Cindy Yue, Yahoo Beauty Blogger

[Photo by www.cindyhyue.com]

In recent years the lipstick craze has significantly grown and beauty companies have upped their lipstick game and have presented to the world a variety of long-lasting lipstick options. I've tried many and am here to share the rankings of some of the longest lasting formulas out there. Prior to applying any lipstick, using a lip scrub and a thick waxy balm as a base can help keep your lips in tip top shape for wearing a long-lasting lipstick formula of any sort. Some of my favorite lipsticks formulas include satin lipsticks, lip tints and stains, and matte lipsticks. Let’s work our way from the least to the most when it comes to lasting power.

3. Satin Lipsticks & Liquid Lipsticks

Satin lipstick formulas are creamy and glide over lips with little to no prep. They may spread and bleed if you aren't careful, but nothing a lip liner can't keep in check. Use a lip liner to line your lips and fill in your lips to act as a primer. Satin formulas tend to fade nicely throughout the day and can be patted onto the lips for a more casual feel, or worn full on for a punch of color.

Going for a lipstick with Vitamin E will help your lipstick stay on longer and keep the lipstick colors vibrant. 

Comfortability: 7-8/10 Lasting Power: 1-2 hours of wear, 3-4 hours with fading Removing Difficulty: 1-3, depending on color

Try: NARS Audacious Lipsticks, $42, www.sephora.ca // MAC Satin Lipstick, $22, www.maccosmetics.com // ColourPop Satin Lipsticks, $8, www.colourpop.com, $8 // Sephora Cream Lip Stain, $14, www.sephora.ca // NYX, $8, www.nyxcosmetics.com

2. Lip Tints and Stains

There are many lip tints and lip stain brands out there now. These options are low maintenance and great for wearing to school, work, or out and about when you are running errands. Be sure to prep your lips with a lip scrub and balm prior to application to avoid the tints and stains from clinging to dry patches. Brands are bringing out lip products that highly resemble lipstick mood rings, with lip products that change colors on your lips by working with the natural chemistry and pH balances of your body.  Comfortability: 10/10 Lasting Power: lip tints can last for 1-3 hours Removing Difficulty: 0/10 (very easy, will fade on its own)

Try: Lipstick Queen, $32, www.lipstickqueen.com // Dior Addict Lip Glow, $43, www.sephora.ca // Pixi Beauty Tinted Brilliance Balm in Unique Pink, $18, www.pixibeauty.ca

While Korean Beauty is quickly entering the beauty scene around the world, a new type of lip product is quickly gaining popularity. Peel off lip tints are applied in a thick layer over lips, left on for 5-10 minutes, and peeled off to reveal lightly tinted lips which can last. Other than these intense lip tints, there are also oils which can be applied to the lips to give a quick, immediate finish on the lips. These types of products, more or less, are placing pigment on your lips to give you that “no-makeup makeup look.”

Comfortability: 10/10 Lasting Power: lip stains can last for 8+ hours Removing Difficulty: 7/10 (depending on product)

Try: Oops My Lip Tint, $12, www.yesstyle.com // YSL Tint-In-Oil, $41, www.sephora.ca // Benefit Benetint, $38, www.sephora.ca 

1. Matte Lipsticks & Liquid Lipsticks

Matte lipsticks take the prize as the longest lasting lip products, but also as some of the most drying formulas out there which should be no surprise to any. However, brands are coming out with creamier formulas which are more comfortable to wear on the lips. Matte lipsticks come in your standard lipstick bullet, in pencil form, and even liquid.

Prepping your lips with a good scrub and layer of lip balm beforehand can make a world of a difference in the comfort and longevity of a matte lipstick. Matte lipsticks come at a variety of price and color ranges, so there is a formula and a color out there for everyone.

Matte lipsticks can be a more drying formula, so make sure your lips are scrubbed and in a somewhat smooth condition before applying as you do not want these clinging to patches or settling into any cracks. After layering on the lipstick, feel free to pop on some vaseline or chapstick on top to help add some moisture back in your lips without being overly glossy. 

Liquid to matte lipsticks have taken the world by storm, with almost every brand coming out with a version of their own. Note that not all liquid lipsticks are made the same and some can definitely be more drying and feel heavier on the lips than others. 

Comfortability: 4-6/10 Lasting Power: 8-12 hours, depending on brand and formula Removing Difficulty: 5/10 for matte lipsticks (depending on color), 8-9 for liquid lipsticks (depending on color)

Try: Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution, $41, www.charlottetilbury.com // NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil, $34, www.sephora.ca // Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick, $31, www.sephora.ca // Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick, $26, www.sephora.ca

[Photo: Instagram/ailacosmetics]

Whether you’re looking for a gentle skin care product or you simply feel strongly against animal testing, cruelty-free is a great way to go. Most of these companies use high quality ingredients that are good for both you and the environment which makes it a no brainer! 

However incorporating cruelty-free products into your beauty routine may be a tad more difficult as they aren’t as readily available as other products.

A great way to find and support smaller cruelty-free brands is to search for the hashtags #crueltyfreebeauty or #crueltyfreecosmetics on Instagram or Twitter. 

To get you started, here are seven cruelty-free companies that you need to know about!

