If you could only wear one lip color for a year, what would you pick? Share!
That is really tough! I’m not someone who would want to wear a rich red every day, so I’d have to go for something subtler, maybe Guerlain Gillian or Gems — I love Gems but it is still a brighter shade (plus, very shimmery) so Gillian is where I’d lean (a soft rose).
Do you have a question idea? Submit yours here.
We're here to help you make better beauty purchases that you'll enjoy and love! We recommend signing up to take advantage of personalized features like tracking products you own, viewing dupes that you already have, and more!
Here are some useful resources for you:
Curious how two shades compare to each other? Type in the shades below to get instant side-by-side swatches!
Comments that do not adhere to our comment policy may be removed. Discussion and debate are highly encouraged but we expect community members to participate respectfully. Please keep discussion on-topic, and if you have general feedback, a product review request, an off-topic question, or need technical support, please contact us!
Please help us streamline the comments' section and be more efficient: double-check the post above for more basic information like pricing, availability, and so on to make sure your question wasn't answered already. Comments alerting us to typos or small errors in the post are appreciated (!) but will typically be removed after errors are fixed (unless a response is needed).
We appreciate enthusiasm for new releases but ask readers to please hold questions regarding if/when a review will be posted as we can't commit to or guarantee product reviews. We don't want to set expectations and then disappoint readers as even products that are swatched don't always end up being reviewed due to time constraints and changes in priorities! Thank you for understanding!
We try to approve comments within 24 hours (and reply to them within 72 hours) but can sometimes get behind and appreciate your patience! 🙂 If you have general feedback, product review requests, off-topic questions, or need technical support, please contact us directly. Thank you for your patience!
I would choose KVD Double Dare or YSL Beige Tribute
mac velvet teddy
Love that name.
Pink!! I could wear that colour forever. 😛
I”ve been wearing MAC Touch almost everyday. It matches my skin and eyes perfectly and its sheer and moisturizing. I have light auburn hair, fair skin and hazel green/brown eyes.
Yaaaaay! Another MAC Touch fan! ??
Same coloring as you and Touch is one of my very favorites too.
Definitely Urban Decay Rapture. I wear it all year round for day or night, I always get compliments on it, and it doesn’t dry out my lips at all.
L’Oréal Frieda’s Nude (or, of it were brought back, Tendre Mauve, which I would honestly be content with wearing the rest of my life…).
Oh man, this is tough, I tell ya!
If I had already bought Guerlain Air Kiss, I believe that could go a few different directions by tweaking it with lipliners in various colors or adding a gloss? As for lipsticks I already own, it would either be UD Liar (again, it can be manipulated a bit to go cooler, warmer, darker, etc.) or just do classic RED for a year with MAC VG I!
Probably Maybelline Untainted Spice -it’s a brownish dusky rose that seems to go with everything
Mac fashion revival
Ooooo, this one is tough! I’m split between two lippies. It would either be…
• MAC Lustre Lipstick in TOUCH
or
• Jane Cosmetic Sparkle Gloss in SPARKLE PINK
Ooh, I love MAC Touch! Tried it on this weekend with Beaux Lustreglass and Morning Coffee lip liner, it was MAGIC!!!
Touch is amazing!
Ooooo! ? Morning Coffee lip liner! Now that’s something I need to get.
Thank you for the recommendation. I personally love Touch also.
Nars Audacious Lipstick in Anna (or Colourpop Lumiere, which is practically the same).
MAC Lustre Lipstick in Syrup! My perfect neutral that goes with everything.
Probably ColourPop’s Oh Snap! It’s my perfect nude!
UGH wow this is a tough one! I’d say some sort of pretty everyday colour like Bobbi Brown’s Nude Rose or NARS Anita/Barbara. Definitely something like a deeper non-beigey nude.
Kiko Velvet Mat Satin in Strawberry Pink
Tom Ford matte lipstick in Pussycat! It’s an amazing color for my cool-toned skin and it wears nicely as well.
