Oh the Drama that is Lipstick....(A nice tutorial)
It's true: According to a new survey, 71%* of women say they'd rather find the perfect lipstick than the perfect man.
I wonder to myself, what is it that is so intoxicating that causes me to have about 15 or so in my dressing table drawer? Is it because it's so difficult to get right, but when you do it can look fabulous? Is it because with one application a girl can go from a plain Jane to a goddess in seconds? Is it because it brings back glorious memories of early childhood when you raided your mother's purse and smeared the stuff over your face? To those questions: yes yes and hell yes.
Quick history lesson that may interest you: according to most historians, lipstick was first used way back in approx 3000BC by the gorgeous Ancient Egyptians, who extracted the dye from, would you believe, seaweed, crushed beetles, or ants, and mixed it with Iodine. I can imagine the commercial now.... "The tingling sensation means the poison is killing you! :D"
Lipstick has come a long way since then. Along came Christianity and proclaimed it "the devil's work," and wearing it could mean you were potentially tried for witchcraft. After a brief fling with good ol' Queen Bess, Lipstick was saved for prostitutes and actresses when Queen Victoria came to the throne and declared wearing makeup "impolite," forcing women everywhere to bite their lips furiously before entering a room.
Fast forward a century to the Silent Age of film, and the sultry screen personas of Greata Garbo, Clara Bow and Louise Brooks called for equally dramatic looks, and thus, lipstick became the vogue again. In fact, during WWII women were encouraged to wear makeup to motivate troops and "put on a brave face", for the Duration.
And here are now, with women in our society who feel naked without wearing the stuff. Are these the women who have discovered the secret? Truth is there's no secret, and it's all perfectly logical. The secret to rosy, full, inviting lips is all in the application.
Any good work requires some sort of preparation, and the lips are no different. Invest in a lip scrub and use twice a week. (I have a great recipe for a lip scrub that I'll post another time) A cheaper alternative would be to smear Vaseline over the area, leave for 10 minutes, then use a wet toothbrush to GENTLY (I stress this because I have brushed so hard my lips chapped even more and started to bleed!) exfoliate the area.
Next, apply foundation as normal, but include your lips, which provides a base for the lipstick, making it last longer.
The crucial item that can make or break your look is a lip liner. Opinions are divided on whether you should use one exactly the same colour as your lips or the lipstick, but in my opinion, it seems quite silly to use a lip liner a different colour to the colour you're about to put on, do I'd try to match liner to lipstick.
Apply in small strokes for an even and natural looking application, making sure you're not pressing down too heavily. When you're satisfied, fill in the rest of the lips with the liner. (Again, base = lipstick lasts longer)
Prep time is over, it's now time for the lipstick. Notice in the picture that the beautiful Marilyn is applying her lipstick with a lip brush? For longer lasting/better finish/etc you will need one of these. You do not need anything fancy- you could even use a thin, regular paintbrush. (Washed, of course)
Coat the brush with a thin, even layer and apply in small strokes, (The small strokes make the lipstick look more natural and there's less chance of smudging) filling in all areas. Believe me, you will need a mirror for this!
Then grab a tissue and blot away the excess. Apply a second coat, and blot again. Wondering why? Lasts longer!
Finally (Phew, my hands are getting cramped...) seal the lipstick with a sealant. The best in the business is probably Lipcote for only £3.95, and lasts pretty much forever. It will sting a little, but after a minute it should be fine, and you're ready to apply gloss or go!
Part two of Lipstick will be on here soon.
Until next time,
Miss Scarlett x
*This is not true, but...you get my point. Lipstick is fabulous.
Picture taken from Marilyn Online
Miss Scarlett at 11:21 AM
