Don't want to give you lip service today —- or maybe I do.
Just a few days before my wedding Saturday, I got several new lipsticks to try on because everything had to be perfect…and it wasn't perfect enough.
Yes, I had my Chanel source suggest a deep rosy plum and a Hollywood pro said to try nude lips.
Suddenly, my bathroom counter started to resemble a cosmetics store. When the dog grabbed a few tubes that rolled off the little glass thing by the sink, I knew that I was slowly becoming a full-fledged lip-stick-a-holic.
Is that so wrong?
RED LIPSTICK ON THE LOOSE
The truth is nothing looks as glamorous as a gorgeous red lipstick and one of the best I tried came from the company Exude.
You might have heard of them because top Hollywood stylist Rachel Zoe was involved in their launch and sings their praises on her blog and on TV.
Let me tell you that Exude Lip Crème in Red is a knock out for midlifers. It's a pure red, but it isn't so bright that you're feeling uncomfortable. The lipstick also has a lush finish thanks to the vitamin E & C in it and the creamy consistency. I also loved that Exude comes in a plastic applicator that looks like a lipstick, but you squeeze out one perfect application.
Unlike traditional lipsticks, it can never wear down, melt or crumble in your purse.
Since a gal can't live on red lips alone, I began to explore other Exude colors that would be perfect with any fall wardrobe.
It was easy to fall head over heels for their new plum and nude shades. The plum is a rich fall color that works beautifully with darker clothes including fall blacks and browns.
The nude is a great go-to shade when you're running out of the house and need a little extra sparkle. You can also layer it over deeper colors to lighten them up a bit.
Here are a few other fall lip tips:
*Keep your lips looking great by exfoliating them. Take a warm washcloth and run it gently over your lips, which should loosen up some of the dead skin cells. Do this on a regular basis and then put your lip-healing product on your lips. The product will work twice as well.
*Hollywood make up pros always apply foundation to their stars' lips first to make lipstick stay. They will also fill in the entire lip with lip liner for a bolder look that has staying power.
*Do a lip mask by taking honey and almond oil and massaging it into your lips to prevent dryness. You can also take olive oil and mix it with Vaseline as a natural salve that will get rid of your chapped lips.
*Remember that even if you live in a cooler zone, the warm sun can still create sunburn on your lips. Swipe a bit of your sun block on your lips for prevention.
*Think twice about having any lip injections and make sure that you know the doctor doing the work. Remember that many medi spas only have a doctor within a certain mile radius in case of emergencies. Your actual technician might not know his or her stuff and can nick a vein in your lips.
While ghost writing a book for a very famous Hollywood dermatologist, I saw a case of a young woman whose bottom lip was black and swollen three times the size after a botched medi spa visit. The technician hit that vein by accident and now she had a serious injury that required a hospital stay to prevent gangrene from setting in.
If nothing else, this is a cautionary tale. Get work done by a doc you trust. Or better yet…just find a great lipstick and enjoy the lips you're in right now.
