Not everyone is a lipstick person, and that’s okay.

We, the members of the Lipstick Club, respect your decision but also maintain that we don’t quite understand why not. On some days, a coat of color on your lips can go on like armor against the world.

On days when the world wants to kick you when you’re down, there’s always a tube in your bag ready to scream “Not today, Satan” as you stare down the haters.

If you don’t use lipstick like a suit of armor, good for you. But it works the other way too. If lipstick is what makes you feel fierce, confident and ready to grind the patriarchy to dust under your heels, that’s great.

[bctt tweet=”If you’re a lipstick person, you definitely know the feeling. On some days, a coat of color on your lips can go on like armor against the world.” username=”wearethetempest”]

And there’s a style for every kind of badass you are.

1. Keep The Classic

Some things are considered classic for a reason.

When you slick on red lipstick, there is something decidedly fierce about it. Whether it is a glossy stain smudged at the edges, reminiscent of the blood of your enemies, or a matte liquid lacquer, sharp, precise, and dangerous, red works. It can go with anything on anyone, but it is also a look that can make you feel fabulous and powerful on even the most boring days.

Try: MAC Matte Lipstick in Lady Danger or Retro Matte Lipstick in Ruby Woo.

2. Deepen That Burgundy Glow

The darker shades of red and purple are essentially the cool older sister red strives to emulate. Arresting but not quite obvious, daring but not necessarily loud, they hover on edge of sophistication.

They mean business and they mean it now.

Try: NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Monte Carlo, Copenhagen, and Transylvania.

3. All Black Everything

Maybe black was the staple color of the neighborhood teen goth once upon a time, but nowadays, all it takes to pull it off is an equally striking attitude. Black lipstick is the most quintessential badass look there is, like the leather jacket of lipstick.

[bctt tweet=”Maybe black was the staple color of the neighborhood teen goth once upon a time, but nowadays, all it takes to pull it off is an equally striking attitude.” username=”wearethetempest”]

Whether you use it as a punk classic or pair it with a completely pastel aesthetic, it fits like the fiercest attitude. There’s no hiding in the background with an onyx lip.

Try: Lime Crime Velvetines Liquid Matte Lipstick in Black Velvet.

4. Bold Pink or Orange is Perfect

If a slick of red is a classic way to channel ferocity, a bright pink or orange is its wild antithesis.

After all, nobody would consider such a lipstick color wild or unusual. Still, there is something arresting and eye-catching about a glossy fuchsia mouth. Where more classic or bold colors are a darker shade of fierceness, a bright pink or orange embraces all of its traditional femininity and flaunts it with pride.

Try: Revlon Ultra HD Matte Lipcolor in Obsession or NARS Audacious Lipstick in Geraldine.

5. Live Life in Primary Colors

In a world that is always trying to silence us, shouting out for attention is a declaration of war.

A lip color like bright sunshine yellow or a brilliant opaque electric blue or even a crisp ivy green is a commitment to getting that attention.

[bctt tweet=”In a world that is always trying to shut us up and tell us to be quieter, shouting out for attention is no less than a declaration of war.” username=”wearethetempest”]

As colors that there is no way can go unnoticed, a wild shade that wouldn’t even have been considered for lipstick at one point just screams fierce.

Try: Coloured Raine Matte Lip Paint in Blue Dragon or NYX Macaron Lippie in Citron.

6. Keep it Metallic

When we talk about armor, the first thing that comes to mind is metal. If makeup can be worn like armor, why not follow the same standards? It could be a foil effect or the glittering gold of a precious metal, or even just a shimmering metallic finish, but either way, it demands attention.

A mouth painted metallic is immediately striking. It’s also about as beautiful as it gets.

Try: Lime Crime Velvetines Liquid Matte Lipstick in Lana or Posh.