Is a $50 Lipstick Actually 5x Better Than a $10 One? š
From 2026ās newest Rare Beauty launches to the "Lipstick Effect," why our small daily rituals matter more than ever.
Happy Monday!
How are we all? Still trudging through January? Itās been the longest and heaviest (especially in the news) month, hasnāt it? When the world feels particularly loud around me and overwhelming, I try to focus on the small daily rituals that I can control. Like going to the gym or even just the simple routine of putting on my makeup.
Last week, my desk at The Beauty EdĀ® was inundated with lip products which helped to distract me. People often talk about the power of lipstick, especially during times of hardship, and actually the Lipstick Effect is a real phenomenon.
The Lipstick Effect can be traced back to the 1930s Great Depression, when industrial production plummeted but make-up sales rocketed. We saw it again after 9/11 and during the 2007 financial crisis.
Often women think of lipstick like an anti-anxiety tool. I have one friend who is never seen without a bright lipstick; she says that the loudness of her real life gets quiet when all she needs to think about (albeit just for a couple of minutes) is what lipstick she should wear that day.
So I shall say that it felt like serendipity when two of 2026ās most anticipated launches landed on my doorstep last week: the Rare Beauty Find Comfort Lip Butters and e.l.f. Glow Reviver Slipsticks.
The Rare Beauty Find Comfort Lip Butters apply just as their name suggests they should. Comforting, and totally feel good on the lips.
I was sent Easygoing (a clear, unscented shade) and Loved (a tea rose shade with a subtle vanilla scent). Their names are a happy read during this depressing Jan.
The e.l.f. Glow Reviver Slipsticks have a gorgeous hybrid texture of an oil/balm, and leave the right amount of no-effort-required colour on your lips. This is the kind of lipstick I love.
Iām not one to spend lots on makeup, so the fact that they are only $10|Ā£10 is a bonus.
However thatās not to say I donāt think thereās an argument for spending more on lipstick if you really love it. And if you can really afford it!
I recently sat down with pro MUA and Instagram star Genevieve Turley on this episode of my podcast, Smiling Gives You WrinklesĀ® and she explained that while she is also a huge fan of budget makeup, she does make an exception for her favourite ARMANI beauty $50 lipstick.
š¬ WATCH MAKE UP ARTIST GENEVIEVE TURLEY EXPLAIN WHY SHE LOVES HER $48 ARMANI LIPSTICK
So what makes the ARMANI Beauty Lip Power Long Lasting Matte Lipstick in Real Red worth the $48? According to Genevieve, itās the texture - demi-matte that doesnāt dry your lips or go āpittyā - and the shape of the bullet. It has a unique point that lets you line and define with the side before filling in with the flat edge. Itās essentially liner and a lipstick in one.
The āEditorā Case: Why Iāll Pay $50 for Westman Atelier Lip Suede Matte Lipstick
As I wrote in this article for HELLO!, the justification for my fav $50 lipstick isnāt just the fancy magnetic cap with an in-built mirror (the click is also so satisfying!). Itās the skincare science behind it.
When a matte lipstick like the one by Westman Atelier feels like a ānourishing night balmā but delivers high-intensity pigment that survives a day of filming and working, the price tag starts to make sense a little.
Plus the the pro name behind it allows for a mark up. Gucci Westman is an American makeup artist who only works with A-listers like Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow and Anne Hatheway. This kind of marketing pull doesnāt tend to impress me though. Itās what goes on inside a product, how it makes me feel, does it deliver and make life easier? They are the things I give credit for.
The Beauty EdĀ® āRide or Dieā Lip List
I also wanted to share the staples that the rest of The Beauty EdĀ® team return to when they need something to trust:
ā” Giaās Essentials:
I am, unapologetically, a lip girl. I will cut corners elsewhere, but never with lips. And with new lip launches buzzing louder than usual, Iāve narrowed it down to four products I return to again and again, categorised simply: care, makeup, and repair.
1. Lip Care: Dior Addict Lip Glow in 001 Pink
There are very few beauty products Iāve repurchased enough times to lose count; this is one of them. The Dior Addict Lip Glow is the kind of balm that feels like a gift, whether youāre giving it or unwrapping it yourself.
What makes it brilliant is the pH-activated colour: the formula reacts with the natural chemistry of your lips to enhance your own tone rather than masking it.
Additionally, it sits in that rare sweet spot between lip care and makeup. With a 97% lip-care base, shea butter, and cherry extract, it leaves a sheer, radiant finish that feels buttery rather than glossy. Handbag-friendly, beautifully packaged, and reliably flattering, which explains why it remains Diorās best-selling lip āgiftā for good reason!
2. Makeup: MAC Lipstick Macximal Silky Matte Lipstick in Mehr
If you asked me to name one lip formula Iād trust blindly, it would be M.A.C. I grew up around professional makeup artistry (my mother is a M.A.C artist), which means Iāve tried more lipsticks than I can admit.