[Photo: Fairy Girl Cosmetics]

Fairy Girl Cosmetics

Fairy Girl offers vegan luxury lipsticks that are cruelty free and offer highly pigmented opaque matte lipsticks. They are packed with antioxidants to nourish and treat your lips, including nurturing ingredients such as organic cocoa butter, coconut, argan, Hawaiian kukui nut, avocado, jojoba seed, and castor seed. These lipsticks are made without parabens, artificial dyes or fragrances and will leave your lips nourished with a delicious cocoa butter scent.

Try: Vegan Lipstick, $32, fairygirlcosmetics.com

[Photo: French Girl Organics]

French Girl Organics

The “French girl chic” aesthetic will always be something we covet and French Girl Organics offers an array of products from skincare to hair care to help you channel your inner Parisian. Not only do these products make you look good, they’re actually good for you too. This brand’s offerings are mostly vegan or organic and are made with pure and natural ingredients.

Try: Rose Sea Salt Spray, from $12, etsy.com 

[Photo: Instagram/ailacosmetics]

AILA Nail Polishes

If you’re one to change your nail colour as often as you change your clothese, these toxic-free nail polishes are for you. The natural and organic polishes by Toronto-based AILA provide beautiful color without compromising the safety of your health. The polishes and removers are even made with ingredients to promote nail growth and health, including ingredients such as pure argan oil to hydrate nail beds and cuticles.

Try: Nail Polish, $21, clementinefields.ca

[Photo: Jolii Cosmetics]

Jolii Cosmetics

A relatively new brand to the scene, Jolli’s products are vegan, gluten free and not tested on animals. While they only have a few colour options right now, the packaging is downright gorgeous!

Try: Luxe Crème Matte Lipstick, $24, joliicosmetics.com

[Photo: DedCool]

DedCool

Not only are DedCool’s skincare products cruelty-free, they're vegan and all-natural too! Best of all, their products are unisex, which means you can share them with your partner and family.

Try: Fragrance 02, $85, www.dedcool.com

[Photo: OSEA]

OSEA 

OSEA stands for Ocean, Sun, Earth, and Atmosphere. Their products are made from natural ingredients and exclude any ingredients that would pollute or harm the planet. Purity, quality and effectiveness are key to their skin care line and its products are formulated with vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids to boost your skin.

Try: Atmosphere Protection Cream  $63, www.oseamalibu.com

Aromi Beauty

Vegan and cruelty-free, Aromi Beauty offers handcrafted cosmetics and fragrances that are formulated from scratch, handcrafted in their labs, and include only the finest ingredients. Its founder, Hannah Follis, is a chemist by trade and worked for many years as a formulation chemist before starting Aromi Beauty.

Try: Berry Nude Matte Liquid Lipsticks $22, aromibeauty.com

Spring is right around the corner which means it’s time to pack away the parkas and kick off those winter boots. But the change in season and wardrobe also signals that it’s time to switch up your skin care routine. 

Here are six ways to transition your skin care from winter to spring

Do opt for a gel moisturizer. Pack away all of your heavier creams and replace them with gel moisturizers. Gel moisturizers are great year-round but they’re particularly great once the sun comes out. They’re lightweight, easier to absorb and won’t leave a greasy feeling on your skin. They’re also cooling to the touch and feel great to apply especially when the weather is warm.

Do opt for gentler alternatives of exfoliation. Leave behind the abrasive scrubs and opt for gentler and more natural versions. (Especially since exfoliants with micro-beads are not very eco-friendly and will soon disappear off shelves.) Look for products containing natural ingredients such as sugar, rice powder, or oatmeal as a few examples. These make for great scrubs without being overly harsh on your skin. They’ll do just the trick when gently trying to remove layers of dead skin that have accumulated throughout winter.

Do opt for a balancing face wash. Opt for unscented or lightly fragranced face washes as these are less likely to irritate your skin.  Look for pH balancing face washes that will help reduce grime and remove makeup, all without stripping your skin and leaving it feeling parched. Gel-based face washes are great for doing the trick.

Do opt for sunscreen. Never skip this step! With the sun shining and the days becoming longer, it’s a definite must-have. Sunscreen is a daily essential that should be used year round, even in winter when the sun tends to be hidden in an overcast sky. You won’t regret taking the extra minutes to apply sunscreen in the warmer months, and if you’re lazy then opt for a moisturizer with SPF that doubles as a sun protectant. Don’t forget about your lips, though! If you don’t already, be sure to rotate in a lip balm that contains SPF.

Do opt for a moisturizing and a brightening face mask. This will give your skin a refresh and leave you with a natural glow. Opt for gel masks that are great for adding moisture and removing unwanted gunk. Don’t be afraid to apply different masks to different facial zones to target what you need handled. Looking for products that contain rose will also help to reduce any unwanted redness.

Do opt for a lighter face oil. Lighter face oil? Is that even a thing? Kinda. Once you’ve tried a few you can tell apart those with a thicker consistency from those with a thinner formula. Go for a thinner and lighter oil as these will feel more comfortable on your skin as the weather warms up. Face oils are great as they help retain moisture and truly “plump up” your skin naturally. Use an oil by itself at night or mix a little with your moisturizer in the morning. Trust me — oils make all the difference.

Take some time to “spring clean” your skin care routine. Switching out your heavier winter products with lighter spring ones can be beneficial for your skin and will leave you feeling fresh-faced and ready to take on this new season!