Help! Is it me or the lipstick?

[Shukinskaya]

Am no lipstick novice but fancied branching out into a bright red lip. Friend v generously bought me the Estee Lauder x VB lipstick in Chilean Red. The thing is I can't get on with it at all. Reviews all said went on like a dream, no need for lip liner, stayed put all day yatter yatter. I've tried with lip liner, blotting and re applying, but it still comes off at the first drink of anything (haven't attempted eating with it on) and does that awful thing of moving into the centre of your lips. I quite like the colour, and while it wasn't my money it still cost 36 bloody quid. Is there anything I can do to make it stay and not smear? Or should I just give up and try another?

How disappointing! I've not tried lipstick so can't say how it should last etc, but I wasn't exactly great with lipsticks when I first started wearing them (I ate most of it off because I forgot it was there ).

A favourite bright red of mine is NARS Dragon Girl. It's one of their Velvet Matte pencils and goes on well, with the colour being beautiful. It was the first proper lipstick I ever got myself and the fact that it was matte meant it had much more staying power.

I haven't tried Chilean Red. It's looks a lovely shade :). I have a couple of Estée Lauder lipsticks. Is it a matte? What is the condition of your lips? I find if mine are chapped or I'm not drinking enough water, the lipstick can gather in the middle/ slide off -if that makes sense!

Mac have a lip primer, which might help.

Do you wear lip balm under? That makes some lipsticks more transferable than they should be, and I tend to skip lip balm if I wear bright reds. If you cannot make it work, go to an EL counter and tell what the problem is and ask for a replacement.

I wear a red lipstick daily. My old Max Factors have the best staying power, they stay good all day long without a touchup and are not too drying. Finding a good lipstick usually involves tradeoffs between high staying power/ dryness vs. balm-like qualities/easy transferability.

I do wear lip balm! Eve Lom Kiss Mix. I'll give it a go without, although was lining and filling in with lip liner (EL doublewear) before applying with lip brush. Will Estee Lauder really replace? I don't have the receipt.

Also from your last comment am guessing even if I went with the makes I love (Mac and Laura Mercier, both moisturising), this could still be an issue.

I never wear lip balm underneath I find it really ruins the lipstick. I just apply lip balm at night and they stay soft ready for the day. Do you lip line entire lip, apply lip stick with brush, blot, reapply? Also if you want real staying power you could add a dusting of lose powder after first application then re apply with brush.

Yep that's exactly what I've been doing Buster minus the dust of powder. I will give it a go minus lip balm and see how I go. I don't mind the transferability, it's the smearing and collecting that does my head in. I really rate other Estee Lauder make up so bit surprised tbh.

Try in dry lips, a smudge of foundation for hold, line, fill, powder, fill.

Without any lip balm should definitely help

Thanks to everyone who suggested no lip balm, it has made a MASSIVE difference. Little to no transfer and no bunching in the middle plus the red is a deeper colour which I prefer. I can keep the lipstick, hurray!

A favourite bright red of mine is NARS Dragon Girl. It's one of their Velvet Matte pencils and goes on well, with the colour being beautiful. It was the first proper lipstick I ever got myself and the fact that it was matte meant it had much more staying power.

Mrs A - I have been wearing this all week!!

Mrs A - I have been wearing this all week!!

Mine is a tiny little thing now. I have far more reds than I should but still want to replace Dragon Girl