What was the first lipstick you ever purchased?
I am 75% confident that it was MAC Sweetie, which is kind of a neutral pinky-plum.
— Christine
We hope you'll consider supporting Temptalia by shopping through our links below. Thanks!
Explore Temptalia
See all of this year's holiday products rated from best of worst! Plus, our gift guides! Read now.
Explore Temptalia
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:
Compare Any Two
Curious how two shades compare to each other? Type in the shades below to get instant side-by-side swatches!
Enjoyed this? There's More
103 Comments
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!
Comments on this post are closed.
We hope you'll consider supporting Temptalia by shopping through our links below. Thanks!
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!
Maybelline’ color sensational vivid in red revolution. Probably my favorite red!
Mine was MAC Brave, some years ago. It’s a perfect MLBB for me.
MAC Brave was my first lipstick purchase. I was 16 and remember loving it. I actually have the exact one still in my collection and I don’t think it’s even half way finished. I didn’t want to waste it….though I have over 500 lipsticks now LOL.
Mac’s Pink Nouveau, I previously had tried things like Covergirl or those in the holiday multi sets from Walmart or something but I was never happy with the quality and they always looked and wore badly. I figured I wasn’t a lipstick girl.. But Mac changed that and now I’m almost exclusively a lipstick girl! The only thing is now I don’t buy any new mac until they can become a cruelty free brand. (My personal choice for my future beauty and household products choices)
The very first one I ever bought with my own money is so easy to remember, because it was Goth before anyone had even thought of that term! It was by Dana Taboo called Argentine Extra Dark. It looked like MAC Instigator. Only thing I did get wrong was my age when I previously mentioned this, I wasn’t 13, but according to my elderly aunt, I was 15, and my Mom wasn’t happy about it! I wore it proudly, though!
I bought Bonne Bell Lipstick in Iced Mocha in late 1980s. I really loved that color!
Yes!!! I had this exact shade also, my go to as a kid. Also a super frosted baby pink from CoverGirl, I believe.
It was an Ultima II lipstick I bought from JC Penneys. I can’t remember the name but it was a medium brown color like MAC Persistence and it was in a twist up tube like the Urban Decay sheers or mattes.
I remember those!!!!
mine is a classic drugstore from Revlon the shade is 423 pink velvet
I still keep it until today
It was definitely DS, probably Maybelline, in some frosty pink. I thought it looked pretty back then (yikes!)
The first one I purchased was UD’s ‘Turn On’ and the first one purchased for me was Laneige Blond Coral. The UD one ended up being a bit too cool-toned for me so I rarely wear it now.
I’m pretty sure it was MAC Angel lipstick. It really is a classic 😀
I was too shy to walk into MAC, so I went to Yves Rocher. I used to go there with my mom. I asked for advice. I wanted a neutral lipstick, but in a dark rose way. I walked out with the perfect lipstick and I actually finished the whole tube. Unfortunately, the formula and shade no longer exist.
That would have been around ’83 or ’84. The first one I bought myself was a drug store brand in shimmery, bright bubblegum pink. I can’t remember for the life of me what it was…probably Covergirl or Maybelline.
My mom bought me my first lipsticks, which were from the Avon About Town line in Kiss Me Pink (shimmery pink) and Sheer Shrimp (frosty peach).
Sounds exactly like my first lipsticks! Same time frame, too. I felt SOooooo pretty! lol!
First ever would have been Cutex Peppermint Pink a verrrrry long time ago. First MAC lipstick was one called Redwood (discontinued now but for a time, it was the only one I wore and this was before I understood that MAC had different textures/formulas of lipstick; it was a “glaze” which is probably my least favourite now, as they are the least long-lasting). I have Sweetie….my older son got it for me a few years ago for Xmas (along with a shadow and another 239 brush). I still think of my “sweetie” whenever I wear it.
Mia Moore from The Balm… starting with a vibrant red was something quite extravagant now that I think about it !
I want to say maybe NYX Peach… which looks nothing like peach lol! But my first non-drugstore was MAC Ever Hip! I read all the comments from a Temptalia post about the best summer lipstick and Ever Hip came up several times. Although it was limited edition, it came out in a recent collection so I thought, “Here’s my chance!”
