As a lipstick lover, I am no stranger to all kinds of formulas and finishes available on the market.
And while I don't have a preference for the finish, what I won't tolerate is a long-wear formula that gives up on me as soon as I have my morning coffee. Who wants to apply “long-wear" lipstick four times per day?!
I put five longwear lipsticks to the test to see how well they hold up for the coin spent. To make it fair, I prepped my lips the same way for each lipstick by exfoliating and wearing the same lip primer. I also wore each one for 8 hours without touching it up.
Here's how they did:
Colourpop Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick: $6
I tested this one with a teeny bit of bias. I love makeup, so this was unavoidable. I have six Ultra Matte Liquid Lipsticks from this brand, so I chose a lovely berry shade from my collection called Notion. I'm a sucker for a nude, but I wanted to make sure I'd be able to see the results.
The Application:
The application was fairly easy. It has a doe foot applicator, so you don't have to turn your hand at weird angles. But with this particular one, it takes some concentration to get a straight line around the edges of your lips. The formula is thin, almost like water, but very pigmented. It took two layers to get full coverage and was dry in about 10 seconds. When it dries, it is MATTE! They don't call these Ultra Matte for nothing.
The Wear:
It held up pretty well after eating. It was only thin in one spot close to the inside of my mouth. It wasn't even noticeable with my mouth completely closed. I did run into trouble shortly after eating at the four hour mark. It felt extremely dry so I was dying to take it off, but I pressed on with the experiment. Once 8 hours was up, it looked no different than it did after lunch.
The Verdict:
For $6 each, this is a pretty good deal. Sure, it's drying, but this could be fixed with a little lip balm and a touch up. You'd probably only need to do this once throughout the day.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick: $20
I came to test this one with a little bias also. I have another color (Craft) from this line and the one I tested, Kathryn, had been sitting in my drawer, waiting to be used. I had a wonderful experience with Craft and was hoping Kathryn would be the same.
The Application:
Application was simple enough. This one has a flat applicator with a rounded tip and the formula is creamy. This combo usually means that it's easy to get straight lines around your lips and even application. I got straight lines, but that application was every kind of patchy that there is. It was bad. I had to do three coats and touch up specific spots and it still wasn't all the way even. Plus, it took about 30 seconds to dry. I wouldn't see the dry time as a negative if the application was even.
The Wear:
Two hours in, I wanted to scrub my lips off my face. They were so dry and screaming for any kind of moisture. It almost hurt. It was flaking up around the inside of my mouth after I ate too. I was walking around looking crazy for another four hours until I could take it off and when it was time, the color was pretty much gone from the inner part of my mouth.
The Verdict:
You should pass on this one. For $20, you should get even application and your lips shouldn't feel like you've been on an island for days with no water. You should also be able to expect some consistency with wear throughout the line for that price too.
Fenty Stunna Lip Paint: $24
With the well-deserved buzz around Fenty's foundation range, I couldn't pass testing a universal red. To be honest, I didn't think a universal red was possible, but somehow Fenty pulled it off. Every Instagram photo I've seen of this shade has looked amazing.
The Application:
The application of Uncensored is nothing short of amazing. I thought I was going to pass out from how pigmented this stuff is! I had to collect myself after the first swipe. The applicator has a very unique shape that can be off-putting at first, but after using it, I like it. I don't know what the thought process behind it was, but it works. I was able to get nearly straight lines with it. The formula isn't creamy or watery, but about halfway between the two. You'll get full, vibrant coverage in one coat.
The Wear:
It's rare that a red lip looks good on me without liner, but here I was liner-less and void of all other makeup, and I felt like I was the baddest thing walking. Plus, it felt like I wasn't wearing lipstick at all.
I started to feel it on my lips after about four hours, but every bit of the initial color was still there. The color rubbed off on the inside of my bottom lip after eating, but I committed a longwear lipstick sin by eating a greasy food…pizza. Other than that, the color was just as vibrant as when I first put it on.
Six hours in, I noticed a teeny bit of dryness, but nothing that made me want to grab a makeup wipe. When 8 hours passed, I noticed no difference in the look or feel after eating and didn't bother taking it off for another three hours. Still no difference. This stuff is bomb!
