Best drugstore lipstick formulas

It is no secret that I love a good lipstick. While my preference for most lipsticks goes to the more high end spectrum, I cannot deny that I love a good drugstore lipstick too. In terms of drugstore lipsticks there are a few brands whose formulas I have tried and love. From super budget brand Catrice, to the more expensive Maybelline and many inbetween. Here are 6 drugstore lipstick formulas that I love and why.

Best drugstore lipstick formulas

So this blog post isn’t about particular lipstick shades, but more so about the brands and their formulas. Of course I also have favorite shades within each on of these lines and I will link to reviews where I can, but that is not the aim of this blog post. Today, I would like to focus on ease of application, shade ranges, comfort of wear and lasting power.

Maybelline Color Sensational lipsticks – I have a slew of Maybelline Color Sensational lipsticks. My love for them goes way way back. They are some of the first lipsticks I ever bought and while I no longer have those old ones, I bought plenty to replace them. My favorites? The matte & bold lines in the red and blue tubes. They are comfortable to wear and glide on easily and they stay put. Maybelline lipsticks can be quite fragile though, so be careful when you chuck them into a bag as they can easily break or melt. One of my favorite shades is Mesmerizing Magenta and I love Midnight Merlot.

Topshop lipsticks – The underdog of this blog post is Topshop. The UK fashion brand also sells makeup and some of their products are actually really cool. Their best product? Their lipstick range. One of my favorite all time reds is Rio Rio and they also do some more ecclectic shades. They were one of the first brands to release metallic lipsticks and they embraced the brown lipstick trend quite fiercely. These lipsticks are very comfortable and there aren’t many different finishes, but in terms of lasting power they do stay put quite a long time without any real dry down to them.

Rimmel Kate Moss lipsticks – A cult classic in the drugstore are the Rimmel Kate lipsticks. While the packaging I have may no longer be available, Rimmel rereleased the range in different packaging and so these are still available. The shades have been changed quite a bit and that is the worst about the change of the Rimmel Kate Lipstick offerings. Because that original range had some banging shades. The formula however hasn’t changed and so you are very safe when betting on a Rimmel lipstick in the red or nude tubes. Just find a shade you like and if you like your classic, everyday lipstick shades, then Rimmel has plenty of lipsticks to choose from.

Catrice Ultimate Colour & Ultimate Matt lipsticks – The true budget steal here are the Catrice lipsticks. I think I own more than 20 of these, which is quite exceptional. There is only one more brand I own that many lipsticks from and that is MAC. So it is quite a feat for a drugstore brand to take up such a big space of my lipstick collection. The classic Ultimate Colour line up is exceptional in quality: it is not the longest lasting, but the color range is great and the comfort level is out of this world. They change up the line regularly, so there is always enough shades to choose from. The Ultimate Matt lipsticks are newer to the Catrice range, but those are really great too. The red lipstick in that range is one of my favorite reds.

HEMA Soft Matt Lip Balm – Another drugstore offering and very budgetproof lipstick are the Hema Soft Matt lip balms. Despite the name, these are definitely a lot more colorful than you might expect. They glide on easily, are comfortable to wear and are even cheaper than the Catrice lipsticks. Sadly, these are only available from Hema stores and therefore not widely available. These really became a hype a few years ago when they first launched. At first there were just nudes and brights, but they ended up extending the line up with some darker shades as well. They are still available and while not too many people are still raving about them, I still think they are a very solid product that needs more loving.

Milani Color Statement Matte lipstick – Lastly, there are the Milani lipsticks. Again, a lipstick that was hyped up a few years ago, but that now not many people are talking about anymore. Such a shame, because these matte lipsticks are some of the best in the drugstore. They have a large range of shades, but my favorite has to be Matte Orchid which is a very fun, bright fuchsia pink that is a great lipsticks shade year round. I also have a nude and used to own a dark shade, but those have gotten a lot less wear. These are also a bit harder to find as Milani is not as wide spread as some of the other brands I mention in this blog post.

What drugstore lipstick formula do you like best?