lipstick – Bonita Valli

I’m not big on makeup. Never really have been, but recently, I’ve taken a real liking to the art and would like to believe that I’ve significantly upped my game!! My first love will always be deep, dark, sultry eyeliner but recently I’ve been adulterous and toyed with lipstick and even flirted with foundation. My love affair with the latter is very new and still requires a lot of work, but the real focus of this post is centered on the dynamic and seductive results achieved with lipstick.

My collection of lipsticks is pretty basic and easily broken down into 3 categories:

1. The Neutrals;

2. The Reds; and

3. The Berries.

The Neutrals: This includes MAC’s Modesty and MAC’s Shy Girl. Both are cremesheen and glide on to moisutrised lips with an effortless stroke. As the names suggest, these classic shades are incredibly humble. The kind of nudes that allow you to slip away just as Prince Charming catches a glimpse of that smile. The Cinderella effect if you like!

L-R: Cremesheen Modesty and Cremesheen Shy Girl

The Reds: Ever making a statement MAC’s Ruby Woo and Russian Red need no introduction. They are who they are, persuasive, intense and rich…. Fiery by nature! I must admit, the matte nature of these reds could be as detrimental as they are passionate and although both last for unimaginable hours, they dry out my lips leaving a chapped and hideous residue. I find that an intense exfoliation exercise needs to be carried out ahead of application.

L-R Matte Ruby Woo and Matte Russian Red

The Berries: These are my Prima Donnas! Need I say more? Diva is a matte finish but my all time favourite, Rebel is the perfect satin finish. She’s the right amount of edgy and announces herself upon arrival. Best of all, Rebel’s satin finish makes it easy to re-apply and goes with almost any skintone!

L-R: Matte Diva and Satin Rebel

You might have noticed that I was silent on my Topshop ‘Partition’ right at the back of my lipstick line. That’s because I’m still trying to figure it out. I’m not sure how long it lasts but I must say it’s an easy application.

Addicted to (MAC) lipsticks? Do tell!!!

xXx

Ps: Shout Out to Oyinkan (office intern aka APC!!!) for inspiring this post and stealing my Shy Girl!

Pps: Music Update!!! Currently addicted to Ellie Gouldings “Love Me Like You Do”, Ariana Grande’s “One Last Time” and MI’s “Mine” ft. WizKid.

You may remember about 2 blogs or so ago that I mentioned having started a routine of lip exfoliation. Well as promised, here is how I came about it, what I do and how I do it!

Ever so often, when my outfit/mood needs a bit of a(n) edge/boost, I smack on some daring red lipstick (Mac’s Ruby Woo or MUA lipstick shade 1; the irony lies in the pricing) which instantly serves as a fixer. However I have come to realise that chapped/dry lips underneath this alarmingly loud hue, results in a counter act, thereby deminishing the value of my outcome.

Well, every problem has a solution and below is a treatment my sister Wura once talked me through:

Step 1: Crush a couple of cubes of sugar in a bowl, the bigger the granules the better;

Step 2: Mix in some honey until you’re left with a gritty paste. I don’t use any particular proportions, I judge based on what looks equivalent to the sugar;

Step 3: Apply to the entire lip area in a circular motion until dead skin peels off;

Step 4: Rinse off with warm water (alternatively, just lick it off) and apply some Vaseline lip therapy (my latest obsession is the Pink Bubbly, thanks Gbonju).

Voila! DIY Lip Exfoliation in 4 easy steps! I guess I can brave the red lippie once again.

If you fancy going wild, apply food colouring to the mixture and dance around as you exfoliate. I also read that you can apply oil to the mixture for moisturising as you exfoliate, but I’m yet to try that out. In case you were wondering what oil to use, I suggest coconut oil!

Merry Christmas everyone *kisses*
xXx

Ps: Did you notice the Christmassy background? Thanks Taiwo, my trusty techie!

Tag: lipstick

Lipstick Love

Lip Exfoliation