NYX HIGH VOLTAGE LIPSTICK IN 'PLAYDATE'
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Andrea Lavinthal, Style and Beauty Director: Purple is one of my favorite colors, but I’ve never showcased my devotion to it via my lipstick. This lavender hue looked really vibrant in the tube, but on my lips it took on a slightly grayish tone for an effect I like to call “glamorous zombie.” My fellow lipstick testers swore the shade “actually looked good,” but I’m convinced that’s only in comparison to the truly crazy colors they had to wear.
Buy It! NYX High Voltage Lipstick in “Playdate,” $5.99; ulta.com
DOLCE&GABBANA SHINE LIPSTICK IN 'LIGHT BLUE'
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Brittany Talarico, Style News Editor: Did I scare my husband away with this lipstick? Yes. Did I care? No. Dolce&Gabbana’s new Shine Lipstick in “Light Blue” pays tribute to the brand’s famous fragrance. It goes on crazy smooth and looks more like a metallic silver than blue once applied to your lips. It reminded me of the frosted lipstick I wore in the ’90s, and if you’re brave enough to wear it, it’s a fun option to carry around in your summer makeup bag.
Buy It! Dolce&Gabbana Shine Lipstick in “Light Blue,” $33.50; saksfifthavenue.com
CHANEL ROUGE COCO SHINE IN 'AURA'
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Alex Apatoff, Senior Style Editor: I like bold lipstick, but I still found this dark grape shade intimidating. It’s as pigmented on my lips as it is in the tube, but because it’s super-hydrating, sheer and shiny, the effect is much more modern (and less vampire-ish) than a matte formula in the same shade. (P.S. That fab eye makeup comes courtesy of Blushington, which you should check out!)
Buy It!: Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in “Aura,” $36, chanel.com
SEPHORA COLLECTION CRAIG & KARL COLOR LIP LAST IN 'L TRAIN JAIN'
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Lindsay Schallon, Senior Style Editor: What started as a joke – let’s see what bright orange looks like on an ombré redhead, lololol – has actually become my go-to shade this summer. I swore the matte color would clash and the effect would end up more clown contour than cool-girl, but 45 selfies and multiple compliments later, I’ve decided the warm tones brighten up my fair complexion and make my blue eyes pop. The cute packaging it comes in doesn’t hurt either.
Buy It! Sephora Collection Craig & Karl Color Lip Last in “L Train Jain,” $13; sephora.com
MANIC PANIC GLAMNATION LETHAL LIPSTICK IN 'ALIEN'
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Sarah Kinonen, Style & Beauty Editorial Assistant: I’m not afraid to sport a bold lip every now and then, but I took my love of color to the next level with this matte not-quite-blue gunmetal shade. While it was fun to rock the dark hue in the office (privately in my cubicle), unfortunately, this shade may be a little too intimidating for me in and out of the tube!
Buy It! Manic Panic in “Alien,” $15.50; manicpanic.com
KAT VON D STUDDED KISS LIPSTICK IN 'SLAYER'
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Adeline Duff, Style & Beauty Intern: My wardrobe philosophy can be tidily summed up by the phrase “all black everything.” So when I heard National Lipstick Day was approaching, I knew it was finally the appropriate time to take my penchant for the shade a little deeper – with a pitch-black lipstick. The results were surprisingly less shocking than I expected. I did get a few funny looks, but I got some compliments, too. (Note: Black lips go best with an all-black ensemble.)
Buy It! Kat Von D Studded Kiss Lipstick in “Slayer,” $21; sephora.com
GUERLAIN ROUGE AUTOMATIQUE IN 'YELLOW JAUNE'
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Catherine Kast, Style Editor: The word “jaundice” comes from the French word for yellow, “jaune,” so it makes sense that I’d feel a little icky about putting this color on my face. It’s actually pretty sheer, and since I have a little bit of a tan going on, I felt like it warmed up my complexion. (It’s definitely not for the bronzer-averse!) The formula isn’t really drying, but because of the light base color and the hint of shimmer, I recommend a moisturizing scrub (I love Sara Happ’s) before applying if you want to minimize the lines on your lower lips.
Buy It! Guerlain Rouge Automatique in Yellow Jaune, $37; bergdorfgoodman.com
COVERGIRL COLORLICIOUS LIPSTICK IN 'ENCHANTRESS BLUSH'
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Colleen Kratofil, Style Writer-Reporter: I always stick to the red or pink lip color families, but CoverGirl’s Enchantress Blush is a shade of the spectrum I rarely venture to: bubble gum. Imagining anything that bright (and shimmery!) next to my pale-white skin is an immediate “no-go” in my book. But after trying, it actually applies quite sheer and more icy than candy-coated bright. It’s still a little bold for my everyday style, but perfect for times when I just need an extra burst of color.
Buy It! CoverGirl Colorlicious Lipstick in “Enchantress Blush,” $6.99; covergirl.com
LIPSTICK QUEEN IN 'HELLO SAILOR'
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Jackie Fields, Beauty Editor: No, your eyes are not deceiving you, the shade in the tube is blue. It may scream “Halloween,” but it actually applies as a sheer berry. What’s better: It’s packed with vitamin E, which means it became my go-to tinted lip balm the first time I swiped it on.
Buy It! Lipstick Queen in “Hello Sailor,” $25, lipstickqueen.com