The Scarlettiest lips for under $5

Red lips have been the perennial go-to since Cleopatra. Perhaps that’s because anyone with enough nerve can really rock a true red—it gives contrast to the fair and pop to the dark-skinned. In winter, being swaddled in bulky coats and hiding hat hair becomes a statement with a properly-hued pout. Here, reviews of five lipsticks available at our local Duane Reade, rated with a little help from a crimson-lipped friend. Just go easy on the eyeliner, in the name of all that’s holy!

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Wet ‘n Wild, “514A” ($.99)
An impressive palate selection, shiny color, and lackluster wear (as well as horribly unimaginative color naming system). I picked a scarlet-ish red and was not terribly disappointed for the first hour, mostly because I barely talked, let alone ate. After coffee, I was left with a reddish-pinkish lipliner effect that was hot with slip dresses in the mid-’90s.

Rating:

1 Scarlett
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Wet ‘n Wild MegaLast,”911D” ($2.99)
MegaLast: it promises new, it promises improved. Initially, it was more satisfying. A few hours later, I looked like the Norman Bates of Sephora—pinky red everywhere. What was left on my face delivered embarrassingly clown-like lips. Ouch. Still, not slippery-slick like so many others in its price range and the tip gives you the ’50s style shape that usually requires liner. An improvement worthy of the extra $2, but not one to risk the Big Night Out on.

Rating:

2 Scarletts

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Prestige, “Heartbreak” ($4.50)
This one came out around a neon rose. It took a lot of dabbing and wiping to get the dense, almost sticky, lipstick to achieve critical hue. Once there, the color stayed firm(ish) in the face of food and drink, but wiped off instantly on skin (so careful kissing or coughing). With repeated application, you will be left with a perceptible stain that will last most of the day.

Rating:

3 Scarletts

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NYC, “Retro Red” ($.99)
They got “retro” right. The color was rich enough to stain a glass in a dish-detergent commercial. The shade, though, was off, making me resent NYC for missing when they were so close to the mark.

Rating:

3 Scarletts

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Fran Wilson, Red “Mood Matcher” ($2.99)
A 12-hour, color-changing lipstick whose list of ingredient chemicals went halfway around the tube? I was suspicious. Putting it on, the color was a bright pink. Failed again! But wait- the color changing kicked in, and my lips grew more scarlet. This is the closest to red I’ve found so far, and the longest lasting. A cheap lipstick that’s finally pretending to be a real lipstick.

Rating:

4 Scarletts