Sunday 27 January 2013

Get your (Lip)Cote; you've pulled.

I love lipstick. I LOVE lipstick. If I could marry lipstick, and change my name to Charlotte Aimee Thomas-Stick I so would.
But there's something I love more: Lipcote.

I discovered Lipcote when I was in School, about 8 years ago, when it still said "fell the tingle that lets you know it's working" on the back of the bottle. Back in the day when I didn't entirely understand that make-up was supposed to stay in place all day... As long as it looks okay before you leave the house then everything was grand was pretty much my philosophy.

I very rarely take any of my make-up outside the house, I don't want to spend the day touching up - unless I'm somewhere like a wedding where photo opportunities are going to be rife. So this is my trick for my lipstick.

First, after I've gone through the whole routine of cleansing, toning, serum-ing, witch hazel-ing, anti-wrinkle treatment-ing, and moisturising, I apply a generous coat of lip balm. This is the balm of the moment - it's very old. I don't even think Benefit make it anymore! I found it a couple of weeks ago in my collection completely unopened and OH boy is it wonderful!



Nice boring picture of my wonky lips there. [Lots of these pictures are blurry, I used the front facing camera on my phone because my camera was out of battery, and didn't realise how blurry they were until afterward - Sorry!] Disclaimer: My lips are not THAT wonky, I have a chunk of Nicotine gum rammed in there somewhere.

Back on track. I do the rest of my face before my lipstick so that's a good 15-20 mins (HA, try 40), in which I leave it sink in, then when it comes to it, I blot any excess off with a tissue before going ahead with step 2: Lipliner.





[Excuse my skin - I'm suffering a monster breakout at the moment so I'm only wearing a boatload of moisturiser and not wearing any other make up so as not to aggravate it further.]

Presenting an oldie but a goodie - Maxfactor lipliner. I've sharpened it down so much I don't even know what shade it is, it applies like a dream though - stays on the lips but is easily wiped off the skin with a cotton bud in case of any shaky hand applications. First I run around the lip line from the INSIDE, not the outside, Running around the outside can look a bit 90's drag queen (which is fine for an evening look if you dig that kinda thing). Next - fill in the lips with the pencil. Just go wild. Doodle away. Sometimes I leave it at that, but it can be quite drying.

Next is lipstick. Today I've opted for my most worn lipstick ever - Mac Russian Red. It just seems to be the perfect red for me. I've officially given up looking for a red more suited to my ginger skin.





As long as I'm not pushed for time I'd always prefer to apply with a lip brush. At the moment I use a Revlon one and it's lovely. I follow the same structure as lip liner - run a line around the edge with a lip brush and then fill in the middle.

Then grab a tissue and blot blot blot! I always pat it directly on top of my lipstick and fold it and pat it on the inside too. That along with the finger trick (think Dirty Den's lewd gesture) of popping your finger in your mouth, closing your lips around it and then slowly pulling it out helps keep any lipstick off your teeth. Granny chic is cool, but that's one statement look we can leave with them!


Just in case you aren't aware of what a tissue is.

I normally blot and reapply (It's the blog name!) twice or three times. A final blot and it's Lipcote time.


This is a picture of a new one I've yet to open, the one I'm on at the moment has turned the same colour as the lipstick and is overrun with lipstick sediment and as a result has morphed it into more of a syrup. Still works though. Again, I run around the outside of the lip first (I do edge onto the skin slightly, as I find it stops the lipstick smudging outwards) and then fill in the middle. It has a lovely tingle to it, some may find it quite harsh but I enjoy it. I leave that to try for about 30 seconds which means no chomping or guzzling or putting your lips together in that time! If it still feels tacky I'll leave it for about a minute in total.

And we are done!

It leaves the lips withe a slight shine, but it's a flattering shine. Just to prove a point, look at how much comes off on my fingers:



TA-DAH!

Just as long as I'm not munching down on overly oily/greasy foods then I get full wear out of my lipstick for 6, 8, even 10 hours. Lipcote is definitely a Holy Grail product for me.

Have you tried Lipcote? Do you love it?

2 comments:

  1. Oh Miffy I never thought I needed Lip Cote before but now I am seriously reconsidering, I am very partial to a hot pink lip and this would make life a lot easier xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've noticed a lot of people regard it as old fashioned, but if it's still around there must be a reason, right? It's only about £3.50 in Superdrug so even if it doesn't work for you you're not massively out of pocket! It's definitely worth a go :) xx

      Delete