Who Says Lipstick Is Dead? Here Are My Favorite Lip Stains That Brighten My Lips, And My Day

With routine mask-wearing being the norm, the thought of applying lipstick may not be the first thing that comes to mind when getting ready in the morning. In fact, the current shift towards simplifying life (and justifiably so) seems to be the rational route, particularly when it comes to skin care and makeup. Yet somehow, I found myself gravitating towards adding steps to my morning ritual, like applying a stain to brighten my lips, and honestly, my day.

With every day in my Brooklyn apartment similar to the one before, I've sought out ways to find joy in simple things, like putting on more makeup (why not?). Not only do I go on the hunt for an array of shades of lip stains to fit my mood, but I've even started wearing mascara again. Yes, that part only lasted two weeks, but the fact remains that I was looking for ways to differentiate my days between back-to-back Zoom meetings and acting as a short-order cook for my very cute, but insatiable, kids. The basic act of dabbing rouge gave me that small burst of dopamine to break up my day.

And instead of choosing one shade of lipstick to faithfully wear, I amassed a spectrum to have the option to select a color, and texture, to fit my mood for the day. See below for my 10 favorite lip stains; perhaps it can add a bit of variety in your life too.

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