Perhaps you’ve heard of Liptember (a fundraiser held each September for women’s mental health services) … well this is my Lipstory (Lipstick History)!
Like most little girls, my first lipsticks were my mother’s cast-offs, or the tiny lipstick samples courtesy of our local Avon lady.
When I started at high school, lip gloss was BIG. Sifting through our bathroom cupboard I found an old bottle of men’s hair oil (keep in mind my Dad had moved out two years earlier!) and was delighted to find it gave the same effect. I liked to wear it over an old blusher of my mother’s – it was a magical gold-flecked peach, and I thought I was it-and-a-bit. I guess necessity truly is the mother of invention!
I was a teenager in the early 80’s, the days of neon outfits, blue eyeliner and bubble gum pink lips.
When I attended my Grad Ball at the end of my time at teacher’s college, mauve lipstick and blush was the very latest. I’m not sure that it suited me though!
A couple of years later, the husbear and I were dating. One day he surprised me with a gift of perfume – Estee Lauder’s Beautiful – just because (he was a keeper right from the start!). It was one of those special offers that came with a “gift with purchase”, a goodie bag containing an eyeshadow palette, and LIPSTICK! I absolutely loved that lippy, a gorgeous frosted peach in an elegant gold case. If I could find it for sale now, I’d still wear it 🙂 .
But of course, that’s the thing with lipstick; it feels like you no sooner find a favourite and they discontinue that colour.
One of the benefits of blogging for the last ten years is that I can easily track the different lipsticks which have taken my fancy!
My favourite shade for a long time was Natio Lip Glow No. 5 but then … it was discontinued.
My new lippy of choice was Ulta 3’s Rose Bloom (a cheapie lipstick I got from the chemist). I liked that it had a matte finish without drying out my lips … I’m wearing it in this pic from 2013.
Then my beauty therapist friend introduced me to Jane Iredale lip gloss in Fascination, when she did my makeup for me before an awards ceremony in 2016; here’s a pic, though you can’t really see my lipstick!
After that, I got a bee in my bonnet that peachy lip colours made my teeth look yellow, so I avoided them … even after I’d had my colours done. That’s why I look very hesitant in these pics from the colour workshop.
Not long after that I had dental bondings which gave me beautiful white teeth, and since then I’ve been able to wear the colours I love, and that love me in return.
My colour consultant put me on to this gorgeous lipstick, but when it ran out I re-ordered it and they’d changed the formula. The new one felt gritty and I didn’t like the texture at all, so the hunt was on for another favourite lippy.
About 18 months ago I discovered Rimmel Provocalips, you really can’t go past it for staying power! You apply the glossy colour with a wand, and allow it to dry to a matte finish. Then apply a layer of the gloss with the wand at the other end.
My usual colour is called Make Your Move but I want to take it up a notch, so have been looking into something a bit darker. I bought the bright red called Kiss Me You Fool but yeah … nah (see pic below). The shade I *really* want, Play with Fire, seems to be out of stock everywhere, sigh!
So that’s my lipstory in a nutshell … what’s your current go-to lipstick?!
My all time fav lipstick is Mac in the shade ‘Syrup’. It’s a mauve colour in a hydrating formula. I used to love Rimmel ‘123 True Vintage’ in high school but they discontinued it. My current favourites are Clinique Almost Lipstick in the shade ‘Black Honey’ and Burt’s Bees tinted lip balm in ‘Rose’. I think you’d like the tinted lip balm 🙂
I will have to try them next time I see you!!!!