Lipstick Tricks and Tips

i must admit, i am not a "lipstick" person. no matter how hard i try to keep it on, i always manage to rub it off. I have this gross habit of frequently licking my lips, sometimes even biting it so my lipstick just won't stay. With regards to shades, i love pinks...maybe some peaches, but i stay away from reds. I dunno, it just wont suit me. One time, i tried to wear red lipstick and X kept on telling me to rub it off. And yep, i can't even stand seeing myself wearing a red lipstick. So for those who are requesting an FOTD with a red lipstick, sorry...i might have to disappoint you on that, dearies :)

anyways, here's a few tips/tricks i've found on Beauty.com:


Tip #1: Lipstick done? You might notice there's still a bit of lipstick down in the tube. Scrape out the last bits with a cotton swap or orange stick and mix it with Vaseline or lip gloss in a lipstick palette. Use a lip brush to apply.
I also love this tip shared by reader Patti Campbell. She scoops out the lipstick remnants from the bottoms of her tubes and she puts them in a pill case, "the one with the days of the week individually capped." She then nukes the pill case until the lipstick melts. Campbell uses a lip brush and enjoys seven new lipsticks. I would think this is perfect for the purse.

Tip #2: Never use a test lipstick on your lips. It's just plain unhygienic. Instead, test lipstick on your fingertips. It's a closer fit to your lips than the back of your hand.

Tip #3: Use liner on your lips as a base. Lipstick will last longer if you fill in your lips with the liner first. If you're using light lipstick, try a nude liner. Then slick your lipstick on top.

Tip #4: Never use a dark liner with light lipstick. Defined lips are great, but make sure the liner matches the lipstick or gloss. Dark liner and light lips is tacky.

Tip #5: Keep lipstick off your teeth with this trick. This is a trick I learned years ago from my mom. After applying lipstick, take your index finger and pop it in your mouth, then pull it out. The excess lipstick will come off on your finger rather than your teeth.

Tip #6: Lipstick can act as a blush. But never use blush as a lipstick.

Tip #7: Youcan line before or after you apply lipstick or gloss. Some women prefer to apply liner first, arguing that you won't be able to see the natural line of your lips if you apply lipstick first. But I find lips look more natural when I line lips after I apply lipstick.

Tip #8: The older you are, the 'creamier' your lips should look. Women over 50 should avoid matte or a gloss and stick with a creamy lipstick.

Tip #9: Don't throw out a bad color lipstick. Beauty editors know you can create a great lipcolor by blending lipsticks you don't like. You can also color in lips with a darker liner before applying a lipstick that's too bright.
Tip #10: For 'plump' lips, apply liner just outside your natural lipline. Dab a bit of gloss in the middle of your bottom lip.

Tip #11: Keep lip gloss on longer with liner. Lip gloss is infamous for wearing off fast, but if you fill in lips first with the liner, the gloss has something to stick to.

Tip #12: Heal -- don't throw out -- a broken lipstick. If your lipstick breaks off, simply take off the broken portion with a tissue, then slowly wave a lit match under the broken piece of lipstick. When it's melted a bit, put it back on the base, swivel it down and put it in the fridge -- uncovered -- for 30 minutes.

Tip #13: Avoid orange or brown shades, including corals. They tend to make teeth appear yellow.

Tip #14: Camouflage yellowed teeth. To downplay a yellow cast to teeth, try lipsticks with a bluish undertone. Shades that work include plums, pinks, wines and violets, according to Lazarus, a NYC makeup artist, in the June, 2007, issue of O magazine.

Tip #15: Keep lipstick off glass. Discreetly lick your lips before taking a sip from a glass. It works!

Tip #16: Experiment with blending lipsticks and glosses. Real lipstick aficionados create their own lipstick shades by blending different color and even formulations. You can start with a matte lipstick, follow with a shimmery shade and cap it off with a colored gloss.

Here's a tip i learned from my makeup teacher: Line lips with a liner, apply lipstick then blot it using tissue. Re-apply lipstick then blot again. Do this at least 3x and you'll have your lipstick on for a longer time.

It works for some...but not for me. And that's because of the reasons i've cited earlier...i am such a retard like that! tee-hee...

How about you ladies? any other tips?

tata!

* image from i.ehow.com