I LOVE lipsticks and lip tints. But time, weather, eating, and drinking can easily remove lip make-up which compels me to reapply every now and again. So I came up with simple hacks that help make lip color last longer.
First, begin with clean and fresh lips. Exfoliate regularly at least 2-3 times a week or as needed. In a small bowl, mix 1 teaspoon brown sugar with 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Dip a soft toothbrush in the mixture and scrub your lips in a gentle, circular motion for 1 minute. Alternatively, you can use the Human Nature sugar lip scrub. And every night before bed time, apply oil or a lip balm. The next morning, you will notice a white layer of dead skin on your lips. Gently rub off the dead skin from your lips with a damp towel.
To make lip tint last longer, prime your lips first with a tinted lip balm. After applying lip tint, "seal" the color in by reapplying tinted lip balm. If you have plenty of time, you can repeat these two steps until you are satisfied. Lip color lasts longer on moisturized lips, so make sure you don't forget this. This trick will make your lip tint last long even after eating and drinking.
For my lip care and lip tints, I always choose organic products because I've tried lip tints that are bitter and alcohol-based. These darken the lips and add wrinkles. Most lip balms also leave white residues on my lips. Yikes! So I use the Human Nature tinted lip balm in the shade flame tree which is moisturizing and pigmented too. This shade suits morenas very well. This line also comes in two other shades with pink and orange hues for lighter skin tones.
My go-to lip tints meanwhile are from KJM Cosmetics and Beautint. Both brands offer many different shades. They are affordably priced at just 110-120 pesos only! Furthermore, both brand are Davao-made, dedicated to creating organic skincare and cosmetics, and the tints are already FDA-approved. KJM and Beautint are both long lasting and pigmented. Try both brands to know which one is your type.
For the matte lipstick lovers, you'll be surprised at how long lasting you can make any regular lipstick if you mix 2-3 different brands and shades. This trick works in three ways: first, it makes lipsticks even more matte. Second, you can either tone down or brighten a lipstick shade. Third, the combination of different shades and texture helps saturate the lipstick even better, making it last even after eating and drinking. In my case, combining Mac's ruby woo + Colourpop in Saigon + Ever Bilena liquid lipstick in the shade Vogue Diva creates the perfect red hue that I want.
Moreover, it lasts the whole day without needing to reapply at all. The only downside with this trick is doing it often dries out the lips, so give your lips time to recover and make sure to follow tip number one above.
One other trick that can make lip color last longer is letting the lipstick warm up enough to ensure a smoother application. If you can, leave your lipstick in a non-airconditioned room for at least an hour before you use it. You can also try body heat, i.e tuck it under your armpit or sit on it for a few minutes.
If you only brought one lipstick with you, that's fine. Just grab a tissue paper and blot after the first application. Then reapply. Lipstick primers are available in the market as well.
To ease dryness and patching, erase your lipstick, apply lip balm, and reapply the lipstick again. Your first application would have dried out already, so erasing it would save your lips from drying out too much.
Also, refrain from dabbing foundation on the lips prior to lipstick application because that trick dries you're your lips. At least don't do it often. If you want better color payoff, invest in pigmented lip products instead. I would recommend Colourpop, Mac, and Happy Skin. Ever Bilena works well too.
People would first look in your eyes and then at your lips. So try my tips and flaunt that perfect pout!
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Andrea Isabelle Mejos is a young writer from Davao. She likes to seek beauty from all angles – people, products, products, and places – and writes them down. For inquiries, you may reach her at mejosandrea@gmail.com