If you asked of my initial reaction to seeing the first greenish-hued lip product at my local drugstore, I would have responded with a sickened face. I just didn't understand it. I chalked it up to the Hype Machine. I swore that nobody would buy them, let alone wear them!

Until I started doing some research, and discovered that these green/blue/purple hues actually serve a purpose. They can be used to enhance or even counteract the lips' natural color. More often than not, the minty-greenish-blue hue is most popular, because it cancels out the pink tones of lips to create the most subtle, non-dead-looking, nude lip.

Shocker, I know. And then I tried one. And then I bought another. And another. And soon it became that anytime I saw a wacky-colored lip product at the drugstore, I immediately bought it, with the intention of taking it home to play with and promptly forget.

But then a funny thing happened -- they stayed in my daily makeup bag. All of them. I used a different one every day...for months. I just found them so easy to reach for, and slick on my lips in the morning before work, when I wanted something, and full-on lipstick isn't really an option in Anesthesiology. I'm hooked! I had to share them with you. My favorite is L'Oreal's Colour Riche Balm in "Sundays By the Seine" which sadly was limited edition this past Spring, but I found mine easily on either Amazon or eBay, I can't remember! I love the same iteration in "Bijoux Bijoux Bijoux" (also limited edition but can be found here occasionally) as well for its clear, wet-looking effect, but in simple balm form. New kids on the block include the newest Revlon Lip Butter offerings, a minty green "Invite Only", laced with flecks of subtle sparkle, and the purple-y "Provocative". My newest purchase is L'Oreal (again you go with the cool colors, L'Oreal!) le Gloss in "Mint Ice".