It’s been said that when it comes to makeup at our age, less is more, and I tend to agree. To keep from looking overdone, current wisdom has it that we want to steer clear of heavy foundation, and emphasize either eyes or lips, but not both. If I have to choose, I’ll choose lips every time. (I reserve the right to count brows under the heading of “face” rather than “eyes.” I never go out without filling in my sparse brows.)
I’ll admit it, I’m a lipstick junkie. I often cycle between 3-4 different shades over the course of a week. And I’m always game to try a new shade or formula. But I keep it simple; I don’t contour or concoct complicated blends…some prep, some liner (maybe) and a swipe of color, usually right out of the tube. During warmer months, I lean more toward sheer colors.
Prep
My lips tend to be dry and sometimes flaky, and living in a drier climate doesn’t help. Every few days I exfoliate with a little bit of Fresh Sugar Lip Polish as part of my nightly routine. I apply a dab of the Makeover Workshop Re-Creation Lip Treatment 2 or 3 times per day. I LOVE this stuff…it’s really improved the texture and condition of my lips over time. (Let it absorb for a few minutes before applying lip color.)
Liner
If I’m in a hurry and wearing a more natural color, I often skip liner. But I do use with more intense color and think Brian’s Makeover Workshop Longwear Gel liners are the best I’ve tried. They really stay put and prevent feathering. Play around with combining different liners and lipsticks to get different colors and effects!
- MLBB*: Makeover Workshop “Invisible Longwear” (great with glosses or sheer colors)
- In-between: Makeover Workshop “Neapolitan” (This is a great all-around liner. I’ll also sometimes use with a bright color to soften the look)
- Bright: Makeover Workshop “Maraschino” (very similar to the color I’m wearing in my profile pic)
Lipstick
I love bright lip color, but have learned it works best on me when I’m wearing neutrals alone or neutrals with a single color accent like a scarf. If I’m wearing clothing in soft colors or multiple colors, I keep my lip color close to natural (*a “My Lips But Better” color). I feel washed out with no color at all. And I think most nude lip colors make me look like a corpse. No matter what I’m wearing, I can’t tolerate formulas that are drying. Unfortunately that rules out a lot of the “long wear” lip colors. Here are the colors I’m wearing most often:
- MLBB: Trish McEvoy “Perfection”
- MLBB: Chantecaille Lip Chic in “Amour” (love this formula, sheer color that stays on for hours!)
- In-between warm: MAC “See Sheer” (not as pink as it looks online, more coral)
- In-between reddish-pink: Dior Addict “#756 My Love”
- Bright warm: Makeover Workshop “rue Rivoli”
- Bright cool: NARS “Dragon Girl” (this is a matte crayon, so I sometimes add dab of balm on top for moisture)
Above, I’m wearing Makeover Workshop “Neapolitan” liner and “rue Rivoli” lipstick.
What about you…lips or eyes? Or both? Do you prefer brighter or more natural lip color?