43 A light application creates a mellow lip look. A solid application gives it a slightly more modern feel. Ultimately, moisturized lipsticks like this are the easiest to use and look the sexiest. Lately, there have been a lot of lipsticks that are either glossy, bouncy, or matte. The glossy ones tend to come off easily, and the matte ones tend to dry out. I wish there were more lipsticks with this in-between texture that combines the best of both worlds. By the way, the shade of 43 is a beige that gives a natural flush. It's a muted color that's easy to use, and I recommend it.