My #lipstick relationship is complicated. On one hand, I can’t get enough of it. I wear lip color in some form every single day; lipstick , lip crayons, lip liners, lip gloss, lip tint…I’ve even been known to throw a little cream blush on my lips now and then if the color is right.
The right shade of lipstick can totally change my mood within the second it takes to put it on. Doesn’t it just make you feel…like a girl? Of course on the other hand, there have been times when lipstick has just plain done me wrong!
Ever catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror to find that your once perfect lipstick application has left you looking like you just stepped off the crazy circus train? I hope you have girlfriends like mine who love you enough to tell you straight away!
In the words of Madeline Albright, “There is a special place in hell for women who don’t help other women.” So in the spirit of Madeline, here are a few quick and easy solutions for some common lipstick problems:
PROBLEM #1 – Cakey looking lipstick:
SOLUTION:
- The rules of applying lipstick are no different than applying a foundation to your face; you have to start with a smooth canvas. Exfoliate your lips. This will create a smooth surface to apply your lipstick. Then follow with a good lip hydrator. Just like any other skin surface…it’s pretty impossible to make dry, flakey skin look flattering.
PROBLEM #2 – Lipstick bleed:
SOLUTIONS:
- For a quick no fuss solution, try using a lip crayon, preferably in matte rather than gloss. I find them to have more staying power due to their thicker consistency and more intense pigment. I like the Suede Matte Lip Crayons by Glo Skin Beauty. They offer colors and intensities for every mood and the staying power is remarkable.
- Apply a make-up primer to your lips before applying your lipstick. This will increase the time your lip color will stay put and fill in any lines for a smooth appearance.
- Apply a concealer around the perimeter of your lips using a small concealer brush. The concealer will act as a bleed barrier to hold your lipstick in place.
- My favorite trick… just a touch of translucent power. After you apply the lip color of your choice, place s single ply layer of tissue over your lips. Using a powder brush, dust just a touch of silica based translucent powder over the tissue. This will set your lipstick for an all-day stay!
- Before apply your lipstick or lip crayon, fill in your entire lip with a lip liner of similar color. As a side bar here, there a few modern guidelines for lip liners…
- Lining the perimeter of your lips with a dark liner, then using a light lipstick to fill was socially exiled a few decades back…so…stay strong and resist the temptation.
- If you are old enough to wear lipstick, you should be old enough to color within the lines. If it is larger lips you desire, try a lip plumper or visit your local cosmetic plastic surgeons office to discuss dermal filler options (exiting my soapbox now…and going back to our regularly scheduled program).
PROBLEM #3: Lipstick on your teeth: Uhggg!
SOLUTIONS:
This post wouldn’t be complete without addressing this one. Who hasn’t had lipstick on their teeth? I know I have. Just ask my beautiful daughters. I have countless memories of them making desperate hand motions indicating another embarrassing lipstick on my teeth episode! Years back, I read a great tip somewhere that I will pass to you. It is a simple, no-cost, product-free solution. All you need is your index finger and moment of privacy. Just after you apply your lipstick, make an “O” shape with your mouth. Stick your pre-cleaned index finger in your mouth. Close your lips around your finger and pull your finger out. Wha-la, all the excess lipstick is now on your finger and not on your teeth!
Roxanne Grace Hammond
Skincare and Laser Specialist
G. D. Castillo, M.D.
#COSMETIC PLASTIC SURGERY https://www.cosmeticplasticsurgery.com
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