Makeup 101: Lip Products

After doing makeup 101: eyeshadow and eyeliner, today it’s time to cover some lip products!

I’m going to show you six different lip products, how and when to use them, and what the pros and cons are of each product, for those of you that are getting lost in the multitude of available products.

First of all, here’s a picture of my bare lips, to use as a comparison.

Ok, let’s get started. The first product I want to cover is often the first real makeup product young girls ever buy: lipgloss!

Lipgloss

Lipgloss is easy to apply, comes in lots of fun colours, and gives a nice fresh and youthful look. It comes in different ‘finishes’, like creamy, shimmery, or glittery. There’s a gloss for every makeup look!

The problem with lipgloss, though, is that it’s a young person’s item. When the lips get a bit wrinkly after a certain age, the gloss tends to settle into the lines and look a bit odd. I don’t like to give age restrictions, if you’re in doubt about whether you’re getting ‘too old’ for lipgloss, just have a good objective look at how it sits on your lips and looks with the rest of your makeup, or ask an honest friend.

Pros
– Easy to apply, even without a mirror
– Comes in every colour & finish imaginable
– Looks youthful & healthy

Cons
– Wears off pretty fast, reapplications needed
– Doesn’t look great on older women

I’m wearing Catrice Lip Colour Cream in Nymph’s Glow (limited edition).

Tinted Lipbalm

Tinted lipbalm is one of my personal favourites when it comes to lipproducts. It’s just as convenient as lipgloss, but gives a mores subtle effect and nourishes the lips at the same time.

As the name suggests, tinted lipbalm is a lipbalm with pigment, and sometimes shimmer, added to it. For all you organic cosmetics lovers out there, this is the easiest lip product to buy in organic form or make yourself.

Tinted lipbalm gives  a beautiful subtle colour to the lips, often looking very natural. Plus, you’re guaranteed to never get the dry lip look, because it’s super moisturizing!

Pros
– Easy to apply
– Subtle look
– Moisturizes the lips
– DIY-able

Cons
– Wears off pretty fast
– Often not very pigmented

I’m wearing Michael Todd Tinted Beeswax Lip Protector in Berry.

Lipstick

As one of the most popular (and oldest) makeup items ever, lipstick is something most women will likely have in their collection. Like lipgloss, lipstick comes in many different colours and finishes. The main difference between lipgloss and lipstick is pretty obvious: lipstick isn’t glossy. It can have a more or less matte finish, or a shimmery finish, but lipstick is never glossy. This makes it suitable for women of all ages.

Lipstick is the easiest option if you’re looking for a pigmented, strong lip product.

Pros
– Great variety
– Pigmented
– Suitable for all ages

Cons
– Needs a steady hand in application
– Depending on brand, can wear off pretty fast

I’m wearing NYX Black Label Lipstick in 108 Dusty Rose.

Lipliner

A lipliner is mainly used underneath a lipstick, to prevent the product from bleeding into the fine lines around the lips and make it last longer.  However, with the great quality of lipstick these days, the lipliner is free to serve another purpose.

Lipliner is an amazing tool if you’re looking to alter the shape of the lips. You can use it to make your lips slightly bigger, smaller, or more symmetrical.

When used to fill in the entire lips, lipliner is a nice longlasting, pigmented option. The fine tip provides a lot of precision, so lipliner can make a beautiful sharp outline. Wearing just lipliner will make your lips feel very dry though, I’d suggest wearing  a balm or gloss over it (even though it does make it wear off faster. Comfort, yo!)

Pros
– Allows you to alter the shape of the lips
– Lots of precision
– Longlasting
– Pigmented

Cons
– Needs a very steady hand
– Very drying

I’m wearing Essence Longlasting Lipliner in 04 Sweet Cherry.

Liquid lipstick

This product comes with many names, but is essentially a lipstick that is applied like a lipgloss. These liquid lipsticks are usually made to be super pigmented and super longlasting, like a lipstick plus. This product is up and coming, and I have to say it’s stealing my heart!

Since this is such a young concept, the differences between brands are huge. Some liquid lipsticks aren’t as long lasting as they should be, or they’re very drying to the lips. It’s a very hit-or-miss product, so I suggest doing some online research before buying a liquid lipstick.

Pros
– Very longlasting
– Pigmented
– Easier to apply than traditional lipstick

Cons
– Still experimental: not all brands are great
– Feels dry on the lips

I’m wearing Lancôme l’Absolu Velours in 363 Velours de Pétale.

Lipstain

Lipstain is a strange product, in my opinion. It literally stains the top layer of skin on your lips, thus making it extremely longlasting. The colour and finish options are limited, but stain does provide a natural liptint.

I was hesitant to use it at first, but once I tried it out I was hooked. I love using a nice berry tint during autumn and winter, that will give a natural flushed look.

Pros
– Extremely longlasting
– Natural look

Cons
– Drying, needs lipbalm over top
– Mistakes are hard to remove

I’m wearing NYC Smooch Proof 16H lipstain in 498 Berry Long Time.

That concludes my breakdown of the most popular lip products! What’s your weapon of choice?