Again, don’t remember, oops… 🙂
I was obsessed with MAC back in the day, and was so excited to purchase my first lipstick from the brand. I purchased MAC Sophisto lipstick and wore it almost every day.
I believe it was one of those mood lipsticks that probably cost around a dollar at CVS back then.
Oh man! I cannot remember! Probably a ridiculous hot pink . But, my first memories are Clinique lipsticks. I remember having some cool browns in my Hs & college years that would be a hit these days.
It was by Prescriptives and I think it was just called Plum. It was a dark, vampy red. Kind of a bold choice for a first lipstick but my mom led me to it haha. It was for junior prom and I was wearing a black velvet dress. I still have both!
It was Rimmel Moisture Renew, in the shade Summer Angel… a frosty taupe/nude pink. Some may scoff at frost but this one is actually quite wearable and very moisturizing. I still break out my old tube once in a while, especially when my skin is more tan in the summer!
Maybe Revlon Moondrops in a red or Loreal in Mica, not really sure..
Hard Candy Painted Lady Lipstick in the shade Perfect 10 – a sheer, glossy peach. I was probably around 14 or 15 when I got it and now at 22 I have more lipsticks than I could even count ?
mac candy yum yum!
MAC Russian Red. I loved it for the first two years, and the color still gets me, but I found other matte formulas I prefer more.
I was big into opaque lips gloss when I started to buy makeup for myself with my own money, So it was montly Hard Candy shades.
When I think about it, my first lipstick was probably an Avon shade because I needed a red lipstick along with eyeliner. I also remember getting 2 shades because it was impossible to tell what colour they were in the catalogue.
Mine was Lady Gaga 1. I still have half the tube.
Viva Glam V 🙂
it was either Mac Mocha or Clinique Tenderheart ( I still wear both)
I’m pretty certain the first the first lip product that had any pigment at all was the Dr. Pepper lip balm by Bonne Bell. The jumbo size. I wasn’t allowed to wear makeup until I was a HS freshman, but this little number had just a bit of dark, reddish plum color. It flew under my mom’s radar since it looked like all the other lip balms I hoarded.
I wore the heck out of it…yep, that was me in the early seventies, granny glasses, stringy long hair, but I was really rocking the contraband lip balm! As far as the first actual lipstick I purchased in the bullet format, I have no clue. But I still keep a little tube of Dr. Pepper balm in my stash for nostalgia. ?
Hahaha, I remember those Bonne Bell Lip Smackers and trying to sneak some color on my lips with those 🙂
I have no idea who made it, but I do know it was a pale pink! I must have been thirteen at the time.
i definitely cannot remember hahaha
Hmmm…. I’m pretty sure it was Revlon Lip Butter in Peach Parfait. Or it could’ve been Revlon Lip Butter in Pink Truffle.
Maybelline Fifth Ave Fuchsia. Still my fave shade of fuchsia!
Probably Revlon Cherries in the Snow.
That was mine…
the very first MAC lipstick I ever purchased was Sweetie…I remember that clearly lol but before MAC, I’m pretty sure it was an Avon lipstick
The first lipstick I vividly remember loving has been discontinued but it was from Estee Lauder and it was called Vinyl Voltage…it was a gift from an aunt
I think the first one I ever bought was a cheap red lipstick from NYC or Wet n Wild to be used for a Halloween costume. The first lipstick I bought with the intention of being worn in real life was Nars’ Dragon Girl. Still a favorite!
MAC Red. I told the saleslady that I’d always been afraid to try red lipstick and she put Brick liner and this on me. I still have the tube since I don’t wear it very often. (What, it smells okay…)
I don’t know if mine counts – it was a Revlon Colorburst lip gloss in Fire! I kind of started lipstick backwards – I was all about bright reds when I began wearing makeup, but now I’m more into neutral colors and earth tones. Ha. The first non-drugstore lipstick I got was actually a gift: Mac Viva Glam III!
Mac Odyssey. I saw a pic of you, Christine wearing it. I’ve been hooked on Mac & following you since. Lol
Ruby woo, still killin it.
Revlon’s Icy Violet, a frosty purple.
Tangee !! I was about 12 or 13 and this was all my mom would let me wear. My dad would not even let me wear this, so I would put in on while walking to school…well out of his eyesight!. Changes color, supposedly, to fit your own coloring and was very sheer. Made me feel all grownup…LOL. Believe it or not, still available.
