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Penna’s Pharmacies have been providing affordable healthcare, professional advice and quality service for 40 years. Come visit us at our Edensor Park, Green Valley, Cecil Hills, Prestons or Liverpool pharmacies.
Finding the Perfect Lipstick: Selecting the Right Lip Product and Lipstick Shade for Your Skin Tone
Introduction
Choosing the right lip products can be daunting and confusing due to wide variety of options that are available in the marketplace. Understanding their purpose, textures, colours and the look you wish to achieve, is key to making the right selection.
Understanding textures and finishes
The first step is to understand what textures and finishes are available, as this will help you get the final look right:
Matte texture
A matte texture is opaque in colour and has no shine to the product. Some formulas can also have a sheer matte finish, but it’s more common for a matte to be opaque in nature.
Sheer texture
Sheer formulas contain less colour pigment and have a see through colour finish, which means you can see the natural lip colour through the product. A sheer texture is sometimes referred to as a tint due to the transparency of the colour finish. The texture of a sheer formula can be shiny, slightly glossy and also a sheer matte.
Glossy texture
Gloss based formulas have a shiny finish that’s either clear or contain a hint of colour. However, there are some formulas that can contain extra pigment and be more opaque with a glossy finish.
Metallic Colour
Metallic colours contain an ingredient called mica that has a metallic pearlescent finish to the final product also known as shimmer.
Types of Lip Formulations
Lip formulations can be designed to impart long wear colour that lasts all day. Whereas, other lip formulations are not designed for longevity but to only impart colour and shine.
Types of Lip Products
There are many types of lip products that can be used to create different looks:
Lipstick
Lipstick is used to impart colour on the lips and to beautify them. A lipstick can be a windup lipstick tube, a tube with a lip wand or even a slim windup crayon.
Lip Gloss
A lip gloss is formulated to impart a glossy shine to the lips, and it’s packaged in a tube with a lip wand applicator. A lipstick or balm can have a glossy finish however their finish is different, as the formulations in a stick formula is not as shiny as a lip wand applicator formulation.
Lip oil
Lip oil is similar to a lip gloss with a slight glossy finish and is also packaged in similar packaging. However, the formulation is different to a lip gloss. Lip oil has more of an oil base formula which does not adhere as much to the lip, as whereas a lip gloss is mostly synthetic based film forming agents that sit on top of the lips.
Lip Liner
A lip liner is usually a pencil based product that is used to outline the outer lip line, which can also be used to create fuller looking lips. Lip liner is often used with lipstick around the lip line or can be used on its own to outline the lip line and colour the lip the same way you do would with a lipstick.
Lip Balm
Lip Balm is a conditioning product used to provide hydration and relieve dry and cracked lips. Lip balms are usually clear and may or may not contain a flavour. However, there are also tinted lip balms that not only nourish the lips, but also provide a hint of colour to enhance the natural lip colour.
Other types of lip products include: lip scrubs and lip masks. These fall within the lip care category. A lip scrub is used to remove excess dry flaky skin and create a smooth canvas before other lip products are applied. A lip mask is similar to a face mask which is used to hydrate, soften and plump the lip area.
Selecting the Right Lip Colours for You
Finding the right lip colour can be tricky, especially because there are so many colours and textures to choose from.
The first step is to determine what look and finish you would like to create – for example, matte with long wear or a sheer tint.
The next step is to work out when and where you would like to wear the lip product – for example, every day to work, a black tie event, date night, or a day out over the weekend.
Once you know the answer to these questions then you need to work out the right colour to suit your skin tone. The following is a general colour guide:
Pink, red or nude lip colours
Cherry red, mauve or berry lip colours
Deep pink and red tone lip colours
The Lipstick Guide below will help you find your perfect shade for your skin tone and the occasion.
When selecting a lipstick colour, you need to factor in the texture, finish, occasion and the look that you are trying to achieve. Trying different textures and colours is the best way to discover what feels most comfortable for you.
Penna’s Pharmacies have been providing affordable healthcare, professional advice and quality service for 40 years. Come visit us at our Edensor Park, Green Valley, Cecil Hills, Prestons or Liverpool pharmacies.
