I’m definitely a sheer girl. I’ve never really liked the look of very strong lips. It just seems very artificial to me, especially for a day look. Now, I don’t know whether this has to do with conditioning throughout middle and high school – strict uniform codes dictated that we weren’t supposed to have “noticeable make-up” (which basically meant that we couldn’t do more than, say, a little bit of mascara and lip gloss) – or just the fact that I find obviously heavily made-up faces tacky, but my routine throughout my early 20s either consisted of products like MAC’s Lipglass (usually in the clearer shades, worn over lipliner-filled lips) or Stila’s lipglaze (which I still use today).
Towards my late 20s, I wanted to do more than sticky gloss, but didn’t want to venture onto full on lipstick. Sure, many brands had lightweight shades, including MAC and Bobbi Brown, but some of the products were a bit drying. I then discovered Smashbox’s Liptreatment, a very lightweight conditioning formula that at one point came in both clear and tinted formulas. Unfortunately, the tinted version has since been discontinued, and to my understanding the uncoloured version is on its way out as well (it is no longer listed on Sephora and is sold out on Smashbox’s website).
More recently, I started using Fresh’s Sugar Tinted Liptreatment, which come in four shades plus a clear version. It’s very waxy, yet very sheer – offering just the right amount of colour to give a slightly glossy, finished look that doesn’t make someone look overly made-up. My favourite shade is Honey, a nude shade that looks amazing on just about anyone (especially medium East Asian skintones), followed by the latest addition, Passion. I also love the metal cases. What I don’t like is the higher prices. One of these is $22.50 US.
What’s your take on sheer lip colour? Do you prefer something like Fresh’s Liptreatment or a gloss? What about more traditional lipsticks?
