I’d like to start this off by saying that I am in no way dissing Kylie Jenner, but simply offering a solution for those that weren’t fortunate enough to get one of her lip kits. For months last year, Kylie talked about the release of her lip kits, which would feature three shades: Candy K, Dolce K and True Brown K. Each kit would come with a liner and a liquid lipstick, retailing at a steep price of $29 per kit. And all facts aside, if you weren’t on the website constantly refreshing the page, there was no way to get your hands on one of those babies unless you were willing to hand over a ridiculous amount on sites like Ebay.
But was the hype really worth it? While I will admit that the shades are gorgeous, there are many other (and cheaper) brands that offer similar, if not identical, lipsticks and liners. The other brands are not only significantly cheaper, but they are also much easier to get a hold of, much unlike the “gone like hotcakes” lip kits by the youngest Jenner member.
1. ColourPop: I cannot express my love for ColourPop Ultra Matte Liquid Lipsticks enough. At a price of only $6, they offer 44 permanent shades. Periodically, they will collaborate with different people like Kathleen Lights and Karrueche Tran to create unique colors unlike anything else they have. The best part about ColourPop lipsticks has to be the quality of the lipsticks for the price of them. You just can’t beat it!
Favorites: Trap, Beeper, Chilly Chili, Kapow and Limbo
2. NYX: Sticking with the theme of affordable lipsticks, NYX offers just that. The super reasonable and gorgeous Soft Matte Lip Creams run for only $6, while the newest Lip Lingerie line runs for $7. The Soft Matte Lip Creams offer a much wider variety of colors, while the Lip Lingerie line offers a more nude-based variety. However, both are long-lasting and equally as beautiful!
Favorite Soft Matte Lip Creams: Transylvania, Stockholm, Abu Dhabi and Dubai
Favorite Lip Lingerie Colors: Lace Detail, Teddy and Honeymoon
3. Gerard Cosmetics: Switching gears to a higher-end brand for my people that have a little extra to spend, go for the Gerard Cosmetics Hydra-Matte Liquid Lipsticks. While they run for $20 a piece and only offer 10 beautiful shades, the formula of these has to be the best of all liquid lipsticks that I have tried. Not only are they extremely matte, but they are just as hydrating. Plus, they stay on for hours!
Favorites: Gravity, Iced Mocha, Invasion and Serenity
4. Dose of Colors: Sticking to a more expensive brand, Dose of Colors offers a 16-shade variety of Matte Lipsticks at $18 each. However, just like Gerard Cosmetics, the formula of these liquid lippies is up there amongst the best. They’re wearable for hours upon hours, and they don’t leave your lips feeling like sandpaper.
Favorites: Cork, Desert Suede, Mood, Stone and Truffle
5. Anastasia Beverly Hills: At $20 each, the Liquid Lipsticks from Anastasia Beverly Hills were some of the first that I ever tried. They offer a wider range with 20 shades, ranging from the lightest pink to an almost black color. My only hesitation with these is the super drying feeling they give me. But that’s nothing a little lip balm can’t fix!
Favorites: Pure Hollywood, Potion, Heathers and Midnight