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Expert Lipstick Beauty Tips & Advice Newsletter!
Compliments of the Maximum Beauty Supply Stores Cosmetology Staff - located at:
http://maximum-beauty.com
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####EXPERT LIPSTICK BEAUTY TIPS & ADVICE####
Store lipstick -- and perfume -- in the refrigerator. It'll last longer.
Never use a tester on your lips -- it's unhygienic. Test lipstick on your fingertips instead of the back of your hand: the color and texture are closer to that of your lips.
If you want your lipstick to last, use pencil first as a base. Outline and color in your lips with pencil (nude, if your lipstick shade is light) and slick your lipstick on top.
Your lips will also look softer, "smudgier," and less defined if you don't use pencils or lipliners.
To avoid lipstick on your teeth, after application, run your index finger through the middle of your lips and pull it back out. The excess will come off on your finger, not your teeth.
In a pinch, your lipstick can double as blush. (But never use blush on your lips.)
Outline your lips in pencil before you apply lipstick or gloss if you don't want your lipstick to feather.
Women over 50 usually look better with a cream lipstick rather than a matte or gloss. Every bit of moisture helps.
If your lipstick shade turns out to be brighter than you thought it would be, color in your lips with a pencil a few shades darker than your lipstick (for instance, brown pencil under dark red lipstick) and layer the lipstick on top. Or coat the lipstick with a darker lip gloss, which will turn down the heat.
Selecting the Right Lip Color
Your lips are the one area of your face where you can really play with color. The best way to find the right shade for you is to try it on. But here are a few guidelines to help you make a choice:
If you have dark skin you have the greatest flexibility: Plums, chocolates, reds, pastels and oranges all work with your skin. (Generally, the deeper your skin tone, the deeper the shade of lipstick you can wear and look beautiful.) If you have a medium skin tone with golden undertones, all shades of red are for you. Brown-based mauve, sheer berry or spicy brown will also look great. If you have pale skin, stick to nudes, beige tones, light corals and light pinks. Sheer formulations will probably be most flattering on you.
Get the Most Out of Lipsticks
When you're down to the nub of your favorite lipstick, don't toss it. Purchase a pillbox at the drugstore and fill it with the scooped-out contents of your lipstick. If you use several shades, get a seven-day pillbox and fill each section with a different shade. Not only will you get more wear out of your favorite shade, but you'll also be able to mix and match lipstick to create new colors.
####LIPSTICK 101####
**SHEER LIPSTICKS**
Sheers, also known as stains, tints and glosses, contain minimal pigment and offer minimal coverage. They're so sheer, you don't need a mirror to apply them.
* The Look:
A natural, understated wet look with a hint of color and varying degrees of shine
* The Feel:
Sheers are light and slippery, and they don't last long on the lips.
* Lip Tip:
Color in the lips with a light or nude pencil before you apply sheer lipstick and it will stay on longer.
**SHIMMER LIPSTICKS**
Shimmers, formerly known as frosted, are more beautiful and subtle now. They look heavily metallic, pearly, or opalescent in the tube, but on the lips, the coverage is soft and subtle.
* The Look:
Shimmers catch and reflect light so that the lips shimmer.
* The Feel:
Shimmers contain bits of mica, a light reflector. The current versions feel lightweight, smooth and creamy.
* Lip Tip:
If you want deeper color or longer-lasting shine, layer a shimmer on top of a matte.
**CREAM LIPSTICKS**
Creams, have a matte look without the heavy matte feel, creams contain more oils and conditioners than mattes, which makes them lighter. They're also known as moisturizing lipstick, hydrating lipstick, and lip rouge.
* The Look:
Not quite as deep as matte, but velvety and dewey-looking
* The Feel:
Creams are smooth and lubricious, like richly colored lip balm.
* Lip Tip:
If you outline the lips with a nude or light pencil, a creamy lipstick won't feather.
**MATTE LIPSTICKs**
Mattes last longest (except for long-lasting lipsticks), because they contain the most pigment, and pigment makes a lipstick last. But mattes can be drying. Lighter mattes are known as demimatte or semimatte.
* The Look:
Provides deep color with a flat, opaque, nonshiny surface.
* The Feel:
Until recently, mattes made the lips feel dry, powdery, and chapped. Current formulations contain added moisturizers, but don't expect moist from matte.
* Lip Tip:
If you like a matte look but find it drying, slick a layer of Hudsalva (Swedish, all-natural cocoa butter stick) or Vitamin E stick over lipstick.
**LONG-LASTING LIPSTICKs**
Long-lasting, many work on a time-release principle. The heat of the lip stimulates continuous release of color. Ingredients like porous silica seal it in, and cetyl octoanate (common in foundation) makes it last.
* The Look:
Deep and rich, they do not easily fade.
