I am not, nor will I ever be a tan-skinned gal. I always end up a match for the lightest concealer or foundation color and sometimes even that option too dark, or orange, or pink. As a thirtysomething, I have now learned to accept my pastiness in all it’s glory. But it does pose some unique challenges when it comes to finding a good nude lip color. With my ghost-like complexion, most of the popular nude lipsticks just wash me out and leave me looking like the undead.

Another, um, perk of my super pale skin is that is it also really sensitive, including the skin on my lips. Any lip product with SPF makes them breakout with crazy little bumps, or develop a VERY unsightly rash around my mouth. All of this to say that it makes it even tougher to find skin care and makeup that doesn’t piss off my face. And those issues are just related to the formula, I haven’t even discussed color selection.

Like pretty much every girl in the world, I am always on the hunt for the perfect My Lips But Better (MLBB) lipstick. Just a quick look in my purse or under my bathroom sink, and you’ll see that I am the proud owner of WAY too many almost-full neutral lipsticks and glosses. From the drugstore to the department store, I’ve explored most of the major lines. The lipsticks listed below are the ones I’ve actually used these up and bought more than one of, which coming from me is a BIG deal.  I’ll save the lip gloss edition of MLBB for another time, so this post doesn’t turn into a 25 chapter book. Here are my top lipstick picks for the perfectly polished pout and my own personal MLBBs:

MAC Lustre Lipstick in Syrup

MAC’s Syrup his is my hall-of-fame MLBB. It’s my easy-to-wear everyday lip. It’s a creamy, slightly opaque blue-based pink that adds just the right amount of soft, shiny color without being too much. In this photo it looks really pink, but it’s really sheer. Since it’s a “lustre” finish, it’s super moisturizing and feels more like an awesome balm on the lips that some of MAC’s grittier and frostier finishes that can tend to dry out my lips. I can stick it in my pocket or wristlet while I’m at work or on the go, and apply it without a mirror or liner. It’s the middle of the group price-wise, at $16 a tube.

NYX Extra Creamy Round Lipstick in Thalia

At just $4 a tube, this is the bargain buy. NYX says this emollient formula offers a beautiful velvet texture, saturated color and it resists wear and smudging. But I love it because it really is long-wearing creamy without being too shiny or sheer. It reads kind of dusty pink or brown in this picture, but it is actually more of an understated cool mauve. The color is just right for a polished, not glossy look. Because it isn’t a big investment, it’s totally worth a try.

Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupté Shine, color 8, Pink in Confidence 

Oh YSL, where do I begin? Le sigh. Last summer, this “melting formula” much-hyped lipstick/balm was the talk of the beauty blog town. In classic YSL style, the fancy-pants French brand shared this over-the-top description:

What it is: An innovative and comforting lipstick enhanced with fruit extracts rich in vitamins and antioxidants that leave lips visibly softer and smoother with up to eight hours of hydration. What it does: Succumb to a unique sensorial experience with dazzling color, extreme comfort, and luminous shine. The luscious, hydrating texture glides on your lips leaving a lightweight aqua shine effect, while Back Injection Technology offers extreme comfort and pleasure upon application. This innovative lipstick is formulated to protect lips from free radicals and seal in moisture for up to eight hours of hydration.

COME ON. Give me a break, right? At $35, it’s a splurge for sure and I was sure it was a dud. But an in-person inspection at Sephora proved me wrong and the crazy oversell description was right.

I have NEVER spent so much on a tube of lipstick. But to say I am in love with this product is a gross understatement.

This No. 8 Pink in Confidence by YSL is the holy grail of MLBB. The perfect formula and the perfect soft and shiny color. I don’t throw that kind of thing around lightly.  It’s a fresh, coral-leaning dusty rose, without the dust. This color is the brighter than my other picks, but because it ends up as a sheer, plush, wash of color, it’s just right.

It really is the just-right blend of being a treatment (that feels INCREDIBLE, btw) and a gentle kiss of color. It feels SO good on my lips–and at the end of the day my lips really DO feel better and healthier and moisturized. I don’t know about 8 hours of hydration, though. I am certain the color doesn’t last that long, but maybe it’s just because I am so busy rubbing my lips together obsessing about how great it is that it wears out sooner. It’s a definite possibility.  I would seriously use it as a bedtime lip balm if it weren’t so pricey.

Even the design of the actual tube itself is chic. It reminds me of the fancy lipsticks of Old Hollywood. It’s gold and heavy and shiny and downright FANCY. You know how I love the fancy.

In short, if you try this, you WILL love it like I do. I have no doubt about that. I almost feel guilty for even recommending this because it’s an expensive luxury that you don’t need in your life. But you need it in your life.

Now it’s your turn. Tell me in the comments about your your favorite MLBB. Someday when I have more time, I’ll figure out how to take the “reader picks” for this topic and we can vote!