Have you ever scanned the faces in the tram during your morning commute and wondered why the girl standing across from you took the time to put on makeup, but failed to complete the look by skipping her lips? I just don't get that -- even tinted chapstick would do. Alas.

For the mornings I don't feel like putting in a lot of effort, but still want to look somewhat alive I reach for soft pinks to enhance my pout.

Bobbi Brown's Petal (a brown based pink) goes on like honey to a piece of toast; it's a slick-y, sticky treat for the lips, at first. Avocado, Chamomile oils, Jojoba and Aloe extract with the subtlest hint of vanilla nourish the lips during the first few hours of wear. By hour four, call it lunchtime, Petal has all but disappeared and what remains is a nasty white line just on the inside of my lips. Ick.

Here comes the less glamorous side of beauty. To combat things, I grab a super scratchy paper towel from the ladies room and scrape off the remnants of Petal and reapply my chapstick to keep my lips moisturised.

Can I look beyond this odd phenomenon in exchange for a universally flattering pink hue that's easy enough to apply without a mirror in sight?