Have you been out in public, and saw an amazing lip color on a complete stranger?  As you stare in awe, do you ever want to forget etiquette and ask, “What and where did you get that color?”

Don't worry you won't have to rely on someone else's beauty secrets, because we will cover everything you need to know about wearing the right lipstick!

There is no such thing as a lipstick rule, but there are lipstick guidelines on how to choose and wear them.

LET’S START FROM THE VERY  BEGINNING:  LIPSTICK HISTORY

Now through modern technology and research the variety of lipsticks are endless and bountiful with lip balm, lip treatment, lip gloss and all different types of lip finishes, colors and packaging.

LIPSTICK INGREDIENTS

A lot of the manufactures will have different types of variations to the ingredients in any given lipstick that include:

• FINISH
• TEXTURE
• FEEL
• TYPES (SHEER, GLOSS, MATTE...)

The most common ingredients found in lipstick are:

• WAX - Helps with the shape of the lipstick
• OIL - Provides slip and movement of the color
• EMOLLIENTS
• ANTIOXIDANTS

CATEGORIES OF LIPSTICKS

It doesn't matter which brand of lipstick you purchase, whether it's from a drug store, high-end store or online boutique.  Lipstick is broken up into 4 color categories:

RED

ORANGE

PINK

NUDE

All of the colors have a broad spectral of colors, for example:

• RED
  Color variations include but are not limited to BLUE BASED RED, ORANGE BASED RED, PINK BASED RED, etc....  Reds depend on your coloring whether you are a warm tone or a cool tone.
• ORANGE
  Colors variations include but are not limited to CORAL ORANGE, PINK BASED ORANGE, TANGERINE ORANGE, etc....  It's all about finding that perfect orange for you whether its light, dark, sheer, cream or full.
  
• PINK
  This is obviously one of the most popular colors, because everyone loves the look of bright pink lipstick.  Pink color variations range from as pale as a BABY PINK or intense as FUCHSIA.
• NUDE
  Ranges from a pale concealer look to something warm, dark and deep as a chocolatey brown.  The nude shade does not have to match the same shade as your foundation.  A suitable nude shade is usually 2 shades darker than your foundation shade.
  

HOW TO APPLY LIPSTICK

• EXFOLIATE
  You don't want dry, flaky skin on your lips, because that will not make any lipstick feel good.  Use a lip scrub, vaseline or wear lip balm about a minute and then wipe it off.

CONCEAL
Use a concealer or lip primer that conceals your current lip color.  This process will provide you with a blank canvas by neutralizing lips that are too dark or too pale for the lipstick color chosen.

START FROM THE CENTER
Always start from the center, because that's where your color concentration should be anyway.  Slowly work your way towards the outer corners and outliner.  It's ok if you overdraw them a little bit, but let's not get carried away.

USE LIP BRUSHES AND LIP LINERS
Don't be shy to use lip brushes and lip liners, because they are great tools to give you the perfect shaped lips.

GUIDELINES OF HOW TO CHOOSE A LIPSTICK

Darker lipstick will often make skin appear lighter, while the reverse is true with lighter hue lipstick making skin appear darker. 

Side note:  Darker lipstick will make your teeth appear whiter.

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LIPSTICK COLOR                       OUTLOOK

DARK                                    LIGHTER SKIN
                                           BRIGHTER SKIN
                                            WHITER TEETH

PALE PINK/NUDE     TANNED, DARK SKIN
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Coral and oranges will tend to make you look tanned as opposed to wearing bright pinks and bright reds.

Remember at the end of the day lipstick is all about trying the different types on your lips, and actually seeing for yourself what looks great on you.