All a Girl Needs...Lipstick

Hello everyone!

So I have decided to do a quick post on my favourite lipsticks in my vast collection of make up! I am a massive fan of MAC, as you will see. They have such an amazing palette of colours and applied correctly, they last for ages giving a very authentic vintage look.

However getting a classic statement lip requires a little more work than a great lipstick! A basic lipcare routine is required to make sure that your lips are in excellent condition and so a great base for the lipstick to go onto. Nobody wants to have dry cracked lips and I find the very best out there for moisturising them is Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream. I very gently buff the dry skin off my lips with the edge of an old toothbrush (nice!) then apply a layer of 8 Hour Cream if I am having a bit of a pamper or my lips are a little neglected. Every night when I moisturise (skincare post coming soon!) I also put a heavy coat of it on to go to sleep with, so I wake up with lovely soft lips! I also follow a few rules, always apply a lip balm or bit of 8 Hour Cream when I go out, especially in the cold. Also never bite any chapped bits off!

Once the base is sorted you can begin with the colour! Here are the fabulous reds...

 

L-R: MAC Amplified in Dubonnet, MAC Matte in So Chaud, MAC Amplified in Ramblas Red

 

Dubonnet gives a very vampy, purple/brown tinged glossy look that lasts. I often use this for a statement lip with simple eye make up. So Chaud is probably my most used out of all six. It is slightly orange tinted and has a very matte finish and another great one for a statement lip. Ramblas Red is one that I stole from my Mum (oops!). It is the same finish as Dubonnet, so a slightly glossy red. It is probably the nearest to a classic red out of all of my lipsticks,  however when it has been on for a few hours a pinky- red undertone is left. I shamefully don't have a classic red! I really want to get MAC Ruby Woo or try out one of the Marilyn for MAC collection classic reds. I do find that all three of these tend to stain my lips, but I don't really mind because they do last and you are definitely left with a bit of colour even hours after application.

 

And the perfect pinks...



L-R: MAC Satin in Snob, Kate Moss for Rimmel in 03, MAC Pro Longwear Lipcreme in Unlimited

 

I find that these pinks are more symbolic of a sixties look. Snob has been very well used and is perhaps slightly paler than it looks here. It gives a nude lip but with a hint of pink and looks great with a big flick of eyeliner. My middle lipstick was from Boots! I am a bit of a make up snob and do like the slightly more expensive brands however this is a great lipstick. It gives a glossy, completely nude finish with a slight sheen so that your lips look glossy but the focus is on the detailed eye make up. I'm sure it was only about £2.99 too! The third is a more expensive one from MAC's Pro Longwear range. This is a great line that does stick on your face! I use this a lot for a bright look at work and particularly like how buildable this is. One coat gives a pretty cover but after two or three covers you have a very vibrant pink lip that isn't shifting at all.

 

The best technique that I have found for applying lipstick to make it last is to do a quick coat all over the lip straight from the lipstick bullet (lipliner before if you use it). Take a piece of tissue, place it between your lips and press them together and then remove the tissue. This blots the lipstick. Then apply another coat but this time with a small brush to really get an accurate shape. You then repeat the blotting process until you feel that the lipstick is ''set''.

 

What are your favourite lipsticks? Have you got any other tips or can your recommend any classic reds for me to get?

 

Hannah xxx