Lipstick Tips for Perfect Lips! |
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by: Kris Erickson
Just this week, a dear friend and I were strolling through the aisles of the newly opened Sephora in Portland. O Holy Mecca of glamour, what lotions, potions, glitter, and gloss abound in thee! After loading our baskets with beauty booty we didn’t even know we needed, we stood in line for 20 minutes for the privilege of forking over our plastic and walked out. Not yet three feet out of the store, my friend turned to me with a fear-stricken look cast upon her face, “Something else! I need….something else. Lipstick, what I need is a new lipstick” “Ok,” I responded, and back into the palace we went. What I didn’t know is that she didn’t mean a lipstick. No, not just any lipstick. She meant the lipstick, the ever-allusive Perfect Shade of Lipstick (PSoL). Back in the store, we cruised row upon row and for the next 35 minutes, we looked at every shade of plum, coral, berry, rouge, and beige imaginable. But no luck. Why, oh why, is it so hard to find the PSoL? I consoled my friend and explained something I learned many moons ago: the perfect shade of lipstick is like the perfect pair of pants, the perfect mascara, and the perfect man. We may at times come painfully close, but we’ll never find it. It simply doesn’t exist; at least not in the capacity we seek it. Let me explain. For five years, I was the girl behind the counter at the department
store who gave you free samples, did your (or your daughter’s)
prom makeup and, yes, helped you search for the PSoL. A master of my
craft, I rarely saw a customer walk away disappointed. Except, that
is, when she was on The Search. You know the one; it’s the expedition
from which you walk away, after eventual defeat with lips red and dry
from change after change of lipstick. You soothe yourself silently believing
that next time, yes next time you’ll find it. Why do we persist
with the belief that one single shade of lipstick exists and honestly,
what do we really think will happen if we find it? The same reason we
believe that losing 10 pounds will make our credit card balances magically
disappear and that just the right back pocket placement on our jeans
will make him realize that I am the one who got away. |
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Finding Great Lipstick ColorsStop and ask yourself, what would really change in my life if I found
the PSoL? Listen carefully and promise you’ll pass this along
to generations of girls discovering Bonne Bell Lip Smackers for the
first time. Here is the secret answer: you’ll have really pretty
lips. That’s it. But you didn’t think I’d leave you with just a promise,
did you? Here is my advice: For those of us mortals still living in
the realm of semi-satisfaction with our current palette of lip products,
remember these four cardinal rules of lipstick shopping and I guarantee
you’ll walk away with a fabulous pout. |
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3 Top Lipstick Tips1. Take a friend with you. Not just any friend, that friend who will tell you when that dress is just a little too tight, you have spinach in your teeth, and yes, that guy really isn’t good enough for you. But no, you’re not just taking her with you for moral support. She’s going to earn her keep and when she does, you are going to buy her a latte. When she tells you that this shade of peony pink really is a great color on you, listen. See? That was really easy. 2. Now that you believe her, wear that peony pink lipstick around for an hour. Go try on clothes and check yourself out every single time you pass a mirror. Why? You need to adjust to the color and after an hour, when you aren’t panicked over seeing yourself in it anymore, you can make an informed decision as to whether it is a color you see yourself wearing and enjoying. This advice is of paramount importance when trying a brand new color, such as red. You will be shocked at first and you will get over it. Trust me. 3. Know your limits. Just like when it’s time to say, “No more martinis for this party girl!” you need to know how to say, “no more lipstick trials for these poor, chapped lips.” There’s no need to subject yourself, your friend (remember cardinal rule number one?), or your makeup artist to an hour-long session if clearly nothing is tickling your fancy. Which brings me to…. 4. Your makeup artist is your benevolent guide, your trusted mentor, and your ticket to freebies aplenty. It isn’t, however, a reasonable expectation for her to work with you for two hours only to have you walk away because you couldn’t find a single lipstick worthy of being the one. Help her help you. Call ahead and make an appointment, state your intentions, and bring visual aides. Never underestimate the power of a picture to help you achieve your ideal lip look. Just remember to be realistic. If you are a blue-eyed Nordic princess, a dark bronze lip lacquer is just not going to look the same on you as it does on a Mediterranean goddess with a deep olive glow. Ready? Set? Shop!
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