Soft Matte Lip Cream, milan

The common trade-off of matte lipstick has always been between the coveted flat finish and the dreaded drying sensation, but this formula does not make you choose one or the other. It is creamy on application - genuinely velvet to the touch rather than thin or tacky - and sets into a sophisticated matte that looks like it belongs in a high-end campaign while staying comfortable enough for all-day wear. The texture feels substantial without ever weighing down your lips, which means no heavy product buildup as you reach for coffee or talk throughout an afternoon meeting. For those with drier lip lines this is particularly flattering because the formula fills rather than settles into creases.

Milan lands in that sweet spot of a warm nude - rich enough to stand alone but neutral enough to be worn every day under any outfit, whether your look is casual city style or fully dressed up for dinner. You can layer it with one pass for sheerer wearable colour or apply two coats if you want an intense saturated finish; the doe-foot applicator applies evenly across both passes and makes building coverage straightforward. If the second coat feels too bold a full matte, blend just your lip centre so the edges remain softer. It is that kind of versatility - something soft lipstick for autumn days through to a classic nude everyone can wear anywhere - that has made it one of the most recommended mattes in its category over the years and there are 32 other shades available across their range if you prefer bolder colours later on.

Your new favourite everyday matte is waiting right here.