Pamper-U

How many tubes of lipstick do you have in your makeup drawer? If you are like me, you probably have lots!! I never really paid much attention to what kind of lipstick I was buying—mostly impulse buying because I liked the color. Here is some information on what those “lipstick words” mean…

Matte - These lipsticks provide full coverage color and tend to stay on longer than any other type of lipstick. They are a good choice if you are trying to make a bold statement with your lip color. They are best in dark colors, but might make your lips feel and appear dry because they contain zero shine ingredients. To remedy this, slick on some gloss. (Now I know why I use these tubes the least…)

Crème - This type of lipstick contains more emollients than the matte ones, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they will shine more. You may still need that lip-gloss. Cream formulations are more opaque, so you need to be more selective about choosing a color. You'll find that the majority of lipsticks are "crème" because they are the most versatile and they wear very easily.

Frost - Mature women should steer clear of this type of lipstick. (Do you agree?)Frost lipstick tends to be pale and metallic in appearance, which makes lips appear dry and older than they are. If you have a "frost" in your lipstick collection that you love, try pairing it with a lip-gloss that has no metallic tint to it. The gloss will tone down the harshness of the metallic pigment. (I don’t have any of these so I think that is very “mature” of me!)

Satin or Sheer - This type of lipstick is perfect for the "natural" look. It is light, like gloss, but has a deeper and longer lasting color than gloss. It is full of moisture, but requires lots of reapplication. It usually has a high oil content and looks much darker in the tube than it will on your mouth. It goes on easily and doesn't smear or get transferred onto the teeth.

Lip gloss not only makes lips look plump and shimmering, but is favored especially during cold weather because it also moisturizes the lips

Moisturizing means the lipstick should be smooth and shiny and usually contains the moisturizing ingredients like Vitamin E and aloe...however, it won't last as long as some other formulas.

Long-wearing means it should stay put for four-six hours but will also probably feel dry. To balance the dryness, look for long-wearing formulas that also containing moisturizers like Vitamin E and aloe.

Lipstick has a shelf life of about 2 years so it's a good idea to go through your tubes and toss the old ones. I'm going to go do that right now!

What's your favorite lipstick?