Pop out your luscious lips

By Jackie Ojiambo

Picking the right lipstick and applying it correctly is a choice that can mean the difference between looking like a clown or a queen.

Our lips get a lot of focus when we are communicating and, therefore, deserve great attention.

Before applying any make-up, lips require consistent care to avoid flaky, chapped lips. Use a lip balm to act as a barrier to sun, wind and air conditioning. Lip balms are of a thick waxy nature and have greater staying power than creams.

Tips to make your lips dazzle:

• Choose a lipstick colour that fits the description of your skin tone. For instance, if your skin is light, pick a light lipstick. Similarly, if your skin is dark, pick a dark lipstick. Choosing a lipstick in this manner will help you stay on the right track and steer clear of major lip colour disasters.

• It also helps you narrow down your choices quickly when you enter a beauty shop, especially since lipsticks are normally arranged on shelves from light to dark.

• Choose a lipstick ‘finish’ that complements your lip size. A lipstick finish describes the way in which a colour sits on your lips. Finishes normally range from matte to shiny. Matte finishes show up as flat and dry. They usually look best on large lips because of their minimising effect. Shiny finishes show up as glossy and moist. They usually look best on thin lips because of their plumping effect. If you are lucky enough to have medium sized lips, you can choose any finish.

• To make your lipstick last longer than usual, first apply a layer of moisturising lip balm. A lip balm seals in the existing moisture and can, depending on the product, bring moisturising repair.

• The choice of the colour of your lip gloss depends on the colour is the first layer applied. Your lipstick must be a shade darker than your gloss. If you use transparent gloss, better choose some natural colour like peach or light pink. The direction of the application of lipstick should be inside-out just before the outline of your lips.

• To make a good accent to your lips, put a lip liner that is a bit darker than your lipstick. To draw attention to the centre of your lips, do not line to the end. A lip liner helps to define your lips for increased lip beauty.

• Making your gloss last longer is the final step in making up your lips. Take the brush and put a small drop of gloss. Apply it in even strokes to your lips outline, and then blot your freshly painted lips lightly with a tissue. This will make it last longer.

The writer is an Etiquette Consultant with Etiquette Essentials; Send your questions to [email protected]