I'd like to introduce you to some lipsticks I'm loving at the moment! Leighton Denny's Lip Duals* are two-in-one lippies, with a traditional bullet-style lipstick on one end, and a stain on the other. 

Leighton Denny is most famous for his nail polishes, so much so that I think these lipsticks have fallen under the radar. I'm really impressed by them, I think they're fantastic! So it's surprising to me that I'm not seeing them raved about everywhere. 

The lipstick end is my favourite. I have the matte formula lipsticks and they're silky smooth, and so light weight they sit almost like a 'second skin' on my lips. It's not like a layer of product, it's a creamy shade that gels with your lips for a natural looking wash of matte colour. The formula has a soft, plush comfortable feeling - I don't find them uncomfortably dry. The shade Hot for Chocolate is my current go-to nude; it gives my lips a beautiful muted dusty pink-beige hue, but the 'coat' of product is untraceable, it doesn't just sit on top of your lips. Nor does it smudge or bleed, and I find the formula very long-wearing, even the bolder shades: 

The swatches are just a couple of swipes of the product, using moderate pressure (not pressing down particularly hard, about the same as I would to apply them to my lips). You can see just how velvet-y smooth and rich they are! I promise there's no Photoshop magic, they really are that buttery. I'd say the lipsticks are comparable to Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipsticks (sorry CT, I love you) but these are more than half the price, and you're effectively getting a bonus product in the lip stain. The lip stain is a nice product too, and are perfect for if you want an even subtler look or colour that's going to last a bit longer.
As you can probably tell from my swatches photographed above, the lip stains also tend to be slightly toned down shade of the lipstick end, so - for example - if you're not confident enough to wear a bold red lip, or just don't want the commitment of maintaining a red lip all evening, the Ravishing Red stain is an understated pinky-red that could be exactly what you're looking for. However, the lip stain is a little dryer (obviously) and I find the darker shades can have a visible silvery-sheen to it, even when it's completely dried down. 

You can find the Lip Duals available for £12.50 each, here on the LD Boutique.