A Welcome “Matte” — NYX Cosmetics Matte Lipsticks Rule!

For Spring/Summer 2013, the bright lip trend of seasons past continues but with a cheeky little twist: instead of ultra-shiny, frosted, or satin finishes, the emphasis is on matte, velvety textures (as seen at the Prada, Gucci, Giles, Jason Wu, and Burberry Prorsum shows). Numerous brands have amazing matte lipstick collections (Illamasqua and Makle Up For Ever, particularly), but lately I’ve been loving the new NYX Cosmetics Matte Lipstick since the formula is incredibly long-lasting (as in, you might find traces of the color the following day if you don’t thoroughly wipe your lips when removing your makeup), it feels nice and creamy on your pout, it doesn’t dry out lips, and it doesn’t feather, seep into lines and wrinkles, migrate, flake, or crease. The NYX Cosmetics Matte Lipsticks retail for $6 each at NYXcosmetics.com (less than you’d pay for most drugstore brand lip colors) and are available in 22 fun shades ranging from a toffee nude to an electric violet and a blue-toned hot pink.

I had the chance to try three great shades: MLS 05 Indie Flick, a sizzling vermilion reminiscent of the flowers atop a Flamboyan tree; MLS 20 Audrey, a mid-toned pink with blue undertones for a great Molly-Ringwald-in-Sixteen-Candles feel; and MLS 02 Shocking Pink, a clean, bright, blue-toned fuchsia that has a bit of an ’80s, Blondie-worthy feel. The color payoff of each of the NYX Cosmetics Matte Lipsticks is almost surreal, so that one swipe will deposit a rich layer of bold pigment. And, while the finish is matte, it’s far from dull but rather appears velvety, creamy, and demure.

I have long been hoping for matte lipsticks to come back into favor since I’ve grown tired of so many lip colors being saturated with juvenile-looking glitter, so I’m embracing the current trend wholeheartedly. Until recently, few brands understood that a matte lipstick need not be a timid, bashful, boring shade but that it could be as zesty and full of life as its frosted and satin counterparts. NYX clearly grasped this idea and hence delivered a prize-worthy collection.

Below, you’ll find swatches of the three shades I’ve been testing out:

Now, check out photos of me wearing the NYX Matte Lipstick in Shocking Pink:

And, as another reference point, here are two shots of me wearing the Audrey shade:

As you can hopefully tell from the photos above, the colors look as vivid on the lips as they do when you swatch them! I’m so smitten with these that I’m ready to buy about four or five more shades, starting with Sweet Pink, Summer Breeze, and Bloody Mary.