Bistro Burgundy by overgirl, would still wear that shade, in fact, I think I do, in another product. Lol.
Showing my age to you young whippersnappers, mine was a Yardley Pot o’ Gloss in a bubblegum pink. Around 1970 or so. Scary, huh? 😉
That was my first as well, back in the late 1960s. My first MAC lipstick was Sheer Plum in the mid-90s. Looked good on me then; too brown for me now.
Sheer Plum was my first MAC lipstick, too!
it was a dark blue lipstick from sephora’s line-it was at least 15 years ago, but it was gorgeous and i wish sephora still had it.
This would have been c. 1990 (age 12), I know that it was something pale pink and frosted/pearlescent, definitely from the drugstore and probably from the Revlon or CoverGirl line. A couple of years later, I upgraded to Revlon’s Toast of New York for high school (thanks, Cindy Crawford!).
It was Revlon’s Mocha Polka from the late 1950’s.
I think it was Revlon Silver City Pink or Revlon Sandstornm A frosty pink and an even frostier light brown. Very 90’s.
I bought On Hold by MAC when I was 16 years old. I was so proud and wore it constantly as I had purchased it myself with my own money. I loved it so much that I had to replace it instantly, when I ran out of it.
I think I should wear it again now and then. 🙂
Mine was MAC Cosmo, many many moons ago. I also remembered paying $12.50 a tube for that.
I had some other lip stain type things (there’s this one Maybelline plum stain that was my go to for a long time) but I’m pretty sure my first lipstick lipstick was MAC smoked purple.
I think it was a Helena Rubinstein in a sort of brown-red shade. Similar to MAC taupe, which I later brought to replace it.
I wish I could get HR in the US :(.
My first play lipstick at 5 was a wet and wild hot pink color. My mom bought me clinique lipstick in gauva stain and then next was either loreal natural blush or revlon coffee bean!
Mac Dark Side!
It was the 90’s, urban decay in the old bullet casing tube and it was silver. My second one was a metallic blue by them too.
They were super cool at the time. Haha
Tangee Natural. I was a preteen or very young teen.
MAC Smoked Purple.
The first lipstick that I remember purchasing was Urban Decay Roach, a perfect classic 90s metallic brown.
My first lipstick was a Revlon – it was a colour similar to Sandstorm. Still love the colour.
Revlon’s Rich Girl Red! I love it!
MAC Viva Glam 5, back in 2013 – and it’s just now empty. It’s been my go-to lippie 🙂
Maybelline Moisture Whip in Nude Beach was my first. My mom immediately stole it, took it on vacation and let my aunt who had a huge cold sore put it on. I let her keep it!!!
I’m pretty sure it was something cheap and black (I was a teen goth). I still remember the patchy pigmentation and the bad smell.
I was about 14 and it was .99 and called Nicole, it was a softly frosted nude/pink
Revlon Silver City pink. Then my first more adventurous were Urban Decay Gash, a frosty red lipstick and Urban Decay Asphyxia. It’s so fun to think about the different colors over the years. Now, I have circled back around to frosty pinks again, MAC High Strung and Fabby 🙂
I bought 2 of the revlon lip butters. I think one was called strawberry shortcake and the other was a red… I think something to do with watermelon. But I wore those all the time. They initially got my lipstick addiction started! I think this was about 3 years ago now.
Ok, this one I have no clue on. Does Dr. Pepper Lip Smackers count?
revlon toast of new york and revlon blackberry.
my first mac lipstick purchase was paramount and fetish, along with a couple of lip liners.
Jane Lip Huggers Shy of Shrimp
My first lipstick was MAC Diva many years ago. It was the perfect deep berry red, almost burgundy for my brown skin. I lost it in the house one day and had to go straight to MAC to get a replacement. I found the first one and still have them both to this day.
Nars Raquel! A light warm nude (for those that havent obsessed over it on Temptalia already 😉 )
Yardley Slicker lipstick. I believe it came on a chain with a whistle. The color-I’m not sure, but the year was probably 1968-69. I’m loved makeup ever since, even went to school for Makeup Artistry.
