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The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at SBU chapter.

Lips are for a lot of things. Hear me out. 

They’re for singing your favorite song. Eating your favorite meal. Sipping on your favorite soda. 

Some say it’s simple: lips are for kissing. In many cultures, lips are the epitome of sexuality. 

Beyond these hedonistic interpretations of lips, I highly regard my lips as the instrument for my voice.

These lips have given speeches, chanted at sports games, sung at sold-out concerts and uttered words of love. 

They do a lot for me. Why not have them look good while doing it? 

Even when I wear no makeup or very minimal makeup, I simply cannot leave the house without my lip products. I feel naked with nothing on my lips. It pulls everything together and makes me feel classy. It’s the same way that some people insist on having their nails done or always wearing certain jewelry.

I won’t gatekeep any longer. Here are my favorite lip products that leave me feeling oh-so-fresh. 

the base:

The best accessory is moisturized lips. Nothing will sit nicely atop dry, chapped lips. Especially during the colder months, hydration is everything. Healthy lips start at the skincare level. I use either Vaseline or a lip mask every night. During the day, I always have lip balm on me. 

Some of my favorites are the Laneige Lip Glowy Balm, Blistex Medicated Lip Balm, and the Vitamasques Overnight Lip Mask. 

Liner:

I used to think lip liner was a hoax—a marketing ploy. Boy was I wrong. A liner can completely change any lip look. It will make your lips look fuller and healthier. It can change the entire color and pigmentation of your desired lip look. 

My favorite liner brands are: Charlotte Tilbury, NYX, and Colourpop. 

I prefer the retractable liners rather than pencil ones, but that is merely my personal preference. I try to find liners in three general shades: pinks, browns, and nudes. I normally pair a brown or nude liner with pink gloss for my daily look. 

Stick:

I do not wear lipstick for day-to-day wear. I find it to be matte and drying, especially as I eat, drink and talk throughout the day. I will pull out a solid lipstick for holidays and special occasions. In that case, I’ll use nude or slightly pink lipstick- almost always drugstore-bought. 

gloss, A.k.a. the best part

A good lip gloss will change your life. I cannot go a day without lip gloss. If I am in the mood to splurge, (meaning I just got paid or I have been saving money) I will typically head straight to the Fenty Gloss Bombs. My favorite shades are RiRi, Fuschia Flex, and Hot Chocolit Fantasy. I am also obsessed with all things Charlotte Tilbury Lip. 

But as of late, I have been blown away by affordable drugstore glosses. I swear by any of the Maybelline Lifter glosses. Another daily favorite of mine are the NYX Lip Fat Oils. The E.L.F. Glow Reviver Lip Oils are also a cult classic. 

Moral of the story: find simple things that make you feel refreshed and confident. Something you look forward to incorporating into your daily routine. It doesn’t have to be extravagant.

Katie is a Junior at St. Bonaventure University. She is an executive board member for Her Campus at SBU. Her experience with social media, advertising, and writing allow her to combine her passions and advance her university's chapter of HC. She has been a part of Her Campus since freshman year. It has been her favorite on-campus extracurricular to become involved with. Katie is currently studying Strategic Communication and Marketing. She finds joy in being involved on campus through various organizations including Her Campus and Jandoli Women in Communication. Katie is both an Orientation Leader and a Peer Coach- she loves welcoming new students and helping them transition to college. She is also a full-time student ambassador who enthusiastically leads tours for prospective students. (Request her as your tour guide!) In her free time, you can find Katie reading, hiking, and laughing with her friends. She loves spending time outdoors, especially in the fall. Her kryptonite is iced coffee. Some of her favorite artists include Chris Stapleton, Fleetwood Mac, and Noah Kahan. Her favorite show is New Girl. Katie will eagerly engage in any conversation about her beloved hometown, Buffalo, New York. She will likely attempt to convert you to become a Buffalo Bills fan, and could talk about Josh Allen for hours. Post-grad, Katie hopes to be using her creative talents towards a fulfilling career in the world of advertising.