The Verdict:
Buy this right now. For $24, you'll get every bit of bang for your buck.
Dose of Colors Liquid Lipstick: $18
This Instagram-favorite brand piqued my interest with their color options. Every shade always looked so great on my favorite Insta-beauty, Queens, so I had to give them a go. I went with Plum Queen because it swatched like a nice mauve for darker skin.
The Application:
The applicator has a point on it, so getting close to the edges of my lips was very easy. It has a creamy soft formula that takes about 20 seconds to dry to matte. It took a little longer than I'd like it to, but since it's not immediately drying, I'll take that. It looked AMAZING! The color payoff was intense. Not Fenty intense, but still worth noting.
The Wear:
My lips felt dry after about 2 hours, and the color was starting to lift on the inside of my mouth. A lot came off after I ate. If I had allowed myself to touch up the color, it probably would have been fine. I didn't touch up for the sake of testing, and the next 6 hours weren't fun at all. I kept wanting to pick at my lips or at least put on lip balm.
The Verdict:
This gets a green light from me because of the color payoff and application. The color applies very easily and evenly. You'll still have to touch it up if you eat, but that's not a deal breaker for me. Plus, the price is only $18, a little more than a drugstore brand, but not as pricey as most prestigious brands.
BH Cosmetics Long-Wearing Matte Lipstick: $6
I had been meaning to give BH Cosmetics lipsticks a try for a good minute. Their first edition 120-eyeshadow palette was the first one I ever bought and I loved it. The brand is definitely on the drugstore side in terms of price and has great quality. I chose the shade Icon since it looked like a lovely, deep burgundy/purple.
The Application:
The formula is mad thicc. Like, Thiccsgiving thick. I had to dip the wand back into the tube a couple of times to get my lips fully covered. It applied very evenly, though, and dried to completely matte in ten seconds. It wasn't sticky at all. I kept mashing my lips together to make sure I wasn't mistaken.
The Wear:
I was very pleasantly surprised by how it wore. I was expecting insane dryness since it's a drugstore brand and is on the lower end of the price spectrum for drugstore too. I barely noticed it was on my lips. I saw some of it transfer on my coffee cup, but on my lips, there was no difference.
The Verdict:
This one is my favorite. Buy it! Buy every color! This one has the comfort and longevity of Fenty Stunna and is only $6. My Ulta cart is loaded up with these!
What are some of your favorite tried and true longwear lipsticks?
- The 12 Best Long-Wear Lipsticks At Every Price Point | HuffPost ›
- The Best Long-Wear Lipsticks That Actually Stay Put | Allure ›
- The Best Long-Lasting Lip Products To Get You Through Your ... ›
- 14 Best Long-Lasting Lipsticks That REALLY Last All Day ... ›
- 17 long-lasting lip colors that won't wear off ›
- The Best Long Wear Lipsticks (That Won't Kiss Off) | InStyle.com ›
- We Tested Long-Lasting Lipsticks And Found Which Ones Actually ... ›
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Anyway, as we were also talking about how, let’s go with ho-hum, a lot of R&B is right now, especially when it comes to the lack of seduction that the genre used to have back in the day, I shared with him a joke that I once heard from comedian Deon Cole as he was comparing After 7 to today’s music. I’m actually going to post it below, so that you can get the full effect. LOL.
Video credit: @netflixisajoke
And that made me think of The Whispers and their throwback song, “In the Mood.” The real ones recall the lyrics: “Let me rub your shoulders (just relax)/Just let go/Slip on somethin' sexy/It's all right, baby, let me take control, hoo/ Step into the shower/I'll wash your back and you'll wash mine/Please stay for one more hour/I just want to make sweet love to you and feel you one more time….This is what I do to get you in the mood…Baby, I do it all to get you in the mood.” Ah, yes, music that sounds like intimacy instead of getting banged out.
And that made me want to ask a few women about what gets them in the mood as it directly relates to bedroom action, along with what, well, doesn’t. Check out what they said and then hop in the comments to share your own thoughts.
