh on your lips in dry months.  My go to that I carry every day is a Burt’s Bees Lip Crayon in Redwood Forest.  It goes with pretty much any look.

I also love Neutrogena MoistureSmooth Color Sticks in Fresh Papaya and Pink Grapefruit.  I never would have tried either of these colors, but of course Ulta got me… like always.  Free samples.  Sure… the samples may have been free, but now I’m hooked!  These go on smoothly, are moisturizing, and give a great matte finish.

And last, but definitely not least, another Ulta sample.  Their very own Matte Lip Crayon in Soiree.  These are great.  In fact, I might like this lip crayon better than any of the others I use.  I receive a lot of compliments, it has great pigment, and overall the color goes with anything.  I also find these lip crayons are much more reasonably priced.

Lip Glosses

I have to give a shout out to a few glosses.  It’s only fair… I’m a 90s child.  I glossed with the best of them back then and I’m not ashamed.  My current favorites are… you guessed it!  Ulta samples.  Darn you, Ulta, you sneaky little jerk.  I love NYX Butter Gloss in Peach Cobbler and BareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Plumping Gloss in Rebel.  These two colors couldn’t be more different and I love them both!  BareMinerals is my favorite because of its cooling mint and plumping as well as the great shade.  I do believe it is now discontinued, but Ulta still caries it online… for now.

Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balm

No lip collection would be complete without a tinted balm and no one does it better than Burt.  You have moisture, color… what more could you ask for?!

e.l.f. Lip Exfoliator

The secret to great looking matte lips is to… well, not have dry lips.  Unfortunately for me winter zaps my skin.  I always use my trusty Burt’s Bees, but this winter I’ve needed a little extra help.  Enter the exfoliator.  No, not the terminator, but that could be handy sometimes I guess. Yes, I know I could get all Pinterest-y and make my own lip scrub, but ain’t nobody got time for that.

e.l.f makes a lip exfoliator that is in a convenient lipstick tube.  Rock on, matte lipstick wearers.  This is the holy grail of matte lipstick tricks.  This stuff works and is… wait for it… THREE DOLLARS.  Yes.  Three American dollars.  Holla!!!!!  Go get you some, girl!