Glossy. Bold. Nude. Long-wear. All these words describe one thing that has been around for centuries. Lipstick! It’s that final touch that you put on once you’ve finished all your other makeup. Or maybe you have a signature color you don’t leave the house with. I have an aunt who, swear to the Lord above, must have bought the matching hair color and lipstick kits back in the day. I don’t think I have ever seen the woman without her orange-red lipstick that so keenly matched her hair color. You can go from girl-next-door sweet to vampy vixen simply by swapping out your lip color. And in honor of National Lipstick Day (today!), I thought I would share a few of my favorites with you!

I didn’t always wear lipstick. I’d either choose nothing but balm or a very subtle gloss if I was going to wear anything on my lips. It felt, to me, that I looked a little weird when I wore actual color. But as I became more interested in makeup, I finally bit the bullet and bought a few lip colors from KVD Beauty. One thing is if I’m going to wear lipstick, it better last for a good chunk of time because I don’t want to constantly be worried about reapplying or smudges. But, if I’m just doing a super casual look, I will throw on a cream lipstick in a nude shade or a shade as close to my natural lip color as possible and not worry about it. Here are a few of my favorite lip colors and brands in honor of National Lipstick Day.

1. Ulta Beauty Luxe Liquid Lipstick, $9 (in Florence)-One of the more affordable options on the list for long-wear lipstick, Ulta Beauty has staying power and good color coverage in one application. You can layer if you want a bolder look without feeling too heavy.
2. Sephora #Lipstories Cream Lipstick, $9 (in Room Service)-Admittedly, this is not the color that I have in this particular lipstick, but that shade is unfortunately sold out. These cream lipsticks are hydrating and at a great price point if you’re ready to start building a collection. With tons of pigment and color choices, you can’t go wrong if you prefer a cream lip!
3. KVD Beauty Everlasting Longwear Liquid Lipstick, $21 (in Lolita)-My first choice for long-wear lipstick. Also, this nude color? Looks great on everyone! This brand is also vegan if that is something important to you. KVD Liquid Lipsticks are also my favorite lip color to do an ombre lip with because they blend so well.
4. Fenty Beauty Stunna Lip Paint, $26 (in Uncensored)-Ladies (and gentlemen), drop everything and order this red lip color by Rhianna! This beauty passes all the tests. Looks good on nearly all skin tones? Check! Stands up to WHATEVER you throw at it? Check! Pair it with a simple eye look and you’re ready for anything.
5. Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain Liquid Lipstick, $15 (in Cinder Rose)-This is the lip stain that I have in my car makeup kit. Also-if you don’t have a car makeup kit, you should really consider throwing one together. So handy! Great coverage, excellent staying power, and a massive selection of colors. Need I say more?

As I said, I’m definitely a fan of long-wear lipsticks as you can see from this list. I hope this list gives you plenty of options to explore, and don’t be afraid to rock a bold-ass lip color. Even if you’re just going to the grocery store. You are never too old to play with makeup!