7 Rules for Wearing Lip Gloss

Of all the products on the shelves, lip gloss is one of the most foolproof. Slick it on (with or without a mirror) and go. Right? Well … sorta.  Makeup artist Taylor Babaian has seen and experienced her share of gloss mishaps, so she’s here to dole out her top seven hard and fast rules for buying and applying it. Break them at your own risk.

Rule #1: Unless you’re going for a patent leather-y bold lip color, always go with a sheer bright or dark gloss hue. Opaque bold glosses are nearly impossible to keep looking neat, and they create a more over-the-top look than most of us are going for. Babaian’s go-to glosses: Lancome Juicy Tubes and L’Oral Paris Colour Juice—the Passion Fruit Squeeze is a mauvy-neutral she swears “looks great on everyone.”

Rule #2: If you buy a gloss that doesn’t seem to mesh well with your skin tone, mix it with clear gloss or petroleum jelly to make it more wearable. “I do this all of the time,” says Babaian.

Rule #3: If you have fine lines around your mouth, choose a gloss shade that’s “close to your skin tone,” says Babaian. This will make any bleeding that occurs with gloss less obvious.

Rule #4: Don’t shy away from thick or sticky formulas. “They are not necessarily bad,” says Babaian adding that thicker formulas give “the highest intensity shine” and last much longer their thinner counterparts. One warning: these are “not kissable, they’re definitely for looks only,” she says.

Rule #5: Don’t get caught with any icky gloss mouth. You know how some people seem to have a gloss/saliva combo collecting in the corners of their mouth and along the inside rim of their lips? We hope you’re nodding. Babaian says this can be prevented by exfoliating lips regularly. She uses the simple “Vaseline with a warm washcloth” trick to get rid of excess skin. If that doesn’t solve the issue, carry Q-Tips with you to swipe the excess gloss/skin/saliva/whatever-it-is off the corners and inner rims of your mouth.

Rule #6: Protect your lips. “Wearing lip gloss is like wearing oil on your body,” says Babaian, so you need to protect your lips with sunscreen. She recommends applying Chapstick Ultra 30 before swiping on gloss to prevent sun damage.

Rule #7: “Don’t rub your lips together,” urges Babaian. “It pushes the lip gloss outward so your lips no longer look finished.”

What is your all-time favorite lip gloss?


Article written by: Kristen Oldham Giordani
For Makeup.com   7 Rules for Wearing Lip Gloss

The Skin Tone Solution

If you’re like me, choosing makeup colors can be as nerve-wracking as bathing suit shopping. No, you’re not half naked standing in front of a three-way mirror. But one wrong hue and you risk looking like a ghost, a clown or a Jersey Shore cast member. Here, glōminerals makeup artist Kate McCarthy gives simple tips for finding the best eye and cheek colors for your skin tone.

Your skin tone: Fair

Best eye colors: Light nudes (like taupes, matte slates, and cream) and copper/bronze.
“Nude colors stand out more on fair skin than they would on medium or dark complexions and can be used to accentuate features,” says McCarthy. Shades of copper/bronze warm up your entire complexion—even if you only use them on the eye area.

Best cheek colors: Browns, pinks, peach and rose.
“Unlike other skin tones, fair skin can wear browns, pinks, peach and rose with ease,” says McCarthy. When you apply these colors (do so sparingly), they offer a pop of color or a nice natural flush. The only time to avoid pinks or reds is if you have Rosacea.

Your skin tone: Medium

Best eye colors: Browns, purples, deep greys, and any jewel tone.
“Medium skin can hold a good amount of color on the face as well as the eyes,” explains McCarthy. “Browns are always a go-to for a natural day look, but pump it up at night with an emerald smokey eye to add some brightness to your entire complexion!”

Best cheek colors: Pinks, rose and peach shades.
“Often if someone with medium skin tone wears a brown-based cheek color it can translate as a bit muddy,” says McCarthy. But cheek colors of pink, rose and peach will brighten your complexion and give it a glow.

Your skin tone: Dark

Best eye colors: Deep jewel tone colors, blacks, greys, taupes and brown.
“I love working on dark complexions because you can get some gorgeous looks with deep jewel colors. They really pop off the face and make the eyes the main focus,” says McCarthy. Then, highlight eyes with a little light gold. “Be careful when choosing a highlight color,” cautions McCarthy. “Going too light (like a diamond color or chalk white) will not translate well.”

Best cheek colors: Deep plums, light soft pinks and deep rose/red/berry.
Deep rose/red/berry cheek colors will add a natural flush. “Plums give a nice flush AND an unexpected pop of color,” says McCarthy. “And soft pinks are great for a night out on the town to brighten your complexion and add some fun to your look.”

Your skin tone: Olive

Best eye colors: Neutrals (like browns, slates, stone and taupes with more of a blue base than a yellow one), gold, lilac, and other pastels.
Gold will help add dimension to your entire look and brighten your complexion while pastel colors translate beautifully on olive skin adding a brightness and balancing your complexion. “Your complexion can look a little sallow if you use too many yellow-toned neutral colors. Instead, try a wash of lilac on your lid with a light gold on the brow bone,” says McCarthy.

Best cheek colors: Peach, pink, and light bronze.
Pinks will brighten any olive complexion as will peach. “Using a light toned bronzer will add great dimension to the face, just don’t go too dark bronze to avoid looking muddy,” says McCarthy.

Article written by:Michele Bender
For Makeup.com http://www.makeup.com/trends/face/the-skin-tone-solution-2/