Lip Gloss - Pure Girlish Fun in a Tube

Lip Gloss is fun. It can be shiny, shimmery, sweet, colored, uncolored, flavored, sticky, not so sticky, very sticky and can drive men nuts. According to the song titled "Lip Gloss" by Lil Mama: "my lipgloss be poppin, my lipgloss be cool and all the boys be jockin and chasing me after school". I've only gotten complaints from my hubby about its stickiness when he kisses me. Goes both ways I suppose. By the way, I watched about a minute of Lil Mama's "Lip Gloss" video on YouTube then watched a knockoff version by Lil Brittany. Lil Brittany's version is quite funny (much better) and worth a look if you have the extra time. Reminds us not to take ourselves too seriously.

And I find that lip gloss helps in that aspect. It's the not so formal, more undone sister to lipstick. Gloss gives a shine to the lips that makes them appear fuller and is easy to wear. There are many kinds of lip gloss available and different ways to apply it - the little sponge applicator in the tube, a brush, or with your fingers out of a jar. The first commercially available lip gloss was Max Factor's (inventor of many things makeup) X-Rated in 1932 and was sold until 2003 when it was retired. It's safe to say that every makeup line available now offers some type of lip gloss.

Because of that fact, the task of finding your perfect/favorite one might seem daunting. But really this is the fun part. Find the nearest department store (or come see me) that allows you to try out makeup before buying and take advantage. Try different types - plumping, super glossy, shimmery - there's an endless selection. Plumpers are nice if they aren't too tingly and help those with thinner lips. The effects of plumpers are temporary like so many things in the beauty world but the great thing about lip gloss - you can just reapply ;)

Lip gloss is actually pretty versatile as well. You can wear it alone, under or on top of lipstick, over a lip pencil, wear one color lipstick or lip pencil and a gloss in another color to create a different color and look. Gloss can change with your mood.

In a small, informal survey some gloss faves are Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment ("smells wonderful, no goop, contains SPF and just the right amount of gloss"), Cherry SoftLips ("tastes good, smells good, feels soft and when it melts, makes my purse smell good"), Jane Iredale Pure Gloss ("so many colors to love and choose from") and a couple votes for the old standby - Cherry Chapstick.
Fresh is a great product with good ingredients. SoftLips, kudos to them, now has a 95% USDA certified organic lip product and Jane Iredale (a favorite of mine as well) is a natural product that plumps without chemicals and isn't too tingly. When I looked up these different brands on the Internet, I was pleased to see the ingredients were easy to find. Very helpful in this day and age.
A little more on Jane Iredale Pure Gloss...I do use this mineral makeup line personally and professionally so, yes, I know a lot about it. Their glosses have a base of organic vegetable oils with a tingly mint and ginger flavor that plumps without chemicals. They contain coconut oil and palm oil - natural emollients and moisturizers and soybean oil - a natural moisturizer and antioxidant. Some of my favorite colors are Cotton Candy, Candied Rose and Cosmo. The website is chock full of info on all the products which is refreshing. They also offer plumpers that have a soft sheen and subtle color.

Many glosses and balms contain petroleum which interferes with the skin's natural moisturizing factor and causes lips to dry and chap. Which is why we apply them so much more often than we need to. Finding petroleum free lip products means less reapplying. A fantastic balm is Jane Iredale's Lip Drink - SPF 14, in a base of macadamia nut oil with edible zinc oxide for sun protection, antioxidants Green Tea extract and vitamins E and C, and a great lemon and orange oil smell and flavor. Lip Drink is one of my favorite, absolutely must carry with me products. And it's colorless- great for women and men.

Any way you like it - or don't - lip gloss is a simple way to express yourself or a simple way to moisturize and treat your lips. And it's okay to blow yourself a little shiny kiss in the mirror after applying :)


Coming up: Demystifying the myths of tanning and sunscreen.

Questions, Comments and Requests are always welcome!

Thanks for reading,
Abby O.