Bold Lip (PHOTO BY Stephanie Luciano)
By Stephanie Luciano
Bold Lips have to be a girl’s best friend. They’re great with any look as long as the colors are used properly and at the right time. I love the way the sharp pointed tip of my pencil looks ready to define the lines and curves of my lips. Adding lipstick of the same or opposite color afterwards just adds a wonderfully vibrant and smooth texture to the color you’ve already applied with your pencil. It is the perfect way to wrap up an edgy look.
When creating a bold lip, outlining with a lip pencil is key, unless you’re using a creamy base lipstick that is more highly pigmented. These magical pencils come in handy for two reasons:
1). They give you an injection-free “pout,” allowing you the chance to over-line your lips for a much fuller appearance.
2). They provide a more durable color base for your lipstick, making it last longer.
Once you’re finished outlining your lips, lipstick becomes an option if you need more surface moisture. Some lip pencils look wonderfully subtle without any lipstick, but not all of us enjoy how they feel when used alone. If you experience a very dry and cracking effect after filling-in your lips with pencil, try adding a thin coat of moisturizing lipstick over them to provide much more comfort.
As shown on the picture above, I created my bold lip on a regular school day using NK Lip Pencil that I purchased at the beauty supply store for about $3. I decided not to apply any lipstick over the pencil because I was satisfied with the matte finish it gave me. Because it is around the holidays, I thought RED would be perfect, as it reminds me of the red stain I always leave on my teacups while I sip on hot chocolate on Christmas!
For all you ladies out there, bold lips can go with pretty much any look. Red, Blue, Yellow, Black, or any other exotic color can go well if you just know how much of the product looks good on you. A few of my favorite lip pencils come from the brands Nars, and Jordana, while a lot of my favorite lipsticks come from—the one and only—MAC cosmetics. I would definitely recommend those.
These past few months, I’ve spent a lot of time talking about makeup and giving tips on how to give your face that ‘flawless’ look. However, it’s just as important to be flawless on the inside as to have a flawless and attention-grabbing exterior. For January, we will set our tools aside, and let our skin glow and breathe. Follow me as we start 2015 off to a great start! ‘Tis the season to be jolly!