* The Feel:
These can last from five to eight hours. They feel like a creamy matte going on, but at the end of the day they can feel drying.
* Lip Tip:
Make sure to condition your lips every so often by piercing a Vitamin E capsule and rubbing it on, or dabbing on some shea butter.
**LIP LINER LORE**
Lately it seems as if all of the magazine fashion experts have forgotten to line the lips of the models they photograph for their pages. Yet we saavy makeup consumers know that if you wish your lipsticks not to feather and your glosses not to bleed - we must actually considered lip liner essential to create a basic face.
Lip liner is always an important item in your makeup bag. Its uses are exponential. We suggests choosing a lip liner that either matches your lipstick, or is a shade or two deeper. Color the whole lip with a pencil first, then go over it with a creamy lipstick. Apply the lipstick from the center of the mouth and blend out to the lip line. We suggest a plum color lip liner with shimmery plum color Lipstick. Plum hues just seem to look good on everyone!
The way to embrace lip liner is to see it in a new light. Gone are the days of lining with dark pencil and filling in with clear gloss. Be a beauty renegade - apply your lip liner 'after' lipstick. This will actually create a natural definition without an obvious line between the lipstick and the lip pencil.
**THIN LIPS**
No matter how thin lips are, don’t attempt to fix the problem by drawing thicker ones. It just never looks natural Choose a light-colored lip pencil and line the whole mouth on, but not past, the outer edge of the lip line, then fill in with a light shade of lipstick.
Lighter shades will make the mouth look bigger, while darker shades make it recede and seem even smaller. Frosted or glossy lipsticks give lips a poutier look compared to matte formulas. And no matter what kind of lipstick you use, adding a dab of clear gloss just on the lower lip adds the illusion of fullness.
**UNEVEN LIP LINES**
When one side of your mouth is fuller than the other, it is actually possible to visually even things out. However, if you overcorrect to much you can appear clownish. The best remedy for uneven lips is to use a neutral-toned lip pencil that closely matches the lip’s natural color. Line the fuller side of the mouth first, then use the pencil to build up the lip line on the other side. Be sure to stand back from the mirror when you’re done to check your handiwork and make certain both sides look even. After lining the entire mouth, fill in with lipstick, using a lip brush to guarantee precise application.
Another idea is to use lip gloss instead of lipstick. However, gloss, especially when applied with a finger, is less precise and will draw less attention to uneven lip lines.
Alas, the best solution for uneven lips may be not to worry. It’s a just a minor imperfection that adds character to the face. Just consider that many top models and actresses nowadays have uneven features that they flaunt rather than fix.
**LIP FEATHERING**
The best solution to fine lines and feathering is prevention. Not smoking and limiting sun exposure will help prevent lines from forming in the first place. Simply using a lotion with alpha hydroxy acid every night can help, but don’t expect miracles overnight - result with this method are seen over months, not days.
A more immediate solution to lip feathering is simply better lipstick application. We suggests using a lip pencil that’s not too creamy or greasy to outline the mouth and help keep lipstick within the lines. Then use a lip primer—the waxy texture helps lipstick adhere. However, be very careful as to what type of lipstick you use - Keep in mind that darker pigments like deep red or wine bleed the most, as do very creamy or glossy formulas. You should note that frosted lipsticks are the least likely to bleed - they contain crushed mica, which makes it slightly drier so it adheres to the lips much better.
**CHAPPED LIPS**
Sun, salt water and a warm breeze—everything you need, besides the plane ticket to Jamaica. However, these conditions and other extremes can be very damaging to the skin and especially for the extra-sensitive lips.
What can you do to enjoy the outdoors without the aggravation of dry, chapped lips? A soothing lip balm comprised of beeswax or petroleum jelly with at least an SPF of 15 that is applied throughout the day is the best way to guard against the harmful elements.
Even when using lipcolor, you should still protect your lips. Always apply a layer of balm underneath, especially with matte lipstick, which can be very drying. It will not only help your lips to retain moisture, but will help your lipstick apply much easier. Lip glosses which contain conditioners such as aloe or vitamin E, and/or tinted lip balms and lipsticks with moisturizing ingredients, combine color, protection and healing benefits to provide the best possible combination.
Using lip balm is also an excellent way to treat chapped lips. Anything with alpha hydroxy acids works especially well. The alpha hydroxy acids gently exfoliate the dry and flaky outer skin, removing the temptation bite your lips, which can make the rawness worse and the healing slower. Avoid using grainy exfoliators since they’re too harsh for the lip area and will only irritate.
Another way to help chapped lips heal is to resist your natural response to lick lips, which only makes moisture evaporate more quickly. At home use a humidifier to keep the air moist, especially while sleeping.
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In your Service,
Maximum Beauty Supply Stores Cosmetology Staff at:
http://maximum-beauty.com
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