Review: No.7 Stay Perfect Lipstick in Tangerine Touch

I've been looking for the perfect lipstick for my upcoming holiday for a good few weeks now. Most of my collection consists of pink shades, although there is the occasional red or nude floating around in there too. But for this particular one, nothing but the perfect coral would do.

I fell in love with Barry M's Lip Paint in shade 54 - a shimmering, peachy coral flecked with gold. I thought it would be perfect with a tan. Alas, this lipstick is destined to litter the bottom of my handbag in case of lipstick emergencies only. It is beyond drying, and makes my poor lips look flaky and feel tight. The colour is far too sheer as well; maybe I have more pigmented lips than normal but it definitely doesn't swatch too well on me. A bit of a waste, needless to say! I definitely should have listened to the reviews and steered clear...

I toyed with Topshop lipsticks too - Ohh La La and Sartorial have been calling out to me for a while, but I wasn't massively impressed with Topshop makeup before and I think £8 is a lot to spend on a brand you're not sure of. The search went on...

But thanks to the recent No.7 '£5 off' deal at Boots, I am now in possession of the dream coral lipstick. Shade 72, Tangerine Touch, from the 'Stay Perfect' range. Originally priced at £10, this too was a little out of my price range for a colour that I'll probably only wear in the summer. But at £5, I was determined to hunt through the entire No.7 lipstick range and find my dream shade...

Tangerine Touch scared me - the name suggests acidity, neon, all things highlighter pen, whereas I was searching for a sexy pop of colour that wasn't too bright. But when I swatched it on my hand, I knew it was the one! The fact that after an entire day of washing my hands, I could still see it on my skin made me sure that it would be perfect for long, hot days at the beach.

Boots describe the No.7 Stay Perfect range as providing 'gorgeous colour that lasts for up to eight hours, while leaving your lips comfortable and hydrated'. I can't really argue with this. The colour is a red-toned coral, darker than the peachy shades I initially experimented with, flecked with undertones of gold and bronze. The formula is smooth and provides a creamy matte texture, which is perfect if, like me, you hate sheeny-shiny lips. And it does last a hell of a long time! After eating and drinking and a few kisses, I could definitely still see it on my lips (and my cup and my boyfriend, but such is life) and it didn't really need touching up at all. At £5 this is an incredible bargain, and with the other £5 off voucher I got for buying this lipstick, I'm definitely tempted to buy another shade in the range!

What's your favourite lipstick like?

Laura Jayne xox