Dear Rissa,
I’m seeing this big trend in lip kits, which feature a liquid lipstick and lip liner. Is using a lip liner really important?
May
Lip liners are some of the beauty tools that can show you the magic of makeup. Lip liners are crayon-like pencils that help define the lips. You can instantly make fine lips look so much fuller by drawing slightly outside your lips. Lip liners also help correct little flaws and imperfections. I remember chatting with Heart Evangelista once and she shared that the lip liner was the first beauty product she used. She got into a little accident as a kid and now, she has a scar on her upper lip. So, to perfect her lip shape, she always relies on lip liners.
Another reason why lip liners are so big nowadays is because they’re the perfect partners to the liquid lipstick trend. Lip liners prevent lipstick from bleeding into fine lines around the mouth. It somewhat serves as a “dam” and locks lip color in place to help prevent the lipstick from migrating outside the lips. Another way I like wearing it is by using it on the entire lip so it doubles as a long-lasting lip color. Some formulas can be quite drying and tug at the lips so look for a lip liner with ingredients like shea butter and cupuaçu butter, which deliver a matte-yet-moisturizing finish.
Lastly, the best investment is to get a lip liner similar to your natural lip color so it’s versatile enough to be used with a lot of other lippies.
Rissa
* * *
Body Odor: Don’t Suppress It, Address It
Dear Lucy,
I have skin allergies and a terrible body odor. Sometimes they happen at the same time; on better days, I only have to deal with one or the other. I take a shower at least twice a day, but when I sweat, it’s just so foul. My self-esteem has gone down the drain and I have lost hope of ever having a love life, for who will even want to sit beside me given the way I smell?
Help me, please. I have tried all sorts of soaps, I drown myself in cologne, but the moment I sweat, I smell.
For my allergies I am forever on steroids and have been prescribed anti-histamines. This has been going on for years although I was not born with these conditions. They just started unfolding over the past four to five years or so.
Belle
Body odor (plus skin allergies!) is unpleasant, indeed, and since you say you have tried all sorts of soaps, it may be time to look inside and start being mindful of what you eat. Maybe you can see a nutrition expert and he/she can guide you on a safe detox program or a manageable elimination diet to determine which foods trigger your allergies, and to a certain extent your body odor. You have to start dealing with the cause instead of addressing/suppressing just the symptoms.
Other options you can try which are very effective also, if you just give it a chance: acupuncture, and the use of essential oils. For the latter, please make sure it is pure, therapeutic-grade, and always proceed with caution. Ask the experts, read up, educate yourself. Your body can heal itself, if you feed it the right food and address assimilation and elimination. A holistic approach may be what you need at this point in time.
Lucy