Lip Color for Non-Lipstick Girls

I've loved makeup as long as I can remember. One of my favorite childhood memories was trying on every color in the rainbow (she had tons of makeup) at my cousin Laura's vanity. My lipstick/lip color collection is a bit crazy. I don't shy away from bright colors on my lips, in fact a bright lip is part of my every day makeup. In the summer I gravitate toward more sheer color. My makeup is lighter and I never go for heavy color when it's beach and BBQ time. I've gotten questions from readers on finding sheer lip color. The challenges lie in finding a lip color that doesn't feel too heavy, isn't color saturated and is easy to apply (no lip liner or mirror needed). I thought I'd share a few of my favorites with you. They are in all price points and come in lots of colors.





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My favorites include balms, stains, and tints. Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter has only be out about a year. It's a great product that allows you to wear very sheer color if you wish, or build it up for more solid look. It feels like a balm and comes in tons of colors. Nivea  Kiss of Protection stays in my beach bag all summer. I love the way it feels and the SPF 30. Fresh Sugar Lip Balm is super silky smooth and comes in lots of colors. It's a bit pricey at $24 but worth it. I've kept Rosebud Salve in my makeup bag for years. This minted version is a new favorite. It is a true balm with only a tiny hint of sheer color. I've used Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey since the 90's. It's highly praised as a universally flattering shade (check out this photo). It looks like a gothic burgundy in the tube but goes on like a pretty sheer mauve to deep red and is buildable. Carmex has been around forever. I love their orange lip conditioner. There isn't any color, it's in an easy to apply tube and it has an orange flavor (like baby aspirin).  Benefit added Posie Tint to their Benetint line a few years ago. Benetint is a deep red and some people feel it's too dark. Posie Tint is a pale pink stain that you can use on your lips or your cheeks. It lasts most of the day and you can just add clear balm over it. Burt's Bees tinted lip balm comes in pretty colors, it has a nice minty flavor and is super moisturizing. Maybelline's Baby Lips come in a rainbow of colors (clear to fuchsia). They have great flavors and it goes on just like you favorite balm. The colors are sheer and work well for someone who doesn't love lipstick.

Do you have a favorite non-lipstick color?  Share it with us!

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My Search for a Good Long Wearing Lipstick

About a year ago I realized that I should start searching for a good long wearing lipstick.  I wanted one that would stand up to our wedding day of eating and drinking and wouldn't leave bright lipstick all over {msL} every time we kissed. I thought I'd have to go with a stain to get what I wanted. Frankly, I've always hated long wearing lipsticks.  I've tried a few but I've either returned them or tossed them.  They didn't live up to their claims, many left my lips feeling tight, flaky and gross.  Very few had no transfer when eating, drinking or kissing. If they did, I had to constantly apply a second step balm or gloss and then my lips got this weird texture as the day went on. My hopes weren't high. I got suggestions from a few friends. I didn't love the ones I tried and most of them didn't have great color choices.  Spending a ton on a high end version didn't seem practical because I didn't think I'd wear it after our wedding day.  About a week ago I saw and pinned this article from Everyday with Rachel Ray.

Everyday with Rachel Ray isn't known for their beauty tips, however, I thought that a group of ladies who are constantly eating and drinking for their jobs might have some insight on lipstick that can stand up to lots of use.  They rated Revlon ColorStay Ultimate Suede lipstick, their best drugstore lipstick.  I checked out the Revlon color options. I prefer lipstick to a gloss for my wedding day. So I decided to try Revlon over their two other drugstore picks, L'Oreal Paris Colour Caresse Shine Stain and Wet n' Wild Megalast Liquid Lip Color. I'm not a fan of liquid lip color.

I started by scrubbing my lips with a wash cloth to remove any dry skin.  I decided not to use any balm or primer and just put the lipstick on my naked lips.

