Estee Lauder [1] has set the gold standard on lipstick. The cosmetics giant recently released a new line of gilded ones called Signature Lipstick [2] ($19.50 each). Available in 24 shades, these creamy, hydrating lipsticks are lightly scented with vanilla and fig.

It took over a year and half to complete this product. More time—an estimated 1,500 hours!—money and testing was expended than I ever thought imaginable for lipstick. For instance, a panel of 500 women from North America, Europe and Asia tested 150 new fragrances alone. The formula was created by ten chemists to bring you this brighter-than-ever, melt-on-your-mouth, SPF 15 lipstick that also contains a colorless conditioner.

Lastly, the elegant gold tubes have been modernized from the original 1984 packaging, introducing a slimmer and sleeker design. The cap has a tighter "click" closure too, but the coolest part of all is that product twists up from a transparent cup rather than a typical white cup. For a list of all the shades broken down into four color groupings,

PINK-BERRY
• Pink Champagne
• Perfect Pink
• Lush Rose
• Rich Berry
• Venetian Rose
• Dune Rose
• Tender Rose
• Cocoa Rose
• Woodland Berry

MAUVE-PLUM

• Tender Mauve
• Orchid Light
• Soft Amethyst
• Plum Frost
• Rich Currant

NUDE-BROWN

• Burnished Bronze
• Toasted Walnut
• Copper Glow
• Mocha
• Chestnut

CORAL-RED

• Spiced Coral
• Apricot Sun
• Copper Coral
• Rich Red
• Black Cherry