The Lipstick Diaries: New York Fashion Week 

In honor of New York Fashion Week, Beautylish's Beauty Director Ning has hit the streets running with backstage passes, front row tickets, and a pair of comfy patent ballet flats. After a summer of wearing orange lip glosses, Ning's decided to embrace lipstick for fall. So she’s also packed the full collection from Cover Girl Lip Perfection (designed by backstage makeup queen Pat McGrath herself) for her week in New York City—what shade will she pick to wear to each show?

Day 1: I arrive in New York City and pick Divine, a lilac, for my debut lipstick. The light pastel doesn’t quite feel “fall” enough for me though, and after my New York Fashion Week planning meeting with Beautylish’s Tara and intern Wafi, I switch to Embrace. It’s a deep purple that looks like it has a hint of iridescent blue in the package, but goes on as a creamy burgundy (with no trace of shimmer!). I head backstage to interview makeup artist Ashunta Sheriff at Catherine Malandrino and surprise—she’s using a mix of Embrace and Cover Girl Queen Collection in Fine Wine for the show. I’m matching the models!

Day 2: The morning after Fashion’s Night Out, I’m in a sunny mood (it’s hot today in NYC!) and bright coral pink Fairytale calls out to me in the morning. I slick it on my lips and head backstage to Doo.Ri, where the runway pouts are slightly pink too.

Day 3: Emboldened by the compliments I got to Embrace and Fairytale, I pick Hot, the true red shade that Pat McGrath used at countless fall shows, on my third day of fashion week. Because these lipsticks are so pigmented, I barely have to touch up my lips, even after lunch! I feel very glam with my slicked back updo and ruby pout, especially since the models have nude, concealer lips at all the shows I see today.

Day 4: Meet up with Beautylish’s Tara backstage at Tracy Reese and we’re both wearing fun lipstick hues. She’s in a peachy coral and I’ve got on the hot pink Spellbound. Makeup artist Mally Roncal compliments my lipstick (she’s dabbing on a sheer fuchsia gloss to the models’ bottom lips only) and my friend Jennie says she loves the shade so much that she must go out immediately to pick it up for her trip to Argentina next week. She wants to dance the tango in Spellbound!

Day 5: I’m wearing red and white stripes today, so I don’t want a color that will compete–or worse yet, clash. I also want to avoid looking too matchy matchy with red lips, so I pick Fervor, a brownish nude. It has more pigment than your typical nude, but I like it because it contains enough color to hide the natural rosiness in my lips. They look muted, but not like I’ve applied concealer on them. Meet up with Beautylish's Tara backstage at Carlos Miele—check out our big smiles!

Day 6: Burgundy brown Enamor is the perfect trend shade this fall. I blot it down until it looks more like a mahogany stain. I forgot to pack my beloved lip balm and my lips are surprisingly soft and not as flaky as usual, even in this deep, shows-every-flaw, kind of color. In the taxi on my way to a meeting, the cab driver says: “It’s a pleasure to have such an attractive customer.” Before this week, I’ve never attracted as much attention from strangers, and I attribute it all to my painted lips. Walking on the street, I notice that both men and women who pass by me will stare at my mouth. Who knew that lipstick was such an attention-getter?

Day 7: My last show of the week is Anna Sui and I’m so happy to go backstage and see makeup artist Pat McGrath (the mastermind behind this week’s Cover Girl Lip Perfection shades). In honor of the occasion, I choose Tempt, a blue-based red that looks like a plummy wine on my lips. To my surprise, Pat’s painting models’ mouths with a mix of Lip Perfection in Tempt and Hot backstage. That’s two for two!