8 Burgundy Drugstore Lipsticks Ranked
With fall coming up it’s time to consider seasonal changes to your look and that includes color. Burgundy is an ideal fall color with its warm, berry hues that compliment most skin tones. Maybe you’ve considered adding this color to your makeup palette if you don’t want to go out and buy a whole new wardrobe. Burgundy lipsticks can add that pop of color to complete a look without being overstated, but you’re probably not keen on spending a fortune on makeup. Here are 8 burgundy drugstore lipsticks ranked so you don’t have to splurge at Sephora.
These 8 lipsticks are based on what I found at Walgreens, and they will be ranked on application, pigment, durability, and feel. They will be ranked from worst to best.
8. Maybelline NY Super Stay: Matte Ink, Escapist 45
While I found the application to go on pretty smoothly, I felt the need to add a few layers to make sure the pigment was evenly distributed. This is a matte lip ink, not a lipstick so you can’t do that lip pressing-smacking technique to spread it around, as it dries almost immediately. It’s definitely a stain, because if get you bit in the corner of your lip like I did and try to wipe it away you’ll have to use water or makeup remover to get the remainder of your face.
The pigment is super dark. From a distance, it looks like it could be a toned down black or a really dark purple. Darker than I expected based on the tube’s color. Escapist is what looked to be the most burgundy at the store, but try Voyager for a subtler pigment, that has more red hues than purple and will likely look more burgundy. The formula is the same for application, texture, and durability.
The feel of the lipstick once it dries though is weird-it’s sticky. It makes my lips feel like they’re sticking together, and because of that, I expect this stuff to rub off, however, when I kiss the back of my hand or take a drink, no stain is rubbed off so it stays on nicely if you can get past the texture. When trying to wipe it off with my dry hand it barely budges so makeup remover wipes are needed. I have always found lip stains of this type of formula to be off-putting due to their sticky texture.
7. L’Oreal ColorRiche Shine: Splendid Blackberry 930
The application of this L’Oréal lipstick was by far the most slippery I’d say. It went on smooth in a way that felt wet. As for as pigment this is a more translucent, shiny, wet lipstick (obviously its says shiny), but it is also glittery looking I noticed.
As for the feel, it doesn’t seem to really dry and stays wet. I’m not a big fan of that, because it feels heavier than a balm or gloss or even a lipstick, it just kinda sits there on my lips. And while the others had a subtle, pleasant taste/smell that you can sometimes feel on your lips when wearing lipstick, I can feel this one weighing in the back of my throat. It just feels heavy and reminds of me those makeup palettes we played with when were 5; all that fake cheap cosmetics where we could taste them really strongly if you have this memory at all.
However, this lipstick isn’t all bad because I surprisingly like the way it looks, even though I’d go for a richer, matte lip color, this shiny gloss is rather attractive looking and could compliment many skin tones. It also reads like a nice berry shade, and I ranked it higher than number 8 because it looked more like the color we’re trying to achieve.
6. Covergirl: Demi-Matte, Infamous 455
This lipstick had one of the smoothest applications out of all the lipsticks; it glides onto the lips nicely. The shape of the lipstick contours to natural lip shapes better I feel like.
As for pigment, it’s not the shade I was hoping for. It’s one of my least favorite as far as burgundy goes as it’s a deeper red color. It looks incredibly purple in the image, but I promise you it doesn’t look like that in real life or even on skin tones I doubt. It’s more red than purple.
The pigment or texture also seems to be a little uneven, like there is patchy distribution in the colors-some spots darker than others. It’s not exactly translucent, but not the evenest. As it is described as a demi-matte it is like a subtle shiny matte finish. It’s advertised as being a satin finish, and I think that makes it feel more like a lipstick than most of these on the list, but it’s not my favorite texture or feeling. However, it’s not irritating or uncomfortable lipstick to wear.
It has good longevity and durability and would last throughout the day. It does come off ever so slightly when eating, drinking or testing the back of my hand but it seems more like a stain, this lip color. When I actually try to rub it off with my hand the color mostly stayed put.
5. Rimmel London: Lasting Finish Lipstick, Bordeaux, 124
While the image of this lipstick looks quite right, in person it has a darker hue and looks like burgundy with red undertones.
The application is nice and smooth, the texture is creamy. This lipstick is definitely shinier without being too shiny or looking like a lipgloss. I’ve always had mixed feelings about Rimmel London lipsticks but I was impressed with their application and texture of this one.
The color, however, when applied, at least on me, looks more red than burgundy. The images seem deceitful when you look at it in person, but when applied you realize it’s more red than burgundy probably, but out of the selection of burgundy drugstore lipsticks it looked promising.
The overall feel of this lipstick is nice though, and won’t be irritating, sticky and shouldn’t feel drying to your lips.
