Have you ever had that moment when you look at your lipsticks and realize you have three of the same color? Or that you only wear two out of the fifty lipsticks in your makeup drawer?
Same, collegiettes, same.
I always find myself thinking, “Man, I need to buy more lipsticks”. But then my next thought is immediately, “I have literally no money to buy lipstick”.
Ever see that scene in Bridesmaids, when they’re on the airplane to Vegas and Kristen Wig utters the hilarious and relatable line, “Help me, I’m poor…”? Because again, SAME.
If you are a broke college student such as myself, a broke highschooler, or a broke post-graduate, I have found three lipstick brands that look amazing but won’t break the bank. These brands are also very pigmented and come in a wide range of colors; making them great for African American women and all other women of color. Lipstick addicts, prepare to breathe heavily.
1. Nyx
Nyx is definitely an affordable and highly pigmented brand. Nyx can be found online or at your nearest Target, Ulta, or local beauty supply. Nyx lipsticks come in a variety of forms including matte, liquid, butter gloss, soft matte, and their new brands suede and liquid lingerie. I have tried Nyx lipsticks and I am not disappointed at all. Not only do they make me feel like I’m really getting my money’s worth, but there are so many to choose from that no one could ever get bored. The average price of Nyx’s lipsticks are about $6. They even have matching lipliners for the same price. Nyx specializes in lipsticks but they also have eyeshadows, primers, eye pencils, and the much more. Bonus: If you’re still looking for a decent primer that you won’t have to sell an arm and a leg to afford, I’d reccomend you try Nyx.
2. ColourPop
If you’re an avid beauty follower on Instagram or YouTube, you may have seen some (or fifty) Beauty Gurus purse their lips dramatically, holding this lipstick next to them. No? Well, let me tell you about ColourPop. ColourPop unlike Nyx can only be found at their online store. They have four different formulas of lipstick. Ultra Matte, Ultra Gloss, Ultra Metallic, and Ultra Satin. The best part? Almost all the lipsticks are $6. Many have compared Colourpop’s matte lipsticks to be affordable dupes to the Kylie Jenner Lip Kits. The lipsticks have matching Lippie Sticks, which are all priced around $5. Also, if you spend over a certian amount, shipping is free! Can we just praise the makeup gods for a moment?
3. Covergirl Queen Collection
Everyone knows Covergirl. The iconic brand that every asipiring model wishes to grace. If you were a fan of America’s Next Top Model, then you know what I’m talking about. Covergirl has partnered with the poised Queen Latifah to create this beautiful, semi-self-titled collection. The Queen collection can be found in your local drugstore, Walmart, or beauty supply. The average price is around $6 (plus tax, of course) and is for medium to deep skin tones. The lipstick is more velvety with a hint of gloss than Matte or a high gloss formula. The colors range from deep earth tones to deep wines and purples. I bought a deep purple-wine lipstick for myself, and let me tell you – it is life.
Happy Lipstick Hunting!