In past, my answer would probably have been MAC Plumful but recently, I’ve been using Red Dwarf (LE Pro Longwear) every day for weeks. Don’t know what I’ll do when I run out but I love that lipstick shade and the way it wears. I think I’ll have to take it in to Sephora in search of a dupe.
crucify me….
haha!
LOL Exactly!
I know, right!?
Christian Dior Rouge Dior in Continental. I bought three of them. It doesn’t look like am wearing lipstick. My lips look like it has a flush of color, doesn’t look like I am wearing lipstick, but my lips doesn’t look pale, nude or a corpse either. This is the 2015 Fall collection. Dior and Estée I see is 10% off currently at Nordstrom.
MAC Plumful. Close second, Mac Syrup
Oooh, I know, I know! Finally an easy one for me. Dolce & Gabbana Sophia Loren No. 1. It’s a great buildable sheer “cherry red” that leans pink. It’s super comfortable to wear and moisturizing. I could wear it as an every day or build up the color for more impact. And no worries on wearing it for a year for me because I purchased 3 of them in the event they were no longer available. (Funny, because until just this year, I never wore reds at all!) Can you tell, I LOVE this lipstick?!
Urban Decay Sheer Ladyflower
Cherry Red lipstick.
It was easier to pick a blush!!
Fyrinnae Pigmy Hippo lip lustre. It’s my most reached for shade out of the ones I have and it’s crazy moisturizing, which is great since the winters here seem to be 8 months long ?
Urban Decay Sheer Revolution Lipstick in Sheer Liar!
That would be a very difficult decision, although I tend to wear a new nonstop for 2 weeks at a time. (followed by an extended stay at the bottom of the make up drawer) I really like Raspberry Ripple Lip Parfait by Laura Mercier right now. The texture is awesome and I like mauvey shades.
I could do Revlon Rose Velvet for a year. Very easy to purchase at the drugstore, can be sheered out or worn darker, comfortable and goes with most looks 🙂
NARS Matte Velvet Lip Pencil in Walkyrie or Revlon Balm Stain in Honey.
Estee Lauder’s Pure Color Pink Parfait.
The perfect, shimmery (almost pearly) Barbie pink!
Long lasting but creamy so it’s more like wearing a lip balm than lipstick.
Fuchsia!!!!! I can wear a light stain of it or with some lip balm or full on bright matte! I love it! It’s the color I find myself buying over and over and over again thinking that it’s different than my others and ends up being exactly the same
Probably MAC creme in your coffee. It’s just perfect for me.
MAC Lipstick in TAUPE. That is just my all time fav shade.
MAC Sophisto. I’ve gone through 5 tubes of it. It’s the most versatile, flattering medium rose pink shade I have ever used. It looks perfect and polished for day and it also looks great for evening with a bold smokey eye.
Clinique’s Black Honey for sure! I always find myself going back to it after I get tired of others. 🙂
loved Black Honey since it first came out.
I’d probably go with a sheer gloss or lip balm with tint– something light and versatile so that I could wear it with any eye look, and it had better be comfortable to wear, too. I have a few that come immediately to mind… Stila Lip Glaze in Hibiscus, Clinique Chubby Stick in Mega Melon, CoverGirl Colorlicious Gloss (I think. The label has worn off of mine.) in Give Me Guava, or e.l.f. Essential Lip Balm Tint in Peach.
What a brutal question.. In reality, I couldn’t pull it off for a week. It’s really a toss up between my go to lipsticks I keep in my makeup bag which are all paler creamy mod nudes: TF Bare, EL Mischievious Rose, D&G Perla.
Clinique Tenderheart or Lancôme Natural Beauty.
YSL Rouge Volupte Shine #9 Nude in Private. It’s the perfect everyday lipstick and I love the finish on it.
I would probably go with a berry toned lipstick. I feel like berry lips work all year long and look flattering with a plethora of makeup looks!
