Luscious lips and lipstick tips
Kiss rough lips goodbye and pucker up to a plump, perfect pout. From lip care to lipsticks, here's the lowdown on everything lips.
Tip top lips: everyday lip care
Just like the skin on the rest of your body, your lips need care and attention. Exfoliating is a great way to rejuvenate dry, colourless lips and make them soft and moist as they should be. Try one of these easy methods at home:
- buffing is simplest and kindest: just dampen a washer and gently rub it back and forth across your lips
- the toothbrush technique is also good, but may tingle a little more: coat your lips in Vaseline and gently brush them with the bristles of a soft-headed toothbrush
- mix baking soda with water, apply it as a paste to your lips and rub them in a circular motion. Wipe dry and repeat if necessary.
After all of these treatments, your lips should feel smooth and look plump and full of colour.
SPF smile
Always apply a moisturising lip balm, preferably with an SPF of five or more. Try Nivea¥ Sun Lip Balm with 30 SPF for real protection or Blistex Silk and Shine for a shimmering light gloss with silk protein and vitamins for satiny smooth lips. Once your lips have been repaired, your lipstick will stay on longer without caking or bleeding and it'll look rich and healthy.
Lip gloss, lip stain or lipstick?
Lipstick is actually a broad term which covers gloss, stain and cream.
- lip gloss - it's shiny and usually has some moisturising properties. It's also sheer with some colour and gentle on your lips
- lip stain - it's matte in texture, sheer yet often strong in colour. It can be drying to lips
- cream lipstick - gives full coverage and comes in a range of textures from matte through to shiny.
The lowdown on lippy, the goss on gloss, the skinny on stain
Gloss is much easier on the lips, but unfortunately it's not the fashion look of the moment. Make up is back in a big way! This season, instead of lip gloss the Paris catwalks featured full-bodied lipsticks in warm, rich colours of red, orange and tangerine without a plum in sight!
Cream lipsticks represent a broad category - from the rich dense pigments of Maybelline Extreme Moisture Lipcolour to the creaminess of the Super Lustrous Revlon range there's something for every woman. Always go for a moisturising lip colour as the more matte the hue, the more taxing it is on your lips.
And while lip gloss is not 'the look' right now, there's always a place for it in your makeup bag. Pick warm colours with a heavier tint like L'Oréal's 6hr Glam Shine Volumiser in Endless Carmine to keep up with the season's latest colours.
For lip stains to look great, your lips must be in tip top shape. Any dry, flaking skin or cracks will show up and look nasty, so exfoliate them using one of the methods described above. Prepare your lips with Chapstick as a base before gently dabbing on the stain. Try the Covergirl Outlast lipstain for the latest look.
¥Always read the label.Use only as directed.