“First things first: I always start a lipstick application with skin care,” says Gerstein, explaining that smooth, hydrated lips make for a better canvas. This Kjaer Weis version, formulated with Brazilian nut oil and chamomile, gets her top billing for its “sleekly architectural, refillable matte-black compact.”
Kjaer Weis The Lip Balm, $50
The minimalist-chic lipstick collection by Kosås, a Los Angeles–based natural beauty line, has become a favorite of Gerstein’s “as much for what it offers (comfortable, whisper-light texture and a spot-on range of every shade you want to wear now) as for what it leaves out (possible endocrine disruptors like parabens, phthalates, and sulfates).” She likes to apply a base coat of Royal, an elegant plum, with a highlight of peachy Stardust at the center of the lips.
Kosås Weightless Lip Color in Royal, $28
For fans who can’t get enough of Rose-Marie Swift’s signature Beauty Oil, the skin-care secret has a new home: inside her creamy, recently launched lipsticks. Gerstein calls out the satin-finish formula’s “major color payoff,” with special mention of Russian (a deep berry), ruby-red Rebound, and Rapture, “a brick red that answered my prayers, as it replaces the beloved and discontinued [RMS] Lip-2-Cheek product of the same name.”
RMS Beauty Wild With Desire Lipstick in Russian Roulette, $28
One of Gerstein’s new favorite discoveries is a British company called Lily Lolo. “I love their nude pencils on their own and under everything,” says the makeup artist, who stocks up at Aillea Beauty.
Lily Lolo Natural Lip Pencil, $16
Kjaer Weis, founded by a Danish makeup artist, also makes a “gorgeous lip pencil that packs a pigment punch,” says Gerstein. Here, the line’s attention to packaging plays out in the streamlined white body and metal cap.
Kjaer Weis Lip Pencil, $30
“When I create a bold look for a client (or myself) but don’t want them to have to think about being precious all evening with touch-ups, I’ll often send them with one of these gently pigmented products in their clutch,” Gerstein says of Henné’s sophisticated takes on lip balm.
Henné Luxury Lip Tint, $21
Ilia’s version, served up in a traditional bullet, is another Gerstein favorite: “I love that these deliver delicious moisture and some color without requiring a mirror”—and in a pinch, she adds, they double as a cheek tint.
Ilia Tinted Lip Conditioner, $26
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