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When it comes to beauty products, I’m a loyalist. I’ve been using MAC lipstick since 2010, Chloé perfume since 2012, and Benefit concealer since the dawn of time. I’ll try new things often — as someone who works in an office that sees a lot of beauty products come through — but it takes a lot for me to become a repeat customer. The only thing in the last few years to make the cut? Milk Makeup’s Lip-and-Cheek Stick in Quickie, a berry color.
A friend pulled it out of her bag when she was visiting from Boston a few months ago, and I was excited to try it because we gravitate toward the same lip colors (mauve-y neutrals and deep purples). After we both spent some time in front of the mirror, I was surprised the same color looked so different on the two of us: She had a swipe of sheer, purply-pink, while I had layered it on for a dark, ’90s-style berry lip.
That’s because it’s so darn buildable, which means you can get a huge range of color out of one stick. It went exactly the same way on our cheeks: I’m pale and too much blush immediately sends me into clown territory, but my friend has a darker complexion and likes a heavier pigment. This one stick worked well for both of our skin tones and desired looks. It’s really blendable, too, so smooth that I just put it on straight from the stick and blend it in with my fingers.
As soon as she left I went out and bought my own, and I’ve been wearing it all the time, countless ways, in countless situations. Take it from a newfound loyalist: Heading to the office, the beach, drinks with friends, or all of the above in any order, it’s basically the only beauty product you need to throw in your bag this summer.
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