Being a creature of habit, it’s difficult for me to try new beauty products. No amount of online and offline chatter can convince me of Mac Ruby Woo being the perfect red—I feel it’s more cherry-red than red-red. I use Sephora No. 1, which is close to red, but it’s still not perfect; it’s more tomato red. So, I am still looking for that perfect red.

I will also not give in to the trend of making four cracks on the lips using the liner and then applying gloss just to highlight them. 

This year, however, I made a resolution to experiment more—starting with buying lipsticks from brands that I have not used before. 

Below is a review of three new lipsticks, across different price ranges, used in the past month:

Studiowest Amuse Shimmer 01 Blossom Lipstick

₹695

In keeping with the latest trend of glittery lipsticks, retailer Westside has launched a line of shimmery bullets in shades of pinks, oranges, reds and browns. I picked the blossom, aka orange, shade, but it turned out not to be as bright as it looked. The product glides smoothly, though it needs several applications for the colour to show. If you are a fan of long-stay lipsticks, this product might be a bit of work. One hack is to use the lipstick like a coloured gloss over another shade to get a new colour each time.

Kay Beauty Lip Tint (Honey)

₹899

To mark its fourth anniversary towards the end of 2023, actor-entrepreneur Katrina Kaif had launched a line of lip tints, all vegan, paraben-free and minus mineral oils, that boast high pigmentation. Being a tint, it fades into a stain that’s subtle yet bright. It delivers in terms of pigmentation, and lasts long as well. Plus, the heart-shaped wand helps in effortless application in one stroke. It’s a good product that keeps the lip hydrated.

Pat McGrath Labs Matte- trance (Flesh 5)

₹3,800

When Pat McGrath launched in India two years ago, the offerings were limited. Over the past months, though, there’s been a slow but steady increase in their range of products. The worldwide-famous make-up artist is known for delivering looks, both on and off the runway. Mattetrance is somewhere between a red and a brown—a good shade for winters—that stays with you till you decide to remove it. I ate chips, had cups of coffee, lunch, dinner, dessert… the colour didn’t budge. The only bummer is that it is drying, as most matte lipsticks are. With a lip balm, though, it turns into a satin finish.