Most Recommended Lipsticks 2019 | Top-Rated Brands & Formulas
Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipsticks
What makes for the best lipstick? Going by the most recommended lipstick formulas from the community, it’s easy to see some common traits: comfortable, pigmented, a variety of shades, and creaminess. It’s no wonder at all why Bite’s Amuse Bouche Lipstick tops the list with 58 shades reviewed (that’s a lot of swatches!), they’ve averaged a 93% rating. Â MAC’s Lipstick remains a favorite, years and years later, with an enduring quality that certainly makes you want to try one at least once (and seriously, more shades than you could shake a stick at and more every month).
Most impressive has been Urban Decay’s Vice Lipstick, which only debuted in the last year, and their 120-deep, permanent shade range, which has managed to capture the hearts of so many so quickly and has held an average rating of 90%. Â NARS Audacious Lipstick is one of the pricier favorites, and I’ve never wondered why: they’re incredibly creamy, smooth, and pigmented–they feel as high-quality as you’d expect and want from a $34 lipstick.
It’s so nice to see a budget-friendly option rank so highly on our list: ColourPop’s Ultra Satin Liquid Lipstick, which is a liquid take on lipstick but with less of the totally matte, flat, and more drying feel of most liquid lipsticks. Â For $6, you’ll find yourself with smooth, opaque coverage that goes and goes and goes but doesn’t suck every bit of moisture out of your lips.
If you’re looking for a particular shade, we suggest browsing through readers’ recommendations (try refining by color, like red, or skin tone, like medium) or using the Swatch Gallery to see thousands of swatches.  Pro tip: sort by editor’s rating to see our highest rated lipsticks–don’t forget you refine results by color, finish, price, and more.
Best Lipsticks
Best Lipsticks Under $15
Best Lipsticks $15 to $25
Best Lipsticks Over $25
I find myself reaching for, and collecting more shades of the YSL Rouge Volupte this summer. It feels moisturizing and I prefer a more glossy finish for summertime.. As far as all of the new mattes go, maybe for autumn, but they seem too drying for me right now. I am trying out one of the new Hourglass Confession satin finish lipsticks, and so far, not my fave formula!
Tricky answering this one since in Canada (and Australia and other places), some lipsticks that are “under $15” are considerably OVER $15, and the same for the other price breaks (Smashbox Always On is over $25 here so it would jump “up” a category).
I feel like if we did Canadian price tiers, you’d have to effectively push it up (Under $20, Under $30, Over $30?), though maybe there are some really affordable Canada-only “drugstore” brands.
Oh, Christine, I didn’t mean it as a criticism, more just a “this is complicated” (for you too!) comment. And I know that in other parts of the world, (New Zealand, for example) makeup prices are so high that it’s alarming.
MAC !! While I have tried and liked others none compare to MAC in terms of color and finish range. UD, Bite, NARS have decent lipsticks but I fund ALL of their color range to be complete bores. Yes, even with the 200 lipsticks UD released I only was interested in 1993 though I think the lipstick has a weird smell lol. Bite is nice and creamy but I cannot find a color I’m really crazy about. MAC all the way!!
My first UD product was a vice lipstick in bad blood. In my opinion, UD formula is way better then MAC. NARS matte velvet lip pencil are very good, just sad they carry parabens. UD > MAC.
UD is not even close to MAC. Sorry about it. And UD smells chemically
My absolute favorite lipstick brand, across all pricepoints, is NYX. The shade range is incredible, and there are several formulas available. I’ve honestly never found any HE/”luxury” brands to be worth the extra cost, and none I’ve tried do anything “different” than DS brands. It’s also a product I’m constantly taking off & reapplying, so I don’t need something to last “all day”… My favorite formulas are Full Throttle, High Voltage, and especially Pin Up Pout.
While I haven’t bought a L’Oreal lip product in quite a while, I’m looking forward to trying the new Matte Addiction line. If they’re the same formula as the line from the late-90s, I will be quite happy!
I really like Bobbi Brown (the Luxe formula, in particular) Chanel, and Tom Ford lipsticks.
It’s so sad that here in Aus, most of the lipsticks above are in the $30 – $70 price range, which makes them so prohibitive to buy and test. Even MAC is more that $35…..
The above lipsticks are consistently good and thank you for giving us the opportunity to post our favourites. This is the best beauty blog in the world.
Holeeee (insert turd emoji.) That makes for extensive research and culling for the won’t get dept. is anything except emu products actually less expensive than here? You’d have to resort to bank robbery to get Tom Ford, if he is even available. Stupid question: Are J or K skincare products less than here? Somehow I doubt it. I’d be getting three things per year, and thinking it over very carefully.
Wow, really well written and informative, thank you Christine! I feel this is an article I’ll circle back to whenever I’m in the mood for a thoughtful lipstick purchase either for myself or for a friend.
Under $15: I’d recommend Revlon and Burts Bees. Revlon is better all around but BB’s is better for the natural and CF crowd.
$15 to $25: Tarte, UD, and Clinique. Something for everyone
Over $25: Bite, NARS, Tom Ford, Chanel. I’ve never used it but Guerlain gets lots of praise. Chanel can be hit or miss but I’ve never been disappointed by the other three brands. I only mention Chanel because when it’s good it’s amazing.