Are You Ready? Meet the Marie Claire 7-Day Lipstick Challenge

Like many women, I have a love-hate relationship with lipstick. On one hand, I can't get enough of the way it makes me feel—more chic, polished, confident, and on certain days, alive and breathing. On the other hand, it's kind of a pain. 

When I  swipe on lipstick in the morning, it's a trying, daylong devotion. I have to be wary of the fact that at any given moment, it could smudge on my teeth, or I could unthinkingly touch my face and smear it without realizing. And then there's the matter of what I eat. Sadly, there are many foods, namely some of my carb-filled favorites, that are always at odds with a RiRi Woo pout.

But enough excuses. These are small prices to pay when you consider just how envious you are of that girl. You know the one I'm talking about. The one who wears her signature lip rain or shine, managing to leave the office with the same perfectly painted color that she entered it with. Yes, the one that has single-handedly inspired us to come up with a 7-Day Lipstick Challenge for ladies like myself, who need a little push to take the leap.

Here, we invite you to join in the fun. Consider it a boot camp, or a cleanse (of being predictable), or a diet (actually given the eating limitations it really could be a diet...). Put your smear-ridden fears aside and wear a different lipstick shade for every day of the week—keeping in mind that all days of said week are not created equal and call for something different. Study up below, and if you're ready to take on the challenge, use the hashtag #MClipstickchallenge to share your results with us on Instagram. May the lipliner be with you...

We've got bad news: It's Monday. The good news? You can look to a bright and universally flattering red-based orange for moral support. This shade has just the right amount of pop to ward off the beginning-of-the-week blues.

It's only Tuesday, so you're still subject to bouts of the-weekend-is-never-coming moodiness, so we think it best to channel that energy into an oozing-with-cool crimson shade worthy of a film noir heroine.

You've practically conquered the first half of the work week and you deserve a hump-day treat. With that in mind, we give you a rich plum that's decidedly envy-inducing.

For many, Thursday night is girls' night, which means you want a statement-making hue that will be the envy of all your cocktail circle. Whether you're going to dinner or out dancing, an electric pink fits the bill.

Friday night is date night, which means you've got to don a shade that will hold up, if you know what we mean. A soft pink is totally romantic and you don't have to worry about heat-of-the-moment smudges.

Saturday night is a free-for-all, and you can't go wrong by channeling your inner screen siren with a classic red lip. It's glamorous and utterly wearable.

You've gone six days sporting vivid shades, you deserve something that's slightly less high-maintenance while you indulge in Sunday brunch. Make like Brigitte Bardot with matte nude lips and the remnants of last night's smoky eye.

You should also check out:

10 Lipstick Rules To Live By

Pucker Up: The History of Red Lipstick

25 Most Iconic Red Lips in Film