Whether we call it smooching, snogging, or just sucking face, one of the most romantic days of the year is quickly approaching! With that in mind I thought I’d write a little something about whipping those lips into shape, how to make lipstick non-transferable, and a tip on the hottest shade of lipstick this winter — just in case you plan on doing any or all of those activities this February 14th.
Firstly, winter weather plays havoc on the skin, especially on the lips — one of the most tender and delicate areas of the face. Even the most religious Chapstick-er will have dry/cracked/peeling issues from time to time, but what to do? Here’s how to turn over a new layer of skin, DIY-style, in a hurry:
Collect the following household materials….
- One teaspoon of olive oil
- One teaspoon of honey
- Two teaspoons of white granulated sugar
- Dash of lemon juice
Mix these ingredients together to make a sugary paste. Then use your finger or a toothbrush to gently sweep the mixture back and forth on your lips. The result: Softer, smoother lips for not a lot of money.
Alright, now that you’ve got your lips prepped and kissibly soft, how on earth do you paint yourself some gorgeous lips and get them to stay put all throughout your romantic dinner? Using the cosmetic items you’ve already got, here’s some tried-and-true tips:
- Apply foundation and loose powder right on top of your recently exfoliated lips — doing this without an exfoliation will totally enhance any flaky, cracked skin (ew!) you already have.
- Using a flesh-toned lip liner pencil, follow the natural curve of your lips.
- Using either a lip brush or a pointed tube of lipstick, fill in your lips. Start with your bottom lip first, then go from the center of your cupid’s bow on your top lip out towards the outside corner of the lip. Repeat for the other side.
- Blot your lips using a tissue.
- Lightly apply loose power on top of your lipstick. Yes, you will look dusty and cake-y. It’s ok.
- Reapply your lipstick (with a light touch) on top of your powdered lips as outlined in step 3.
And voila! You’ve now got lipstick that is both glass- and fork-proof. I don’t necessarily recommend putting a gloss on top of the lipstick, and I certainly wouldn’t advise this process for a gloss-only look. This does work very well for a creme lipstick — I’ve survived many a function without having to reapply using this technique. 
Finally, what’s lipstick the shade that’s been making all the headlines this Winter 2012? Believe it or not, it’s fuchsia/hot pink. It really does work for all skin tones, brightening up dull winter skin. If the lipstick itself is a bit too intimidating for you, try it out in a gloss (search for a very bright berry shade). My best advice when wearing this shade is to pair it with a light blush and a very neutral eye — literally, let your lips do all the talking. Personally, I would pair this lip with a black cat-eye eyeliner and a dusting of Stila’s Kitten eye shadow (a peachy, golden shade that also compliments most skin tones). The shimmery nature of the shadow will help you look wide-eyed and alert while the fuchsia shade will give you an all-over rosy appearance. The next time you’re at Ulta I highly recommend trying a test run and swiping this on — I promise it’s less shocking on that it is in the tube!
Ulta’s Fuchsia Fever, #236
Happy Valentine’s Day, and Happy Smooching! 
