Lipstick Obsessed

I am lipstick obsessed.  This is a new development. 

I have tiny eyes.  You may see pictures of me & think, "gee, Brandy sure sleeps a lot".  But alas I am fully conscious in these pictures (except for a few proud college moments that I may have forgotten to remove from Facebook).  Being constantly jealous of those with gorgeous doe eyes, I have been so focused on the ocular that I forgot about the lips!  But recently I have seen the light (pink, matte red, nude, plum...the list goes on & on).

I was a little deterred when my husband Danny said my lipstick reminded me of his grandma...ouch.  But he also supports my ideas and appreciates my own style.  And if you know me, that wouldn't have stopped me anyway.  I have been doing a lot of exploring to find a certified "non-granny wearing" lip color.  Below are some rules I follow.

Rule #1: Rich color doesn't mean rich price tag.  When I zero in on a new color I want to try I stick to inexpensive brands.  The glossy and gorgeous delivery of a higher end brand may be enticing but until you know it will work, don't invest. 

Go on & try: Rimmel London's Bordeaux (pictured below) and Wet n Wild's Bare It All

Rule #2:  That is your color!  And that one and that one...  At first I was narrow-minded about what colors I could wear.  I wouldn't go near anything drastic or dramatic.  But once I got up the guts and thought "I can pull this off!" I realized I had options.

Go on & try: Maybelline's Electric Orange or NYX's Jumbo Lip Pencil in Chaos (Hot Pink)

Rule #3:  That's going to leave a stain.  Another deterrent of mine was the mess.  It may be sexy when a girl leaves a lip print on the mirror or gets a little smudged from a make-out session but it is not cute when you get bright red lipstick on your favorite cream sweater or your teeth.  The best option I found was Lip Stain.  This stuff is the best!  I still get a vibrant bright color but it stays put.  

Go on & try: Maybelline's Cool Coral or Fresh Fuschia Stain Gloss

Rule #4:  Color inside the lines!  When I wear a bright color there is a fine line between looking hot and looking a hot mess.  Don't be that lady.  Lip liner is the not so evil step-sister of lipstick.  It's like a tiny dam holding that gorgeous color in place.  You can purchase a few liners if you have committed to a color like a classic bright red (rule #1 applies here too) but I have a found a clear lip liner that I use and love!

Go on & try: E.L.F.'s Lip Lock Clear Lip Liner or Revlon's Color Stay Lip Liner in Red.

Rule # 5: If at first you don't succeed re-apply.  Any given day I have about 10 different shades of lip color in my purse.  I warned you, I am obsessed!  But not everyone needs to be the crazy lipstick lady.  There are products I use that do double and even triple duty!  I love a good 3-in-1 lip tube or an all over color stick.

Go on & try: Flower's Petit Fleur Pocket Triple Lip (pictured below) or E.L.F.'s All Over Color Stick

***All of the brands listed above are available at Walmart, Target, or Walgreens.  Flower is exclusive to Walmart)

Rimmel London's Bordeaux

Flower's Petit Fleur Pocket Triple Lip(Middle color)