It’s always fascinating to hear about women’s sexual turn-ons and turn-offs.
*Middle names are always used, so that people can speak freely*
1. Areyla. Single. 34.
GiphyTURN ON: “I’ve always been drawn to two things: how a man smells and how crisp his line-up is. You bring a man to me who smells earthy and sexy whenever I hug him, and then he has the nerve to have a fresh haircut — girl, I am all over him! I think that it mostly has to do with those things being a sign of self-care, in a meticulous way. And if you’re into the details of you, I have no question that you will be into the details of me.”
TURN OFF: “Dirty fingernails. I have a natural curve in my own nails, so I get that it’s not always about a lack of hygiene or that he’s negligent. I just know that if you want your hands to go into certain places and spaces, you’ve got to get up under those nails, babe. I keep metal files and nail brushes in my bathroom because of it.”
2. Dachelle. Dating. 29.
GiphyTURN ON: “There are dirty talkers, then there are sensual speakers. I don’t need you to sound like you transcribed a porn video during sex. I do like when a man drops his voice an octave, speaks barely above a whisper, and asks me questions like, ‘So, what do you want me to do to you tonight? Be specific.’ And don’t let him have a strong vocabulary! I am definitely a sapiosexual, so the more intentional he is with his words, the better.”
TURN OFF: “Men who don’t cuddle. Maybe that sounds obvious, but some of my friends couldn’t care less about that. To me, if you don’t want to be close to me unless you are inside of me, that feels like we only have a physical connection, and sex means more to me than that. A man who spoons me right after sex because he wants to is gonna get another round from me. A man who doesn’t doesn’t, he also doesn’t have to worry about seeing me ever again.”
Shellie here: If you’re unfamiliar with what a sapiosexual is, check out “Tap Into What It Means To Be A Sapiosexual.”
3. Chayla. Engaged. 27.
GiphyTURN ON: “This might sound weird, but I like a man who doesn’t ‘come in hot.’ You know — guys who go down on you and act like they know just how you like it, or guys who immediately put you in a sex position and go ham like I should immediately be impressed. For me, that translates that they are doing to me what they’ve done with some woman before me, and we might not like the same things. That’s why I enjoy sexual conversations before sexual experiences. Ask me how I like to be touched and licked. Ask me what my favorite sex position is. Get to know me before you get to know me. My fiancé is like that — and that’s a big part of why he’s about to be my husband.”
"Ask me how I like to be touched and licked. Ask me what my favorite sex position is. Get to know me before you get to know me."
TURN OFF: “There’s nothing wrong with some hair pulling during sex; I’m all for it. What I need you to not do is pull my head into your stomach while I’m giving you head. There is already too much going on during that time and a sistah needs to breathe!”
Shellie here: We actually tackled the hair-pulling topic before on this platform. Check out “Contrary To Popular Assumption, Black Women LOVE Getting Their Hair Pulled During Sex” when you get a chance.
4. Indigo. Married. 41.
GiphyTURN ON: “I know I sound married when I say this, but — clean this house, baby. In our home, we have a chores chart, kind of like what some of us grew up with. My husband and I each have days when we do certain things, so when he takes the initiative to do what’s on my list? That’s less work for me, which gives me more energy for him. And don’t let that man cook and clean up the kitchen more than twice in a week. How do you want it? How do you freaking want it, my love?’
TURN OFF: “My husband does his own laundry. We’re all grown and just like we have periods, men have fluids ‘n stuff in their drawers too. That’s fine. But anyone who says that keeping some mystery in a marriage isn’t needed, that’s somebody who doesn’t want to have a lot of sex. Just sayin’.”
Shellie here: There’s actually something to that chore thing. Studies say that couples who share chores end up having more sex. You can read about it here, here, and here.
5. Twyla. Dating. 25.
GiphyTURN ON: “Hickeys turn me on. Two things that I can’t do are whistle and give hickeys, so I’m amazed when others can do it — and yes, when I see…what do the older folks call it, love bites, on my breasts or tummy, that makes me feel desired on another level and it puts me in the mood pretty quick.”
