The Best Spring Lip Colors of 2012 with swatches! (My Favorites!)

Talk about lip service - our lips are one of the firs things people see when they look at us. We can dress them up for an intense and bold statement or we can play them down for a perfected pout that whispers sweet nothings with one simple smile; from lipstick to balms to gloss, these are my Spring 2012 Top Picks that will be sure to make your pout pumped up with excitement!

MAC Reel Sexy Collection $17.50 Nordstrom's MAC Counter
*Reel Sexy* A gorgeous orangey coral that is sure to brighten anyone's day. Its long lasting and wears evenly, stays vibrant for several hours, doesn't feather, and is on the more orange side of coral. This is NOT your typical coral, that's for sure. Its already sold out on www.maccosmetics.com and in many Nordstroms - I myself bought the LAST ONE at my local MAC store in Seattle! If you have the chance to snag it - do so, and fast! This is part of MAC's "Reel Sexy" collection featuring Kristen McMenamy; the lipstick in the collection are beautifully made to give pouts texture, shine, vibrancy, and lustre.

MAC ChenMan Love & Water Special Edition Collection $17.50 Nordstrom's MAC Counter
*Budding Love* A beautiful and ultra feminine pink with a lilac undertone, this lustre lipstick is the perfect pairing for a Spring day. It works very well with Spring 2012's hot pastel trend - it's long wearing and wears evenly without feathering. While it may appear very brilliant in the solid stick form, once applied it softens up a bit. I particularly love this color because you can wear it alone with just a touch of mascara on your eyes, a bit of color on your cheeks, and you have a polished face of the day. This color would be absolutely complimentary on every skin tone!

MAC LipGlass
*Pink Lemonade* $14.50 Nordstrom's MAC Counter
I have been a long-time fan of MAC LipGlasses and am still in shock that I have not once - until this Season - considered this color for myself! It's the absolute perfect peach gloss - wears beautifully, stays on much longer than most glosses and continues to have gorgeous shine. It falls in the pastel category and will definitely take you from Spring all the way through Summer. It's the perfect gloss for anyone who doesn't want to go "full coral" but would rather experiment with peaches and work their way up. I just wish the tube was bigger!! Pink Lemonade also pairs really nicely with my favorite Butter London nail posh of this season, "Trout Pout"!

Tarte LipSurgence $24 Ulta, Sephora, www.tartecosmetics.com
*Amused*
The perfect pink for your pout this season! What I love about pinks is that there are so many shades, so many delicious hues that visually everyone can find a pink that fits them and there will always be a pink for each and every season, occasion, event, etc. The Tarte LipSurgence sticks are all natural tints that are so pleasantly different from other lip stains in that they are HYDRATING - I for one just about lost all hope in lip stains until I began using Tarte's LipSurgence - it doesn't leave my lips dry, there is no need to apply a balm over top - these babies come packed with jojoba oil, peppermint oil, vitamins C & E, are CRUELTY FREE, mineral oil free (which is GOOD) and have so many other great benefits including being paraben free. Amused is a fun, poppy, bright pink that lasts surprisingly long and wears evenly without feathering or sinking into the creases of your lips; it also has a nice sheen to it and the best part is that it twists up to reveal more product without having to depot it!

OCC Lip Tar www.occmakeup.com
*Grandma* $14
The infamous Lip Tars by Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics are some of the makeup industry's finest examples of everything a good lip product should be - the best part is that these are TRUE pigments and they give the user ample chance to create unique combinations. GRANMA is the TRUEST CORAL of the group, and its aptly described as "Not your grandmother's coral". Its bright hue and stay power lend credibility to the fact that it's an incredible product. I love this particular color because you can build it - spread it thin for a coy pop of coral or build it up for a vibrant, eye shocking, in your face coral lip statement. It's worth every penny as you need LESS THAN the size of cucumber seed to saturate your entire mouth. A LITTLE GOES A LONG, LONG WAY!!! They go on glossy but dry to a nice matte finish - add some clear loss to bring the lustre back or keep it as is for a nice toned down kisser.

Clinique Lipstick $15 www.clinique.com, Macy's, Nordstroms
*Sugared Grapefruit*
This has to be one of Clinique's prettiest lipsticks for Spring/Summer - its multidimensional color gives lips a different pop of color depending on what light it's seen under. A great lipstick for work, school, church, special occasions, and so much more. Hydrating and long wearing, it wears evenly and doesn't feather. It IS shimmery (which I like) but I realize that many may prefer a matte. **NOTE: Clinique has seemed to have changed their lipsticks and finding a true matte is nearly impossible!**

Revlon Lip Butters $7.99 Walgreens, Bartels, Fred Meyers, Target, www.revlon.com
*Sweet Tart* I have come to absolutely LOVE the Revlon Lip Butters (Im sure some of you recall the video where I quite brazenly stated that I found them to be 'glorified lip balms' - BOY WAS I WRONG!). These little gems are the perfect answer for those of us who love the buttery softness of a lip balm and the fun pop of color from a lipstick. They range in pay off from sheer to opaque which lends for many choices. SWEET TART is a fun, vibrant pink with a little bit of a melon hue to it. It's a nice & sweet way to perfect your pout on the go - it's long wearing and isn't greasy. It does not feather nor does it wear unevenly - and bonus - it's GOOD for your lips!

I hope you enjoyed some of my favorite lip colors for Spring 2012 - check back often as I will be adding some as the season goes on!

Hugs & Perfect Pouts,
Crystal