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Padma Lakshmi, 54, relies on this $13 drugstore lip oil for a supple smile
The cookbook author and TV host uses the vitamin-rich formula as a go-to base for a luscious pout — on air and off.
We have been watching former Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi travel, cook and judge competitions for nearly 30 years. As you can imagine, the gorgeous 54-year-old knows how to get camera-ready with quite an extensive prep. One of her base products is one we can get on board with and afford: ChapStick Total Hydration Vitamin Enriched Tinted Lip Oil and it's just $13 at Amazon.
With vitamin E, vitamin C, and omegas 3, 6 and 9, this oil helps replenish moisture and nutrients to your lips and adds sheer color and subtle shine to them. It comes in five shades: Nearly Nude (pictured here), Warm Pink, Subtle Pink, Midnight Magenta and Blushed Bronze (Padma's shade). It also comes in an overnight serum.
The star prefers to let her face go au naturel when she's out and about with real people doing real things, but she's no stranger to the makeup table. While filming Taste the Nation, she did all of her own makeup. She shared her start-to-finish regimen with Vogue and it is quite the routine. She starts out by coating her face with honey because it has healing properties and she is so DIY that she gets it from the hive she keeps on the balcony of her New York City apartment!
Most of the products she uses come with celeb price tags, but there are a few standouts that are reasonably priced, She's been using Christine Chin products for decades and the Cell Gold Cleanser and the Hydrating Toner are in her arsenal to prep her face. Both are under $35. But the most down-to-earth product she uses is the ChapStick Total Hydration Vitamin Enriched Tinted Lip Oil.
"It's an oil that hydrates your lips," she said. "It has a little color in it and I just let that soak in. This is just to really get them moist."
If you're new to lip oil, people love it. Bethenny Frankel calls e.l.f. Lip Oil "rich b#$@!% lip" and can't get enough of the shine and texture, which is somewhere between a gloss and a balm. The ChapStick Total Hydration Vitamin Enriched Tinted Lip Oil version is as nourishing and reliable as you'd expect from this trusted brand with a touch of glam good enough for an awards show. Known for their antioxidant properties, vitamin E, vitamin C and omegas 3, 6 and 9 are infused into the oil to protect your lips from environmental stressors. It comes in five subtle shades: Nearly Nude (pictured here), Warm Pink, Subtle Pink, Midnight Magenta and Blushed Bronze (Padma's shade). It also comes in an overnight serum.
The ChapStick Total Hydration Vitamin Enriched Tinted Lip Oil is also less expensive than most other lip oils and Amazon shoppers approve of its moisturizing results.
"Adds a sexy, youthful shine!" gushed a rave reviewer. "Love the sheer color and sexy shine! Sent them to my friends as a surprise 'pick-me-up'. Every woman loves something fun to feel extra beautiful.
"Everything that I use dries my lips," shared another five-star fan. "This is the only lip gloss that I’ve used that doesn’t cause dryness. The colors are nice, just the perfect amount for me since I don’t like bright colors anyway. The taste and smell don’t bother me (some others have complained about that). If you’re looking for a product that lasts for hours, this isn’t for you. I tend to stay away from those types as they dry my lips with whatever chemicals are added for that purpose. Chapstick doesn’t last all day. It is meant to moisturize."
"I’m so glad I bought this on a whim," a savvy shopper wrote. "I wear high-end lip oil. ... this works much better! ... Plumps with sheer color. Very youthful. I just love how it looks."
This lip oil nourishes your kisser, it also gives them subtle color and shine.
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The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.