 

It took about thirty minutes for the lipstick to stop feeling tacky. It was still a little sticky when I pressed my lips together but that went away if I licked my lips. I tested transfer by drinking out of a can.  I was shocked, no transfer!  About an hour and half after applying the lipstick we had lunch.  I had a veggie burger with cheese.  No lipstick on the bun (which has happened before, if I forgot to wipe off my lipstick before eating) and no signs of lipstick on my straw.

This is what my lipstick looked like after eating and drinking.  Not perfect but still pretty impressive. There is some fade but it's presentable. I tried a couple of other tests.

I kissed {msL}on the cheek.  No sign of lipstick anywhere!  This looks promising for our wedding day.

I tried the napkin test.  I pressed pretty hard to see if there was any transfer. I didn't wipe or scrub but pressed.

Nothing!  No lipstick at all.  I couldn't even see a faint trace of color.  Even after a veggie cheese burger! Oil is usually the death of long wear lipsticks.

Color me sold on Revlon ColorStay Ultimate Suede lipstick!  It's pretty great for one step long wearing lipstick. Below are my pros and cons. I purchased Trendsetter which is a vivid red color. 


PROS

• One step application.
• No flaky or lumpy texture.
• Lasted through eating and drinking.
• No transfer onto a napkin, even after eating.
• No transfer onto my Honey when kissing.
• Can be used with lip liner. I would suggest clear if you want to avoid color transfer.
• Lasted all day with just minor deterioration.

CONS

• Takes about thirty minutes to set.
• Feels smooth and moisturizing going on but dries out like a matte lipstick.
• Dark colors last but I've read that the lighter colors don't last.  I haven't tried any light colors myself.
• Lips feel sticky when pressed together.

I'm going to keep trying long wearing options but I really like Revlon ColorStay Ultimate Suede lipstick as a possibility for my wedding makeup. Have you tried any long wearing lip colors that you love?

UPDATE:  I tried Muse, which is a bright pink.  It lasted just as well as Trendsetter did.  I've worn both shades to work and they've lasted most of the day.  I'm pretty sure this is going to be my wedding day lipstick.  Thanks Revlon!

Weekend Rewind via Instagram - Fun All Around

Taking pictures is so much fun but I always forget to bring my camera or I'm lazy about downloading photos. Having a phone that takes great pictures saves me on a regular basis.  I love all of the photo apps on the iPhone.  Instagram is my favorite but I love the composite apps too, like PicFrame. I took some of my Instagram photos from our weekend fun and compiled them in PicFrame.

From the top left...

• Me and Laila hamming it up for the camera.
• Adam and his Gamma on the swings.
• Laila and Adam fishing at the pool.
• A possible wedding venue option - We might have cocktails and cigars out here.

Over the weekend my Honey and I had two special house guests.  Her grandkids stayed with us for the weekend so their parents could have some time alone. She was a young mom so she's a young grandma and we have great fun with them. Our neighborhood pool has a "Fish Out" every year before they open the pool.  They stock the pool with fish and you can come catch them. You pay an entry fee and get poles and bait. We went with our neighbors and had a great time. Then we took the kids to the park and to Dairy Queen for ice cream. I'm still hunting for a great wedding location that won't blow our entire budget.  I'm trying to narrow it down but it's not easy.

From the top left...

•  One of my fun Goodwill finds.
•  My new $14 shades, from Walgreens!
• A fun watermelon lip color for spring and coral nails.
• Layered tops and necklaces.

I always smile when I wear my star bracelet.  I snagged it for just a few dollars and I love it. My new shades were an impulse buy. I spied them while I was at Walgreens dropping off a prescription. They are made by Foster Grant. I love the colored mirrored lenses. I've been on the hunt for a watermelon colored lip stick.  I found this one, Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in Sweet Tart.  It's smooth like a balm with buildable color. The polish is Spoiled by Wet n' Wild in Lox-y Lady.  It's only available at CVS and this week you can buy two bottes and get one free. At $1.99 each you can stock up! Last week I wore one of my favorite jackets and layered it with a spring colored shirt, worn open and a tank. Then I layered a ton of necklaces.  I really like the look. It was business with a twist.

