This Lipstick Squashed My Commitment Issues In One Swoop

There are people out there who are perfectly happy owning just one tube of red lipstick their entire lives. It's reliable and safe — and these individuals religiously replenish it every time their beloved formula gets low. When you know, you know, right?

On the other side of the spectrum you have the rest of us, who relish in every opportunity to sew our wild oats, cheating on every new lippie that hits shelves with the next best thing. Their motto is simple: How do we know what undertone is best until we've tried them all? After all, you're only young once, right?

I, of course, fall into the latter category. Blue-toned reds, warm-toned reds, sheer reds — if it's remotely different from something I already own, chances are I'll take it out for a night on the town to see how things go. Recently though, after going through a makeup purge, I realized I was missing a very crucial shade in my line up: Brick.

Brick-red lipstick toes the line between classic Hollywood glamour and '90s grunge — everyone from Elizabeth Taylor to Kate Moss to Selena Quintanilla wore the hue. I set my sights on finding the perfect tube months ago, but it wasn't until recently that The One fell into my lap.

Smith & Cult's Demon Dazed Matte Stain is the subdued, burnt-red-meets-terracotta lipstick I was looking for. It's opaque and long-lasting, yet plush and comfortable on the lips. When I slick it on I feel like I could be the subject of a '90s-era Roxanne Lowit celebrity portrait — that is, until it wears off.

One thing this tube is not though, is a true liquid lipstick. Despite its doe-foot applicator and velvety-matte finish, it doesn't dry down completely on the lips. That means when you sip from a coffee mug or eat a slice of pizza, a bit of the product will come off. However, since the lipstick was designed to act as a mousse-like stain it's easy to reapply throughout the day.

The best part of this tube isn't even its near-perfect brickness — it's the fact that it's subdued enough to wear every day without veering too bold or over-the-top. Since it's not an opaque, punchy red, it's also easier to slick on without a lip brush or pencil. Since discovering the shade two weeks ago, I've worn it almost daily. As someone who clearly owns a multitude of reds, that's really saying something. I think I found The One...

Smith & Cult Matte Stain in Demon Dazed, $24, available at Smith & Cult.