Luxe Lips for Less

A key trend for lips this Spring/Summer is for sheer, hydrating lipsticks offering subtle, wearable colour with natural shine. Most of the big beauty houses have launched highly covetable versions this season, with Chanel’s Rouge Coco Shine particularly tickling my fancy. But the good news is that you can easily buy into this look on the high street or at your local pharmacy. I’ve had a rummage through my stash and found these three to show you, that would all come in at under a tenner.


Above you can see my lips in their natural state (and looking extremely dry, which they are at the minute). Next up we have the three tubes I used - theBalm's Read My Lips in Classified, Bourjois Sweet Kiss in #47,  Rose Paré, and another offering from theBalm, Wanted. They're swatched in that order, from left to right. And here they are on the lips:

First up we have theBalm Read My Lips lipstick in Classified. This is my go-to colour for work as it’s a lovely, moisturising nude that feels just like a balm. It’s extremely sheer and gives a lovely sheen for that natural, ‘my lips only better’ look.

Next is the Bourjois shade. The Sweet Kiss range promises a luminous satin finish in one stroke, and that's pretty much what you get. Rose Paré is a sheer coral rose with a subtle shimmer and a moisturising finish. There’s more colour payoff here than with theBalm lippies and it lasts longer than I expected with this formulation.

Finally, theBalm's Wanted is a sheer cherry red with bluish undertones that looks intense in the tube but gives just a wash of colour to the lips. It’s a great introduction to red lipstick and you can build up the colour for a deeper finish.

Other good pocket-friendly picks would be the Catrice Ultimate Shine range, or Poppy King for Boots No 7. While not one for hardcore colour fans, this look is perfect for those who like the appearance of a gloss but without that gloopy, sticky feel.

You can pick up TheBalm in A-wear and Bourjois is stocked in most pharmacies. And a final comment: with all soft, sheer formulations, be alert to the prospect of breakage; when I was swatching these, Wanted broke off on my hands and I’d trampled it into my white bathmat before I knew it. Just don’t twist the lipstick too high in the tube and you should be fine.