TURN OFF: “Hickeys where you can see them are a turn-off, though. I don’t need people all up in my business. Also, guys who don’t let you know when they’re about to cum when they’re in your mouth. Not everyone’s taste and flow are the same down there, and I have a gag reflex. Announce the rainstorm, sir. I appreciate it.”
6. Essence. Married. 31.
GiphyTURN ON: “Kissing every part of me like you kiss my mouth is always gonna get him just what he wants. You ever had a man tongue down, not just your neck but your wrists, tummy, and even behind your knees? A good kisser is one thing. A good all-over-the-place one? I ain’t going no damn where.”
" Kissing every part of me like you kiss my mouth is always gonna get him just what he wants."
TURN OFF: “Stubble. On the face and down there. It puts me in a bind because I think my husband is sexy with a salt and pepper stubble beard, but when we do a lot of kissing, it gives me beard burn, and when I’m giving him head, stubbly pubes irritate my forehead. I mean, you asked.”
7. Queen. Divorced (and Dating). 33.
GiphyTURN ON: “Men who know that there is more to us than T&A is a huge turn on for me. Kiss my forehead. Lick my neck. When you’ve got my legs on your shoulders, kiss my legs. Suck on my fingers. Help me find new spots that turn me on. Sh-t. Is it hot in here? Damn.”
TURN OFF: “My turn off is the opposite of my turn on. It’s not even so much that I want a lot of foreplay — I just want you to act like you don’t just have to play with my kitty kat to get me going. Men who don’t learn how to enjoy all of a woman are lazy lovers — and that is going to turn me dry every time.”
8. Eleena. Single. 46.
GiphyTURN ON: “If you want to get me in the mood, call me to ask what kind of sex I want to have with you. Maybe it’s just me, but my mood can determine what I’m in the mood for. One day, I might want a lot of romance. One day, we might need a safe word. One day, a quickie is what I have in mind. Pre-gaming the sex by discussing gets me in the mood because it gets us both on the same page before anything happens — and that can already make sex hot as hell.”
TURN OFF: “I don’t like it when men have sex with themselves. I don’t mean masturbating — I mean, when you are nothing more than the audience to whatever they have in mind. It’s like they get off on themselves: looking in the mirror, asking 'Do you like that?' when they aren’t really doing anything. If we’re having sex, I need you present and into me. Otherwise, you can do whatever you had in mind…by yourself…at your house.”
9. Reveeda. Married. 43.
GiphyTURN ON: “A lot of times, it’s not the sex itself that makes sex boring — it’s the predictableness of it. Take me while I’m washing my face in the bathroom. Go down on me in the driveway of our home. Shoot me a text and tell me to meet you at the first hotel where we had sex. My husband is the best that I’ve ever had because, yes, he’s good in bed, but more than that, he’s spontaneous and that gets me in the mood — and keeps me in the mood.”
TURN OFF: “69’ing turns me off. It’s awkward, uncomfortable, and it’s hard for me to concentrate. Plus, I can’t get the right angle while doing him, and I can’t put his head where I want it to be while he’s doing me. Y’all can keep that position. Sex shouldn’t be so complicated.” (She laughed while she said it.)
10. Umi. Divorced (and Single) 36.
GiphyTURN ON: “I like to be flung around like I only weigh 10 pounds. I like to be choked. I like a man who stares me dead in the eyes while eating me up. Sexual confidence is gonna get me every time.”
TURN OFF: “Men who bring their ego into the bedroom. You might think that confidence and an ego are the same thing, but they’re not. Men who want to be rated, who want to know if I think their penis is the best ever or who assume that they are doing me right without consulting me — that’s not confidence; that’s peak insecurity and a total waste of my time. From the bottom of my heart, check your ego at the door.”
____
There you have it — 10 women who are crystal clear about what gets them going and what stops them dead in their tracks. What can you relate to? What makes little to no sense to you at all?
At the very least, forward this on to your girlfriends and hold your own unofficial polls the next time that y’all meet up. You never know what you might learn to get you even more in the mood — and what to do about the things that get you out of that same headspace.
After all, knowledge is power. Even in that bedroom of yours.
Straight up.
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Featured image by Giphy