On any given day, if you dump out my purse, about 6 to 8 lipglosses or balms will fall out. Am I alone in this? I don’t know what it is about these things, but I love to have them…

What I look for/avoid in lipglosses/balms:

• Subtle color nothing dramatic
• Can’t be too sticky. Isn’t it the worse when your hair gets stuck on your lips? The worst culprit for this problem are those shiny lipgloss tubes from Victoria’s Secret, ew
• Price isn’t a huge qualifier – but if it’s more than $8, it needs to last for MONTHS
• Needs to moisturize, make my lips feel nice
• It can’t smell bad
• And I don’t do lip plumping ingredients…I have a small mouth, no amount of weird tingling is going to make me look like Angelina
• Not too glittery, I save that for Halloween

just a few expectations, I’m not crazy ha.

After trying so many, my current go-tos:

For Lipgloss:

• Laura Mercier Lip Glace: it’s silky, goes on smooth, moisturizes well, smells nice yet subtle, gives a nice pop of color – and it lasts a very long time, which is key because it’s $22. I’ve had my first one for almost a year!
  • Comes in a lot of colors: http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P109906&categoryId=B70
  • My fave neutral: Blush

• Dior Ultra Gloss Glow: I bought this when I needed a little pick-me-up. I ‘overlooked’ the high price tag of $27…and told myself I deserved it. Thankfully, it wasn’t a purchase I regretted* – this is a great gloss, awesome color, moistures, isn’t sticky etc. so far, it has lasted over 4 months, which is good given the price. I’ve paid $28 for Chanel glosses that don’t last as long, so I don’t think they’re worth the price
• Comes in a lot of colors: http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/dior-addict-ultra-gloss/3092335cm_cat=datafeed&cm_ite=dior_’addict’_ultra_gloss:296481&cm_pla=makeup:women:lip&cm_ven=Google_Product_Ads&mr:adType=pla&mr:referralID=NA&mr:trackingCode=132EEF6E-1968-DF11-9DA0-002219319097&origin=pla
• My fave: #216 Lace Beige…I was at a wedding recently and another bridesmaid tried this color on. She has a very different skin tone than me, she’s Italian. This color looked great on her as well! It’s very versatile. I couldn’t find it on Sephora – so I added the link to Nordstrom

My favorite lipglosses! You can tell I put them to good use

For lip balm:

• Aside for the tried and true Rosebud Salve – I love EOS lip balm, sold at most pharmacies and on Amazon, Target.com (couldn’t find on drugstore.com)
  • I like the scent, ‘Summer Fruit’ it smells delish, moisturizes, doesn’t dry. Has a fun, funky package. Added bonus: USDA organic, 100% natural, and paraben free! Only $3! Good primer for when you need some added moisture
  • Comes in a few scents: http://www.amazon.com/Balm-SUMMER-FRUIT-Evolution-smooth/dp/B003X8GVPO

*good news on ‘purchase regrets’ when it comes to some of these higher priced cosmetics…if you purchase from Nordstrom’s, you can bring it back for a refund or exchange…even if you’ve used it. They understand, sometimes you try it and simply don’t like it. I love Nordstrom for this reason, they are #1 in customer service in my book