Long-Lasting Lipstick

In her regular column Ask Lauren, 4Beauty resident make-up artist Lauren Dunn gives expert beauty advice.

Lipstick never stays on my lips. Please can you recommend some long-lasting lipsticks? Linda

Lipstick formulations have come a long way over the years. Believe it or not, our indispensable lippy has been around since the days of the Ancient Egyptians, who used crushed jewels and beetles for their extra colourful, if not kissable, pouts.

However, a lot of lipsticks don't have staying power - a few sips of your coffee and it's gone. Luckily there are some lip products out there that really do last.

Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Lip Duo - £19
This product is dual-ended; it has colour at one end and a gloss at the other. The colour feels silky when you apply and the gloss isn't sticky at all. Wait a minute for it to dry and apply the gloss overcoat. The colour won't budge for hours, even after drinking and eating, but it may feel a little dry on its own - use the gloss to moisturise.

No7 Stay Perfect Lip Lacquer - £10
No7 have created a more affordable version of the Estee Lauder product; it has a similar texture and it's also dual-ended. Very long-lasting, but it does look a little dry on your lips without the gloss. This one has a coloured gloss, which I really like because you have the option of wearing it on its own.

MAC Pro Longwear Lipcolour - £17
I love this product because you can wear the colour without the gloss and it doesn't feel drying – in fact it doesn't even feel like you have anything on your lips. Unlike the other products it doesn't have a pearl or shimmer effect, but I actually prefer this. The colour feels creamy when applied and the gloss isn't sticky at all. I was amazed at how long it lasted, and it passed the eating and drinking test.

Lauren x