I love dark red lipstick. Short of wearing long black velvet dresses to creepy Edward Gorey parties, one of my favorite pastimes is trying on all of the dark red lipstick colors in my mirror or at the mall, until my lips are swollen and I looked like I just sucked a red icy or drank someone's blood.

From the modest to the pricey, here are those luscious, wine-colored colors you dream of:

Wet N’ Wild’s Cherry Bomb ($1.89)
WHY WE LOVE IT: Velvety feel + great as an on-the-go purchase when you forget your lip color at home.

Nyx Cosmetics’ Licorice ($5.99)
WHY WE LOVE IT: Lightweight coverage, for a layered approach. Not bad for mixing, a light lip stain or a not-so-dramatic effect.

Kiko Milani’s Pure Red (Euro, 6.90)
WHY WE LOVE IT: Luminous, chrome metallic color. Also, why isn't there a Kiko's everywhere? It's the best store, and its items are always affordable, interesting and really well-made.

MAC’s Sin ($16)
WHY WE LOVE IT: Deep blue red, long-lasting. A classic that seems to sit at the bottom of everyone's purse.

Jefree Star's Unicorn Blood ($18)
WHY WE LOVE IT: Its matte and it looks exactly like blood. One dab will coat your lips, which means the bottle will last a year. Prepare to look gorgeously vampiric. Honestly, this is the best lip color you'll own.

Bobbi Brown’s Red Carpet ($26)
WHY WE LOVE IT: Long-lasting, with emollients! You can actually feel your lips softening!

Nar’s Scarlet Empress ($27)
WHY WE LOVE IT: Semi-matte, with high pigmentation. This is a holy-fuck-who-just-walked-into-the-room? color.

Marc Jaobs’s Dark Velvet Berry ($30)
WHY WE LOVE IT: Long-lasting and hydrating, with an interesting color touch.

Kevyn Aucoin’s Bloodroses ($35)
WHY WE LOVE IT: Long-lasting, with fruit butter and exotic tree extract. This is as good as the Unicorn Blood, but not as matte.