Is it a lip colour? Is it lip balm? Your guess is as good as ours. Promising the finish of a satiny lipstick with the benefits of lip balm, this makeup maverick manages to strike the best of both worlds. The buildable formula starts with the blotted feel of a matte lipstick and can be layered for a more intense colour payoff without having to worry about drying your lips. It’s got beeswax and vitamins E and C, bottled in an immensely wearable colour.

When it comes to all things lips, who better to take advice from than the beauty maven who launched a global empire based on her lip kits? Huda Kattan has since put ultra-drying matte lipsticks in her rearview mirror; and the brand now offers up a range of sumptuous bullet lipsticks that call upon raspberry stem cells and sea fennel to envelop your pout in hydrating, long-lasting colour.

This is what happens when a classic lipstick gets a comfort upgrade. This one delivers rich, saturated colour with a smooth, satiny finish—and it actually feels good on your lips. No more tugging or that tight, dry feeling a few hours in. Thanks to a formula enriched with argan oil and vitamin E, it glides on easily and keeps your lips feeling soft and hydrated as the day goes on. With a wide shade range, there’s something here for you, whether you’re going for bold, subtle or somewhere in between.

Because bold can feel—and should feel—breathable too, Lancôme brings to the table comforting ceramides, grand rose extracts and hyaluronic acid to nourish and hydrate your lips.The end result? A lip colour that sits on your pout so comfortably you may forget you are wearing any lipstick at all.

You may have a hard time prying your hands off your favourite tube of Russian Red or Mehr, but hear us out. While both these lip colours work wonders for Indian skin tones, within the brand’s Macximal range you will find a silky-soft formula spiked with rosehip oil and camellia seed to hydrate the lips for eight hours at a stretch. 34 shades to choose from and a sleek satin finish that doesn’t weigh down your lips: what’s not to love?

Maybe it is lip balm masquerading as lipstick. Or maybe it is a new generation of lip colours from Maybelline that are as hydrating as long-lasting. With the promise of a 12-hour finish, this creamy formula hugs the lips with the hydrating touch of shea butter for a kiss-ready pout.

For lipstick that feels like it is straight out of a sci-fi flick, you’ll want to turn to Shiseido. Armed with stretch-flex technology, this lip colour settles over the lips like second-skin and makes your lips feel almost bare. Its formulated with 68% skincare ingredients—including benibana oil for conditioning the lips.

There is something about the dainty romanticism of Dear Dahlia’s product lineup that can make you feel like you have slipped into a tranquil daydream. And this hydrating lipstick is here to ensure that your pout doesn’t have the harsh reality check of dryness or chapped lips anytime soon. Swipe on this nourishing formula—laced with dahlia flower extract, organic sweet almond oil, argan oil, shea butter and cacao seed butter—to unlock your soft girl era.

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