LipsSoft, moist, kissable lips are easier to achieve than you would think, and once they're in good condition, you'll want to brighten them up with a little color!
Inclined to dryness and chapping, lips bear the brunt of all sorts of abuse: seasonal changes, sun, wind, unconscious biting, contact with salty and acidic foods, and general neglect. There are many ways to protect your lips from environmental hazards. Lip balms and moisturizers with sun block are the keys to keeping your lips in great shape. Tinted lip balms and moisturizers are ideal since you can moisturize your lips and give them a little definition at the same time.
Most lipsticks and glosses contain moisturizing ingredients. Because the tissue of your lips is thinner than the rest of your skin, you'll want to stay away from lipsticks, glosses, and other lip treatments containing alpha hydroxy acids, which are great for the rest of your face but a little too severe for more delicate areas like your eyelids and lips. Newer lip products (we won't name names) claim to provide color that lasts all day, even through your meals, swimming lessons, and shower. These products will give you the color you want, but your lips will feel stiff and dry, almost as if you'd applied glue to them. We recommend that you forgo convenience and stick with lip balms and moisturizing lipsticks and glosses with SPF protection that need to be applied more frequently. Your lips will thank you for it!
For color and conditioning that will enhance your beautiful lips, try out our tips below.
Lasting Lip Color
Prime your lips with chapstick. It will smooth the surface of your lips and hold the color longer.
Fuller Lips
Apply moisturizer and color as usual and put a spot of lip gloss in the middle of your upper and lower lips to give a little extra shine and fullness.
Uneven Lip Color
If you have spots, birthmarks or uneven patches on your lips, moisturize your lips and dot foundation on your lips. Blot and apply lipstick as usual.
Bleeding Lip Color
Apply lipstick as usual. Dip the corner of a dry wedge-shaped sponge into loose powder and dab at the upper and lower corners of your mouth at the edge of your lip line. Brush away excess powder with the unused end of your sponge.
Speed Up Your Lip Care
Invest in products that can be used on more than one part of the face, such as the lips and the cheeks, which can be applied with the fingers. Use sheer and shiny or tinted lip balm instead of spending time applying lip liner and lipsticks.
Lip Pencil
Before you apply your lipstick, lip balm, or gloss, line your lips with a lip pencil and lightly fill in the entire area of you lip. Apply the gloss or lip color over the pencil and rub your lips together to blend. This will help your lip color wear evenly and prevent the end-of-the-day ring around your lips.
