Apparently “black cherry” lips are a summer trend. I think this is weird. I was really into a deep, dark lip during the fall and winter, which is where I believe it should stay. MY summer lip is always either bright red (MAC Ruby Woo/Lady Danger or NARS Heat Wave) or hot pink (MAC Dear Diary is my current favorite) … and occasionally just a swipe of plumping, slightly-glossy-but-not-sticky Jouer balm when I’m feeling low-maintenance. 

That said, some of you probably want to wear a black cherry lip during summer, so I went through the “lipstick drawer,” population about 70, and picked my favorites. Warning: A few of them photographed strangely, but you get the picture.

L to R: Mac Rebel, Wet & Wild Cherry Bomb ($1.99) topped with Dior Addict Black Tie Plum gloss, MAC Diva

The problem with dark lipsticks like these is that they wash you out. Now, me, I kind of like wearing them in winter when I’m pale and think they look prettier as a stain (aka you wipe it all off but just a little kiss of wine color) in summer. However, lighter tones of dark cherry look pretty with a summer tan. 

MAC Rebel is one of my favorite MAC lipsticks: deep, but not gothy purple-wine shade that fades to a lovely magenta stain. I went through an obsession with collecting all the matte Wet & Wild lipsticks from CVS since they’re $1.99 and 100% amazing. I swear the red shades give more expensive brands a run for their money. Slicked with some Dior gloss I read about via Into the Gloss, this is NOT a kissable lip. :)

L to R: Bobbi Brown Black Cherry lipstick, NARS Terre de Feu Pure Matte lipstick, all these colors blotted off as a stain.

This Bobbi Brown is my only Bobbi lip color and, well, it couldn’t be any more perfect for the trend with the bang-on name and all. I like it pretty well, but not nearly as much as I love NARS Terre de Feu, which is more of a wine shade. I think this is possibly one of the prettiest shades I own, and that’s saying a lot. 

If you’re desperate to get kissed while wearing a “black cherry” lip this summer, then slick on a thick coat of any of these colors and blot it several times. Voila! Perfect stay-all-day stain that begs to be kissed.