The silky matte finish is my favourite: long-wearing, with just enough softness to keep lips looking lived-in rather than dull. With coconut oil, shea butter, and cocoa butter, that ensures comfort that lasts from morning coffee to late dinners.
My most repurchased shade is Mehr: a mauve-pink that deepens slightly on my lips and pairs beautifully with a high-shine gloss. Itās the lipstick Iām most often asked about, and the one I trust not to betray me on collars or glasses.
š«¦ Lip Liner (an honourable essential)
Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat- Pillow Talk
Charlotte Tilburyās Lip Cheat pencils are, quite simply, the best Iāve used. They glide, they stay put, and they never dry the lips, thanks to a jojoba-seed-oil-infused, waterproof formula that holds for hours.
Pillow Talk earns its cult status by being endlessly versatile: the nude that works with everything. I havenāt found an equivalent pencil that balances longevity with comfort quite like this.
3. Repair: Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Intensive Lip Repair Balm
I first discovered this in duty-free as a teenager and have never been without it since. It wears like a mask; thick enough to feel protective, never sticky, and by morning, dryness is simply gone.
I apply it generously before bed and wake up with restored lips, not just temporarily softened ones. Thereās a subtle eucalyptus note that feels refreshing rather than medicinal, and in winter especially, itās unmatched for soothing my cracked, irritated lips. If I had to recommend one product purely for repair, it would be this!
šPalomaās Picks:
Even if Iām not wearing any other makeup, I will 100% be wearing something on my lips! I once counted 11 lip products in one handbag - and I could justify every single one of them. These are my top three (for now!) This might change literally tomorrow.
1. Aquaphor: A "ride or die" for overnight repair or for smudging out liner.
Aquaphor is my ride or die product, and I think Iāve said before that I always keep a backup tube on hand because thatās how much I canāt be without it. It is a thick ointment for any dry areas, but itās especially great as a thick overnight lip mask. Itās clear but gives your lips a really great shine, and not only do I use it before bed, but itās also great for smudging out a lip liner.
2. Rhode Peptide Lip Shape: Effortless and moisturising.
Speaking of lip liners! I am somewhat of a lip liner connoisseurā¦ Iāve triedĀ many,Ā and the Rhode Peptide Lip Shapes are my favourites at the moment. They are described as effortless lip shapers that combine soft-focus colour and high-performance skincare to give your lips dimension. They give a your-lips-but-better effect - the colours are pretty neutral, but they pair really well with coloured lip products too! I love the shades Lift and Press but I really think thereās a perfect shade for everyone.
P.S Peptides are a fabulous ingredient for smoothing out fine lines and locking in moisture! And youāll be hearing a lot more about them in 2026!
3. Glossier Ultralip: The perfect balm-gloss-lipstick hybrid.
I am yet to try a Glossier product I donāt love and the Ultralips are some of my favs! They have the texture of a balm, the shine of a gloss, and the colours are buildable, like a lipstick. The perfect combination! There are 13 shades, but my favourites are Villa and Lucite.
š¤Hayleyās Must-Haves
Lip color is the easiest pick-me-up you can find - but with so many options, how do you choose which ones are worth trying? At The Beauty EdĀ®, we test all the latest and greatest so you donāt have to. Here are three of my lip essentials you truly canāt go wrong with!
VIOLETTE_FR Bisou Balm: For that effortless French ājust-bittenā look
I was turned on to this brand by a beauty loving coworker when I was working on the marketing team at Shiseido (shout out Lynn!). Lynn always wore the perfect lip color. It never flaked, ran, feathered and gave her such a healthy look. It was designed to achieve the French look of ābouche mordueā, or just bitten lips with a soft blur and is inspired by traditional French candies. I love the color Rose Latte, but you canāt go wrong with any shade! P.S. the packaging is so lux youāll want to show it off.
VIOLETTE_FR: Balm Amour: Featuring a ceramic tip applicator that feels incredibly luxe.
After falling in love with Bisou Balm I had to try more products from Violette. They launched Balm Amour and I had it in my cart within seconds. This balm has skincare-grade actives like phyto-collagen, natural peptides, and moisture-locking properties to seal in moisture and work beneath the surface. An added bonus is that the applicator is a ceramic tip which feels so luxurious as it glides across your lips.
SWEED Lip Liner: The "holy grail" for definition that stays on all day.
I am always on the quest for a great lip liner as I need definition particularly on my upper lip. I frequently find some liners donāt deliver the right amount of pigment, some are too hard and hurt to apply and some just do not last. Search no more- SWEED is absolutely the holy grail of lip liners. It is the perfect texture that glides on for all day wear. I like to use it to color in my lips after I line and then blend with the built-in brush. The formula also has Jojoba Seed oil which works to improve hydration and strengthen the skinās moisture barrier.
Xoxo, Hayley & Bear š¾
So there you have it! Lots of lip talk for this dreary Monday!
We hope you enjoyed - please let us know if there is anything else youād want us to review or share a topic youād like us to cover in the comments:
Have a great week!
Donna & The Beauty EdĀ® Team