Top Extended Wear Lip-color Products Under $20

For as long as I can remember I have had lips. And as long as I have had those lips I have been trying to paint them a different color. That meant constantly reapplying lipstick all day long. It was like a nervous disorder. Then Cover Girl invented Outlast Lip color. Suddenly I had an extra half hour of free time every day. It was nearly a religious experience. I can say that after using an extended wear lipstick, I will NEVER return to the old tube, gloss, or color pot approach.

At first I was just ecstatic that the Cover Girl Outlast Lip Color did what it promised. I was pleasantly surprised the first time I finished my lunch and went to the mirror to check. My lip color shined triumphantly back from the mirror.

My experimentation continued. My husband was a happy guinea pig as I tested the kiss-ability factor. No longer did he have to sheepishly wipe his check after being smooched and I didn't have to worry about end of the day walks along the river. My rose stained pout was stilled primed for romance.

And so it continued after meals, after kisses, after long walks on the beach I still had lipstick. Unfortunately I also had rather dry lips. I tried to apply a little gloss to compensate for the dryness, but that made the color disappear like any other.

I realized that the honeymoon was over. By that time other companies had started making their own version of extended wear lip color. I was very interested in the prettier colors and sparkle promised by Max Factor's Lipfinity Lustre, which also boasted a moisturizing topcoat. It costs a few dollars more, but was still a very comparable price.

Unfortunately for me, the price was the only thing comparable. Although the color was perfect, and it did have a subtle sparkle that I really liked, it did not have any staying power at all. It just didn't last. One sandwich, one kiss, one walk in the rain and my perfect color was just a memory.

And so I set off again on my quest for the perfect lipstick. This time I decided to try Revlon's Colorstay Lipcolor. The good news was that it was everything I had ever dreamed of. The texture was creamy, the colors attractive, and I no longer had chalky feeling lips. The bad news was that the price was several dollars more than the others.

Which is when I discovered internet shopping. I highly recommend www.dealtime.com. With use of this online discount tool I am $10 less than drugstore prices. So not only do I have the lipstick of my dreams I am now paying less for it than I imagined.

It bears note that these are not the only three extended-wear lip colors available. They are the three that I have tried. My sister had some disappointment with the Maybeline version called Hydra Time Extended-wear Moisturizing Lipcolor. It was moisturizing, but had no lasting power.

Also worthy to note:
Clinique has introduced their version called "Stay the Day Lip Color". In trial tests it scored well in durability and has the added convenience of a single tube with applicators at both ends making it much more convenient. It is however one of the highest price.

Loreals Endless that scored third out of ALL lipsticks sales in 2003 according to Information Resources Inc., but has met with mixed reviews in the durability factor, and has a limited selection of colors available.

So now not only do I have hope for a lipstick that lasts, but due to the growing market, now there is more than just one option available. Over all the top three extended wear products were Revlon's ColorStay Lip Color. Clinique's Stay the Day Lip Color, and Cover Girl's Outlast.