Summer Roundup #4: My Top 5 Summer Lip Colours

Hi, everyone! Time for the next installment of my Summer Roundup series, where I share with you my ultimate favourite goodies from this past summer. The products that I haven't been able to live without since the warmer weather emerged. We all know I'm a bit of a lipstick fiend, so it's no surprise that today's post is all about lips!

The summer months always lead me to gravitate towards lip colours that are reminiscent of tropical coral, juicy citrus, and cherry popsicles. Summertime is my favourite time of year to sport uber-vibrant shades, but I also tend to choose formulas that are lightweight and comfortable on the lips.

This Summer's picks include a mix of lip butters, lip glosses, and balm stains, in addition to traditional lipsticks. They truly run the whole gamut of formulas! It was incredibly difficult to narrow it down to 5 picks, but the ultimate edit led to this:

Revlon ColourBurst Lip Butter in Juicy Papaya

Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss in Coral Reef

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Rendezvous

Milani Colour Statement Lipstick in Flirty Fuchsia and

YSL Rouge Volupte Sheer Candy in Luscious Cherry

Yes, Revlon is strongly represented here, but I feel they deserve it! Their lip products have always been top-notch and they have so many lovely summery shades! I was happy to see that 4 out of 5 picks on my list were highly affordable options and that the one luxe offering among them is beyond beautiful, both in terms of shade and packaging (thanks, YSL). So worth a splurge!

Here's a peek at them, uncapped:

(L-R): Revlon ColourBurst Lip Butter in Juicy Papaya, Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss in Coral Reef, Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Rendezvous, Milani Colour Statement Lipstick in Flirty Fuchsia, YSL Rouge Volupte Sheer Candy in Luscious Cherry

And swatches!

In Sunlight

(L-R): Revlon ColourBurst Lip Butter in Juicy Papaya, Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss in Coral Reef, Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Rendezvous, Milani Colour Statement Lipstick in Flirty Fuchsia, YSL Rouge Volupte Sheer Candy in Luscious Cherry

Under Artificial Lighting

Revlon ColourBurst Lip Butter in Juicy Papaya: Just the name of this one makes me think about summer! Ripe fruit, mmmm... This was one of the new Lip Butter releases for Summer 2013 and I'm so glad I picked it up! It's a subtle pinky coral that's a few notches above nude, but still neutral enough to wear with just about anything, including a smokey eye. The finish is semi-sheer (but can be built up) and the formula is moisturizing with a touch of shine. Perfect for a no-fuss summery makeup look!

Revlon ColourBurst Lip Butter in Juicy Papaya

Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss in Coral Reef: I apologize in advance if this feature makes you fall in love with this gloss, as it's been discontinued. Makeup sadness. Revlon has re-launched their Super Lustrous Lip Gloss line, completely overhauling the shade range (including a new and admittedly lovely colour, Coral Kiss), leaving Coral Reef in the dust. I was lucky enough to grab a backup of this before the old line was taken out of stock, as this truly is my favourite summer lip gloss ever! It's a sheer peachy coral that leaves lips looking shiny and full. Though the shade is no longer, I had to mention it here (if only as a tribute) because I wore it tons this year!

Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss in Coral Reef

Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Rendezvous: This may not be the most versatile Balm Stain (Honey might take that title), but it's definitely my most-worn, especially during the Spring and Summer. Overall, I find the Balm Stains to be incredible for summer- they hold up to the humid weather without any hint of heaviness, stickiness, or dryness. Rendezvous is a bold, but wearable orange coral shade that leaves a flattering slightly glossy finish. I chose to wear it on my sister's wedding day (wanted a lip shade that had personality without being overpowering), which is saying a lot!

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Rendezvous

Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte Sheer Candy in Luscious Cherry: Although I first purchased this during the wintertime, I didn't find it to be a regular in my rotation until Summer rolled around. This is a sheer, shiny cherry shade with subtle shimmer that can be built up to a bold red and leaves a flattering pinky stain as it wears off. It smells like sweet fruit and the packaging just can't be beat. It's my go-to when I want a bold lip without committing to a heavy, opaque formula. 

YSL Rouge Volupte Sheer Candy in Luscious Cherry

Milani Colour Statement Lipstick in Flirty Fuchsia: A summer lipstick favourites list would not be complete without a bold fuchsia shade, my favourite! Though I own quite a few bright pink lipsticks (see header pic above for evidence), it was Milani Flirty Fuchsia that stood out the most this summer. It was a complete steal (around $5 at Walgreens), has sleek packaging, and a fresh watermelon scent reminiscent of a refreshing summer snack. The shade itself is a bold, blue-based fuchsia with a satin finish. Although the formula is fully opaque, it feels incredibly light and comfortable on the lips and is long-wearing, even on the hottest days! If applied lightly, it mimics the coveted cherry popsicle-stained  effect. What says summer more than that?

Milani Colour Statement Lipstick in Flirty Fuchsia

And one more shot of Flirty Fuchsia, since it's so lovely!

And that's it! Hope you enjoyed taking a peek at the shades that left my lips feeling fun and summery over the past few months. While I'm looking forward to sporting richer, deeper hues for Fall, these cheery colours will always be in my arsenal when I want to channel a warm weather feel. 

Have you tried any of the lip products I featured here? What were your must-have summer lip shades this year?

Thanks for reading! :)