Question for Lip Stick Moms

You'll have a better chance finding what you want if you go to a department store and get professional help. It only costs a few dollars more, it's worth it.

Go to a department store and check out Clinique, Estee Lauder, MAC and higher end brands.

Explain to the associate what you are looking for and they'll guide you and let you test a lot of products.

Sephora is also a good spot to check out and the associates are good as well.

These products will cost more than Walmart but keep in mind.... you get what you pay for.

Go to a department store where Clinique is sold, and talk to the associate. You'll get to try a number of recommended shades. Clinique is more expensive than some other brands, but it's a good product. The lipsticks I buy there (which are not dark brown) are fine quality and last a long time.

If you will go to a Department store, they will be able to let you sample the colors. They have individual lip brushes to help. They work with the different lines of cosmetics and are trained to help you.

Sure you are going to pay a bit more, but imagine the money you have already wasted.

This way you will try it on your lips.

Macy's, Dillards,

How about go to an actual make up counter (like Clinique--which is where I go, or ANY of the others at the mall) and TRY them. There is no buying without putting them on your skin. I mean, you can... but why, since you are looking for something so specific.
I can only imagine the amount of money you have wasted buying stuff without being able to try a sample first. :(

Do you have a Sephora? You'll pay handsomely, but I bet you can find something you'll like.

I think you will benefit from going to any kiosk where they actually try the lipstick on you, or using a Mary Kay or Avon rep who gives you samples or does make-up demonstrations/facials (both are good companies). In any case, you can see it in the mirror, but be sure you look at it in both artificial and natural light since your preferences or skin tones seem to be hard to match! What you've spent in poor purchases will be saved on just one tube of something you really like!

I have been buying Wet and Wild for years. Ninetynine cents a tube. I buy several at a time. It is sold at Walgreens for sure and maybe Osco. Keep trying. I do that so I can experiment. Why spend eight dollars a tube when I can have eight tubes?

I always found what I wanted through Mary Kay. I don't buy anything I can't try on first. When they stopped making my favorite color it took me a long long time to find another color that I liked as well.

Avon also have tons of free samples, like Mary Kay, and I've found a couple of colors there that were good for certain outfits.

Any brand/store/rep that has samples should be more than willing for you to try on every color. They have disposable tiny brushes for this, but it can't hurt to carry a small snack size baggie of Q-Tips.

Another thing, getting the previous color off completely is important too. That can cause the color you're putting on to look different.

Just an idea. I find the Avon glimmerstick lip liners quite dark. If you use them to outline and then color in your lips, with a dash of gloss you're good for a while. And if you order online and don't like it, call the number on the back of the receipt in the box and they will refund your money.

Look for a Merle Norman store near you. You can try out the colors to make sure there is one you like. I used to go, but the one near me closed. They had a pencil one that stayed on great.

Go to a store where you can try on the lip color. Don't buy makeup at stores where you can't try the color on your skin; you end up wasting money that way. Go to Sephora or MAC. You might like MAC's Twig; that's a brownish color that looks good on many different skin tones. Nars and Tarte also make a few colors that could work for you.