Lips, lips, lips!

Unlike eye makeup, lipstick is something I've been moderately obsessed with for many years.  I still have yet to find the one shade to rule them all, and in lieu of that holy grail of lip colors I've amassed an embarrassing number of lipsticks and glosses that see me through the day.  I'm definitely the type of person who'd prefer to have one perfect product that I can use on a daily basis rather than dozens that I can mix and match based on my mood, so I tend to get stuck in lipstick ruts, but I'm trying hard to break that pattern and use everything I've bought at least a few times a month.

Today's look is my current favorite:  Tarte's LipSurgence in Envy (right) with their Lipstain in Moody (left):

Swatches: Envy on left, followed by Moody, and finally Moody layered on top of Envy (which is how I wear them 90% of the time):

Why Tarte Lipstain is Awesome for Beauty Beginners:

• Lipstain gets a bad rap sometimes for being drying.  I find if I just wear the LipSurgance (which is a matte) then my lips will fairly quickly dry out.  When I layer the Lipstain on top (which has a glossy finish) it's the perfect blend of long-wearing color plus moisture.  
• Longevity:  An application of LipSurgance by itself will take me from 6:00 am through 3:00 pm with no needed touchups.  When I add in the glossy stain, I can get through lunch before needing to add another layer of Moody.  I've never before had a lip color last so long without needing to be retouched.
• Tarte markets itself as an all-natural company.  While I don't pretend to be a chemist, I will say that at least on a psychological level it's nice to think that my makeup isn't slowly poisoning me with artificial ingredients.

But...

• Each Tarte lipcolor will run you $24.  That is a LOT for a single color.  If I hadn't been on a Sephora buying spree when I first discovered them there's no way I would have paid that much for a product I hadn't used and loved before.  
• Tarte's stains all tend really pink, which isn't everyone's cup of tea.  I really wish they had more neutral/brown-tinged shades, but alas they don't.

For Those on the Fence

• If you're tempted by Tarte but holding back due to the pricepoint, this 5-pack from their Holiday 2011 collection may be just the thing for you.  Five full-sized shades for $29 make this a killer bargain.  I haven't tried any of them out yet, but even if only two of the five are to your liking you've saved quite a few dollars.  At the very least, this set will give you a sense of the formula and whether or not it works for you.  Best of all, it's available at Sephora, so if you don't like it you can easily send it back for a full refund.