If I could only have one it would have to be Lolita because its perfect for work, going out, and just everyday errands. Its the best nude for dark skin I have ever tried and I will be getting a backup. Just amazing.
MAC Viva Glam â…¢, the shade just suits my skin tone and will never be too dramatic. And it could go for possibly every look I wear, smokey look or just a natural look, it could pull them off. I know it might sound bit ridiculous to wear a deep plum shade like this one during summer but it’s just a subtle and unique shade. Can’t live without it.
Man, this is brutal. I’m thinking Bite Vouvray.
Honestly? Probably LA Splash Lip Couture in Ghoulish! I just absolutely love it, even if it is kinda spooky 🙂
That is a hard decision like the blush question as I change my lipstick based on what is on my eyes and cheeks. That being said if I had to choose I would go with Wet n Wild in Fergie Daily or Nars Audacious in Raquel. Either color would at least work with a variety of looks.
mac plumful!
Nars Anna or more likely ColourPop Lumiere, since it’s cheaper and if I was only wearing one shade of lipstick all year I’d likely need multiple tubes!
Maybelline Party Pink would be my second choice.
Tom Ford Pussycat 🙂
That color looks good on everyone 🙂
Revlon Wild Watermelon! I pretty much only wore this for a year before I bought more lipsticks.
Urban Decay Sheer Rapture! My absolute favorite go-to.
Dior Addict 578
It would have to be Chanel Darling. It’s my go to when I want something very subtle yet flattering. It gives my lips some colour and warmth, but not too much. As much as I love bright, neon colours I don’t think that they would always be suitable! The only downside is that it was limited edition and I’m nearly finished my current tube. Aaagh! Help me! 😛
Rose-brown. Smth like Catrice-Maroon.
Ah, my nightmare hell scenario 😉 It would have to be something dark and staining so I could choose to layer it on or sheer it out. But also something that won’t murder my lips after 365 days of straight wear. Tom Ford’s Black Orchid is a definite possibility since I can make that a pink-ish berry stain or a near-black burgundy depending on application. Or one of my many similar dark, berry-vamps.
Nars Barbara
probably between nars anita and mac velvet teddy
UD Sheer Rapture. It’a a perfect MLBB shade and goes with everything. It wouldn’t dry my lips out in the winter.
MAC Spice It Up!
Lipstick Queen Let them Eat Cake! It compliments my skin tone, and it goes well with both warm and cool toned looks on me. Also, it’s one of the few lipsticks I own that I find moisturizing. I’d really prefer red lipstick, but I can’t wear that to work, unfortunately.
Some kind of classic blue red. Chanel Dragon or one of the Guerlain reds.
Nymphette by M.A.C. Love that color.
I think I would wear Ruby woo 😀
A nice pink like Urban Decay Fiend.
Well, right now since I’m so into reds, I’d say red but if something else comes along that makes me change my mind, I would sure feel trapped at having to wait a year to change it!!
Velvet Teddy by MAC. It’s such a lovely formula, and its nude enough to go with smokey eyes and has enough color to be worn with a minimal eye look. It’s such a great lipstick.
UD Sheer Rapture. This is a cruel question!
MAC Russian Red ?
I would definitely go for a light cool toned pink, almost lavender. Something like MAC’s lustre lipstick in Notice Me. I wish it wasnt LE
Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet in “La Sensuelle”
Butter London Teddy Boy.
Oh man, that would be rough! I’d go with Bobbi Brown Soft Berry or Bite Barberry.
That’s a tough one: either Maybelline’s In Style Sienna – a reddish brown colour that I love or
Milani’s Candied Toffee.
MAC Midimauve
MAC viva glam lipstick IV or VI. Love them
This is torture…I guess I could make MAC Snob work with anything, so I guess I’ll go with that.
I would be sad to live my life without urban decay sheer obsessed but if it had to be only one, it would be MAC Viva Glam V
Revlon Moisture Stain in New York Scene. I love mattes, but this glossy stain is so easy to wear!!