If you don't have an iPhone and can't follow my Instagram pics on your phone, you can check them out on Instagrid. All of my photos are instantly posted there.

What's In My Bag - Daytime Edition

I have an illness, it's called bag overcrowding. I carry big bags and have a terrible time keeping the stuff inside to a minimum. So I'm constantly cleaning out my bag. There are some items I can't live without. Whether it's a real or perceived need, if I don't have them in my bag, I feel like I'll need them. These are always in my day bag. I pair down a bit for evening or if I'm carrying a day clutch or smaller weekend bag.

My favorite newer bag. Calvin Klein hobo style. A gift from my sister.

• Reading Glasses - I haven't worn glasses most of my life. Until I started spending so much time on my computer and reached a certain age. It seems like I woke up one day and suddenly I couldn't see anymore. My Honey has the same problem. 
• Sunglasses - I have a bit of a sunglasses obsession. The shades I'm sporting change regularly. If I'm not careful, I'll end up with more than one pair in my bag.  
• Gum - It squelches my hunger pangs and banishes coffee breath.  
• Coach Wristlet - I'm almost never without this trusty friend. It holds my cash, license, ATM card, credit card, and the membership cards I use most often. I grab it when I don't want to carry my whole bag. 
• Reusable Bag (with CVS tag) - I try to use this bag as often as possible. It helps me to be more green and if I use it at CVS it will earn me an ECB for every 4 uses. 
• Headphones - They prevent me from being obnoxious to those around me who don't love my music as much as I do.  
• Levenger Shirt Pocket Briefcase and my business cards - I love my iPhone but sometimes I need to jot a quick note or give someone information. This little tool is perfect. I even have cards with my name printed at the top. I also carry two different business cards so it's nice to have a place to store them. 
• Mary Kay Compact - This little beauty holds lip gloss, blush, bronzer and mini brushes.  I customize it with my favorite colors and can change it on a whim. The colors are held in by magnets. It's great for an evening bag too. 
• Beauty Case (with way too many lip colors) - I'm a confessed lip color junkie. I even change my color mid day sometimes. This bag holds lots of lip color, my favorite concealer, oil blotting papers, a Tide pen for my messiness, and of course tampons.
• Wallet - This wallet holds the other credit cards I have (only 2), the bazillion membership cards to every store in the known universe, insurance cards, a couple of checks, and important receipts. This wallet was a gift to myself when I went to Paris. It was a big splurge at the time (2004) but I love it. 
• I also carry my iPhone every day.  It's not in the picture because it's usually in my pocket and not in my bag.

What's in your bag?

Lips and Nails - Fun Spring Colors

Bright lip and nail colors can get me through the dark days of winter.  Since we haven't had much winter to speak of here in DC and this week it's in the 80's, I am inspired to share my lip and nail picks for the spring.  With a mix of brights and pastels, there is something for everyone.

Lips

 A bold lip color can really change up your look.  It can make a basic outfit seem special.  The perfect color can even brighten your face. A pretty pink looks great on every skin tone.  Tinted lip balm, like the one below from Mary Kay, can be worn sheer or built up for a more opaque look. 

Mary Kay NouriShine Plus Lip Gloss - Rock 'n Red

Mary Kay Tinted Lip Balm (spf 15) - Poppy

Maybelline Color Sensational Lip Color - Coral Crush

Maybelline Color Sensational Lip Color - Fuchsia Fever

Nails

I love these colors for nails or toes.  They are fun and a great way to infuse a bit of color into your look. For spring I'm loving bright pinks, blues, and corals as well as a range of pastel colors.

Revlon ColorStay - Rich Raspberry

OPI - Fly

Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear - Mint Sorbet (you might recognize this shade from my sunnies DIY)

essie - A Crewed Interest

Wet 'n Wild Spoiled - Lox-y Lady (sold exclusively at CVS)