The first lipstick I ever bought was a Coty lip stick that you had to twist up like an eyeliner through a brush. It was in 1979, and I liked the brush so much, after the lipstick ran out, I cleaned the tube out and washed the brush really well and kept it for years until a litter of puppies I had got my makeup bag out of my purse and literally ate it. I remember it was a really pretty Garnet color, and I had to sneak it out of the house to use it. My mom only allowed me to wear subtle, natural colors then. I was 14, and already in love with makeup at the time. She did, however, allow me to wear her lipstick, Avon Instant Mocha, which she wore for about 50 years, and they still make it. When I miss my mom, I wear it.
My first “grownup” lipstick was Esteé Lauder Cranberry, a beautiful, slightly shimmery cranberry red shade.
I have a doubt but i think it’s Diva by Mac
Covergirl lip perfection in “Rich.” The frost is something I’d never wear now, but the shade was the perfect intro red for me. I loved that lipstick, repurchased so many times!
Again, who remembers these things? I must not be a proper makeup enthusiast, because I’m not even remotely sentimental enough about my first makeup purchases to hold on to the memories. But, again, that was 35 or so years ago. Having said that, I think lipstick was one of my last makeup components to try (and fail with), so it may have been as recent as 30 years ago. Still…
Now that I read the comments, I’m definitely in the minority. I see some who remember lipsticks from 50-60 years ago!
Yeah, I might not go back as far as Eileen, but I remember my first, from 1958-1959. I was 10-11. Rode my bike to a nearby village, same one for the library, if I was getting a book I did not think our local librarian would approve of, secondary to too violent a murder story… I had an adult library card. Always went to Auburndale for ‘sneaky’ things. It was from Woolworth’s, which would have horrified my mum. Don’t remember the brand, but the shade was a peachy pink satin called Hawaiian Pink. It came in a ribbed gold metal tube with a replica bullet on top. This was before the pale 60s ‘sticks, like Revlon Naked Pink, etc. took over. That era was Jr. High, and ‘good girls’ still did not wear l/s to school….maybe to church or at night. I had green nylons for regular wear, before I wore l/s regularly. Garter belt and all! Most readers think panty hose was always a thing. Not. Garter belts were so old nurse, that most of us resorted to girdles, when they were completely unnecessary. Who jiggles at 12? Now that I need one, no way. Older readers even remember when there was only rouge, and no powder blush. Revlon Blush-On. THAT we wore daily.
This brings back memories! My first lipstick was one of those 99 cents Wet N Wild lipsticks. It was a bright cherry red and was in the old packaging and formula.
Well, the very first one was a rather pink one…but I was limited in my color selection because my mother didn’t think I should buy anything too bold.
The first lipstick I bought without any input from someone else was a brown frost from Avon, which I bought from a girl who rode the schoolbus with me who happened to sell Avon. As one could probably guess, this was in 96 or 97.
The first one I can recall purchasing is NARS Sexual Healing. It’s a pale, nude-pink with a shimmery satin finish. I love it because it is long-wearing without being drying.
Ruby Woo! I started hardcore.
Showing my age here–an old Coty lipstick called “prancing plum”. What’s crazy is I’m wearing MAC Syrup now and it’s very close to the same color!
That was 38 years ago, no idea hahaha.
MAC viva glam 3. I didn’t start wearing lipstick until now, so that was the only one I ever used for years
It was by max factor back when they sell it here in the US and I was 14 years old and it was a dark vampy red color I loved it and it was one of those long wearing colors
My first lipstick purchase was Raspberry by Posner. I don’t think they make it anymore.
In about ’83 – ’84 I bought a Maybelline lipstick called Strawberry Creme. It was the first and last lipstick I ever finished. It made me feel so pretty! I would have to guess that I have since owned at least 100. (more like 300 if you include glosses and pencils)
Mine was MAC Syrup. Still my favorite to this day 🙂
Clinique Different Lipstick in Guava Stain. Still one of my favorites (and possibly the only lipstick I’ve ever finished and had to repurchase).
Bought four ColourPop lipsticks in the same order–go big or go home with color selection, I guess–so I’m not sure if this qualifies. I would say Dazed from the fall collection was technically first, though. It was the first one I wore for any period of time and then wore fairly frequently before the other ones got used!
Mac diva for a dance show probably when i was 8 or 9. My mom would do my makeup but she let me pick out the color and i chose diva
Very long time ago in 1974 my first lipstick was a Revlon red I do not remember the name of it.