I can’t even decide between N Jeanne& Olivia, or Last Tango & Cruising. How could I last a year w/o VG 1, Strange Journey, or Nyx Mauves? This is a def No Can Do. I don’t even have an mlbb, except maybe Bobbi Slopes, and I’m not a major Bobbi fan. Maybe I’d have to seek out the Korres colorless balm… guava? No, I’d rather have root canal, followed by colonoscopy, followed by MRI of the brain, than do 1 l/s all year. Probably can answer this question, should eyeshadow come up tomorrow.
Mac All Fired Up ?
Estée Lauder pure color envy in impulsive.
Probably Fresh Sugar Berry Lip Treatment. It can be layered for opacity and it goes with everything. It’s got SPF and keeps my lips in tip top shape.
Oh my. This is a very, very hard question. I definitely prefer matte lip colors, but for an entire year that would probably be too much. Same goes for a bold color. I’d probably go for Marc Jacobs Le Marc Lip Creme in #216 Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. It’s a “baked rose” color that’s really pigmented and long lasting. It’s also very creamy and comfortable on the lips, and it’s one of those “one swipe and you’re good to go” lipsticks.
NARS velvet matte pencil Dolce Vita!
Ooh, that’s a tough one…I guess if I had to choose just one, it would come down to either Chanel Pirate or Guerlain Gigolo. Something red, anyhow.
YSL Fuschia in Rage.
Stila pantina
buxom full on lipstick, las vegas!!
Yeah, since I always try (not DO, just try 🙂 ) matching my lipstick with blush, it is a tough choice. Honestly, nothing springs to mind as an obvious choice, but out of what I have, I think I would survive a year with MAC Hue. Otherwise I would run to MAC store (there is still some left at my local store) and snatch smth more MLBB than Spanking Haute (which I own) from Vamplify collection (maybe Hyper-Fabulous), cause I really like the formula of those.
A soft semi transparent berry or cherry with a bit of glitz.
NARS Audacious #Anita
I really like Clinique Baby Tint in Budding Blossom.
Probably something along the lines of MAC Diva. I feel like a dark lip look good year round, but I despise lighter shades in the winter on me – don’t even ask, I don’t get it either. But, ugh, this choice is a nightmare! I can barely wear the same lipstick twice in a row!
Henry from Tom Ford Lips and Boys!
Nars Audacious in Barbara or YSL Beige Tribute!!
Probably Colour Pop Lumiere– beautiful color, goes with everything.
It would have to be Mac lipstick Siss.
Actually I have been wearing TF Pink Adobe almost non-stop since I got it last year.
This is a tough question to answer!!! I am a sucker for a dramatic lip, but my pragmatic side says pick something I love for everyday for a 1 year challenge, and thus it would have to be Bobbi Brown Rich Color Gloss in Dusty Rose.
MAC Desire
I’m torn between Guerlain Rouge G in Gigolo and Tom Ford Lip Colour in Casablanca.
NYX Matte in Natural – MLBB
Guerlain Girly – A beautiful colour beautifully packaged!
I think I’d go with Estee Lauder Envy shade Rebellious Rose!
If you mean lipstick, it would be Nyx Butter.
But my favorite lip product is by Black Widow Balm; it’s a tinted lip balm called Gossip which is pigmented but neutral (not that neutral is the selling point — she sells balms in colors like blue and green, which I have too, but I’d have to pick something more neutral for all-year wear).
NARS – Audacious – Juliette (pink coral) <3 <3 <3
That’s easy. Mac’s Ruby Woo. Because it’s so Matte it would last a year! But srsly, it’s the perfect red for me.
I’d pick ColourPop Lumiere. I’m not really into bright lips, except on special occasions and can’t imagine I’m wearing something bright everyday for a whole year, LOL. So I’d wear Lumiere, it’s my perfect MLBB which I can imagine wearing it everyday since I like pinky mauve kind of color.
Definitely MAC freckletone lipstick!