4. Maybelline Color Sensational: Shine Compulsion Lipstick, Plum Oasis 125
The application is smooth and easy, goes on really nice. The name “shine compulsion” suggests it’s a shiny lipstick, which is certainly is. If you’re more into mattes, this wouldn’t be for you but I found the application really pleasant. It felt like I was applying Chapstick instead.
The thumbnail colored label on the tube had me worried this would turn out more magenta, but the first sight of the lipstick itself, without being applied, is the appearance of dark plum. When applied I thought it looked more like a pigmented lip-gloss than actual lipstick, so it is somewhat translucent.
This would not be the lipstick to wear during a make-out session as it comes off very easily when I test the back of my head or take a drink. Luckily that means you won’t have to scrub your lips to remove it like I did with the other Maybelline lip stain in this list.
The feel of wearing lipstick is also really agreeable. If you’re using to wearing lipsticks you probably won’t even remember you’re wearing this-and it honestly feels more like a lip gloss or lip balm as mentioned above. While you may have to reapply this throughout the day the application, pigment, and feel won’t make that a fuss for you.
3. Revlon: Super Lustrous Lipstick Crème, Naughty Plum 045
The application of Revlon’s Naughty Plum is creamy and smooth. Just looking at the lipstick I knew it would go on with no trouble. I felt the need to apply quite a bit to achieve a richer pigment though.
This is one of my favorite colors of all the lipsticks on the list, however, the name Naughty Plum, and the color and label on the tube might suggest a purple burgundy, but it actually appears browner on skin. I found the color-rich, but maybe trying Revlon’s Berry Haute or Black Cherry in the lustrous lipstick line would yield better color results.
The texture of this lipstick is nice, smooth, creamy and comfortable. Some lipsticks that have an unpleasant texture (like Maybelline Stay Matte Ink I constantly felt like I was wanting to lick my lips to get it off), however with this one I am rubbing my lips together more. While it never completely dries, it’s not a wet texture either, but feels hydrating to the skin.
It is definitely not kiss proof, as my wrist found out, but after blotting…or kissing off the excess, the color changed from a brown to a warmer, berry shade like I anticipated, also bringing back its translucency. So while the durability on this lipstick probably isn’t the best its comfortable to wear, and has a nice color.
2. Wet N’ Wild: MegaLast, Vamp It Up/Style Vamp 919B
I was unsure of the application but it goes on smoothly, with no fuss. It’s a creamy matte lipstick. This particular line is called MegaLast, however, while it’s not the most kiss proof or drink proof, but when I test it out on the back of my hand it comes off less than some. At times it can feel patchy and need application, but is otherwise a pretty durable, long lasting lip color.
I picked out what was available to me at Walgreens, but you might also look for Wet N’ Wild’s My Blackberry Broke and 99% Chance of Wine shades in their Perfect Pout Lip Color line. Vamp It Up is definitely more purple and I probably just assumed it was burgundy looking, but the color is pretty close and honestly really nice. It’s darker than expected, and probably more…well vampy than what you maybe want to go for, but the pigment is rich, with no translucency. It’s a bolder look, but super sexy for the fall if I might say.
Wet N Wild is known for being an inexpensive drugstore makeup brand that doesn’t contain animal products, so they’re a really ideal brand to seek out at Walgreens or CVS if spending little money, and avoiding animal cruelty is on your priority list. Their products
1. Maybelline Color Sensational: Loaded Color, Berry Bossy 820
Advertised as creamy matte, vibrant color and hydrating. So this line of Maybelline lipsticks I love in black. It’s one of my favorite black drugstore lipsticks. I was hoping to have the same feelings about their burgundy shades so I picked up Berry Bossy as I think it fits the burgundy scheme the best-Midnight Merlot could potentially, but it looks more purple.
I was NOT disappointed by this shade The formula is the same as the black, it glides on the lips so smoothly during application and is one of my favorite lipsticks to apply because of its smooth, creamy texture. It feels so soft and goes on fuss-free.
The pigment on this one has also been one of the better ones. It’s very pigmented, matte finish, and I believe is one of the truest to color. It’s berry bossy for sure, and definitely could pass in the realm of burgundy, but it does have red or pink undertones, whereas others have more purple undertones.
It doesn’t require multiple applications to achieve the pigment, and you can easily do the lip-smack-press method if you want. I also feel this applies so nicely that even for those who aren’t the masters of lipstick application (aka me) you won’t be smearing this all over your face!
While I think the matte bold lipsticks by Maybelline have pretty nice longevity as long as you’re not eating or drinking, they last throughout classes, an interview, seeing a show or having a date-just know if you sip or kiss you’ll need to reapply.
The lipstick definitely feels hydrating, so the feel of it should be comfortable to wear with no drying or chapping of the lips. Once the lipstick is dry it doesn’t feel sticky and is overall pleasant on the skin.
