Top lip tips
December 6, 2006 | 12:00am
Dear Rissa,
I need a lipstick good for officewear. I usually just put on lip balm, but now I’d like something that makes my lips feel moisturized and at the same time gives me some color. What colors are best for the workplace? Also, there seems to be different kinds of lipsticks. How is one different from the other?
Adela
Here are the basics when it comes to lips:
• Lip pencil: a crayon-like pencil to define the lips. It’s good for preventing lipstick from bleeding into fine lines around the mouth.
• Lip gloss: a shiny balm that can be clear or translucent in color.
• Lipstick: comes in several forms.
1) Cream: possesses an opaque satiny texture. A basic favorite.
2) Matte: a lipstick with a dull, no-shine finish. Tends to be the most natural-looking and is the lipstick least likely to run into small lines around the lips.
3) Sheer: a hint of color with a subtle sheen. Somewhere between gloss and lipstick.
4) Shimmer: lipstick with an opalescent finish. Often a choice for evening light.
5) Stain: long-lasting, mostly in matte finish.
When it comes to choosing color, always remember that lip color is purely subjective. If you think a color looks good on you, it probably does. The most flattering shades resemble the color of your natural lips – nudes, roses, berries, and soft browns.
Lipstick is something you must try on – and I mean on your lips! Notice that color looks different on the lips than it does in the tube. Plus, your unique lip tone will affect color, too! That’s why lipstick doesn’t always look the same on any two women.
Since you’re looking for a lipstick good for officewear, I suggest you avoid bright colors. These can be distracting. Choose a shade that will lend you authority and give you femininity at the same time. Neutrals in the family of pinks and berries are a good choice. Red may be powerful, but it can also make you seem unapproachable. Neutral colors in the family of browns can sometimes make you look dreary and tired. That’s the last thing you want in the workplace.
Shu Uemura launched its latest line of lipsticks called Rouge Unlimited, a new 48-shade lipstick range. Founder Shu Uemura is said to have worked on the Rouge Unlimited range for almost 10 years, drawing inspiration and technology from calligraphy ink and ceramic pigments. Its patent-pending hybrid pigment technology gives true and pure color with higher fidelity. This new star product also possesses moisture properties for a smooth glide and long-lasting moisture effect.
Another hot new product is Rouge Dior. Dior laboratories developed two brand-new complexes used for the first time in a lipstick, making it go further in the formula’s performance and comfort. The first is a skincare complex which provides total comfort and gives a lasting moisturizing effect. Rouge Dior contains a raw material that imitates the action of the skin’s natural lipids and an oligopeptide stimulating collagen production that plumps up the lips and gives them perfect curves. The second is a Colour Reveal complex, inspired by lighting techniques used on film sets, which gives Dior Rouge’s colors unrivalled radiance, making them look fresh, bright, and pure.
Since you’ll be in the office all day, it’s important that your lipstick moisturizes your lips and its color won’t fade away. After all, we won’t always have time for touch-ups! I personally like Rouge Dior and Shu Uemura’s Rouge Unlimited. (Shu Umerura and Rouge Dior from Christian Dior cosmetics are exclusively available at Rustan’s.) The moment my lips got a kiss of color from these two new products, I loved how they felt so smooth on my lips and gave a sustainable gloss. My lips felt fresh and moist. Aside from their moisturizing effects, the color remained intense. I kept forgetting that I didn’t need to retouch my lipstick as often as I used to. But I couldn’t help gliding them on again and again on my lips because I loved the way they felt on my lips.
Another must-try is Avon Color Ultra Moisture Rich Lipstick. Available in 12 shades, it has an exclusive Repleni-Moisture Boost technology that allows colors to be four times richer and improves skin cushion and lip softness. What I really like is that this product contains SPF 15. When a product can give moisture, color, and SPF protection all at the same time, nothing can be better. I’m a lip balm junkie and this is one lipstick that makes me feel like I have lip balm the whole time. I just keep rubbing my lips together to enjoy the softness and endless moisture.
Avon is exclusively available from your Avon lady or call 864-AVON for Metro Manila, 1-800-1-888-AVON for provincial toll-free.
If you want a glossy lipstick, try The Face Shop’s Rainbow Lip Gloss. It’s a cool pen brush-type lip gloss that blends two colors to create rainbow effects that shimmer. They also have their line of Delicious lip glosses that comes in tubes or pots. Why it’s delicious? It’s formulated with a fresh fruit fragrance and comes in 13 yummy shades. But my favorite lip product is their Freshian Real Tint, a liquid type tint that provides natural-looking color. This is my favorite everyday lip product. I carry it with me all the time and I can use it day or night. And unlike other lip tints that wash or rub off easily, this stays on quite well.
The Face Shop is available at Glorietta 2, Makati; SM Mall of Asia; and SM North Edsa.
When it comes to lipstick texture – be it matte, cream, sheer, shimmer, tint or gloss – the choice is really yours. Go for a texture you’re comfortable with. Personally, I prefer sheer, shimmer or gloss lipstick. Actually, any lipstick that makes my lips feel smooth and moisturized, I easily love. I’m also the kind of person who likes re-applying my lipstick without a mirror. Sheer, shimmer or gloss is more fool-proof for me than matte or cream – with these two, mistakes are more obvious, especially if you don’t use a mirror like me. Rissa
Could you tell me what soap is hiyang to a typical teen like me? I’m 19, male, and would also like to know if there’s an ointment or cream to remove the blemishes and scars left by pimples.
Dennis
There are a lot of good soaps out there, but like you said, it is all a matter of hiyangan. Offhand, I would recommend Cetaphil, which is mild yet effective. For pimples, what really works for me is the Mario Badescu Acne Drying Lotion, available at Rustan’s Essenses. It may seem expensive, especially when you see that it comes in a small bottle, but it lasts sooo long. And it works fast, and works well.
Lucy
Could you help me find a bra where the hook is not at the back? I find it too painful to reach for the hook at the back of my bra due to a recent sprained muscle on my arm. Please note that I’m not a nursing mom, hence I’d like to buy a regular bra. I think the elderly, especially those who are obese, would prefer this kind of bra so they don’t have to strain or sprain their hands reaching for their backs or get somebody to help them put their bras on.
Mariz
You can try Triumph, whose bras come in assorted styles to suit women’s different lifestyles. Yes, they have a style that hooks in front, and is actually designed for athletic women. Triumph is available in leading deparment stores. Rustan’s and SM have quite a wide selection of Triumph bras. Also, there are Lily of France and Gap bras, which have front openings.
Tingting
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