Life in Lipstick, Lipstick in Life (Part II): your thoughts

Lips are a notable feature of one's body, they serve many a purpose; they allow for eating, permit speech/ sound, enable facial expressions' and they are a sensory organ. They are a powerful instrument and what better way to play up to them and celebrate their glory by using lipstick.
Or not????

For Part II of Life in Lipstick, Lipstick in Life I spoke to some amazing women from all parts of the world and asked them about their relationship with lipstick. They share their first lipstick experience, and give some friendly advice what is age appropriate; mainly don't go to bold until you reach a certain age! 

Zoe Guiradon - France

If I like wearing lipstick? I love it! At first I found it a bit bold because I used to emphasise my eyes more and you know the golden rule: "You have to choose!" However, now I am all for the minimal eye and bold lipstick!

Reasons why I wear lipstick? You can wear more colours on your lips than you can your eyes, and I love to match my lipstick with a piece of my outfit like shoes, belt, or a pattern on my top.

First, experience of wearing lipstick? That is a hard one because I don't really remember. When younger, I preferred gloss or nude shades but when I started University I wanted to stand out from the crowd so I started to wear bold colours. I am French so with bold colour lipstick in France you are sure to stand out, everyone is wearing either nude or red... 

Priya J - India

I ADORE wearing lipstick! Lipstick for me is a statement and almost theatrical. The shade I decide to wear can define who I choose to be for the day. Just like how a well tailored blazer or a pair of classic heels can transform an outfit, a well chosen lipstick can take you from being plain Jane to fancy Nancy in a matter of seconds.

Is lipstick your fave item of makeup? Yes, personally I think lipstick adds the most amount of vitality to my face (it can also double up as a cream blusher if you're desperate!) My love affair with any one lipstick is often fleeting. I am yet to find my one true love.

I love lipstick. They are little bullets of colourful joy. I used to be more of a lip-gloss wearer but now I'm all about grown up lipstick. 

Lipstick gives minimal effort for maximum result. A swipe of a bold lipstick can make you look ready; as if you've made an effort when you really haven't!
 The first lipstick I recall buying was Iced Champink from Avon. It was a frosted pastel pink that must have looked awful on me but I remember it fondly. Lipstick is the one makeup item that for me is purely about fun, celebrating colour and not "fixing flaws". 

Zoe LVH - Wunderworkshop -
Born Australia, mother Dutch, father half English half Russian. Lived most of life in Germany.
Feels most Dutch 

I do like wearing lipstick but I usually only wear it at night when I go out for dinner or drinks, it is just a way of adding a little something. After running around all day I usually do not have time to go home and get ready before I go out at night, and I feel just by adding some colour to my lips I have at least put some effort into my look. 

Lipstick is not my favorite make up item, that is definitely my eyebrow pencil; I will never leave the house without it. Also, I do not like how much of the lipstick enters your body. The skin absorbs a lot already, but having it directly on your lips and thus swallowing it as well, adds even more into your system. Hence, why if I wear lipstick, I only ever wear natural and organic brands.

Mother & Daughter - Elena & Nicole Kyriacou- Cyprus

Elena Kyriacou

I like lipstick but only wear it on occasions when I go out for an evening, I don't wear it on a daily basis. A made up face without lipstick is incomplete, so completes the look.

First experience of wearing lipstick? My first experience was a family engagement party aged 16, it made me feel grown up and glamorous.

Nicole Kyriacou

Reasons why I wear lipstick? It adds colour and makes my lips look fuller. I only wear light colours and a little lip-gloss to make it look more natural and less obvious. My first experience of wearing a dark colour lipstick was at school prom aged 16. As I was wearing evening wear, I felt this was needed to complete the overall look, making me feel grown up, confident and glamorous.

Leila Janah - USA

I like mineral lip gloss or a neutral shade of lipstick, if I'm doing a speaking event or need to look especially polished. I have big lips and have always felt a bit embarrassed to smother them in colour.
Honestly, I think I started wearing lipstick mostly in a work context in my early 20s because people said it made me look older, and I thought it would help me be taken more seriously.

We used to have to wear red lipstick for cheerleading pep rallies, which greatly offended my feminist mother (probably why I joined the cheer team to begin with!) -- obviously, one doesn't have to choose between lipstick and feminism. That kind of dichotomy is very dated, thankfully.
I think lip gloss is my favorite make up item. It's more subtle and less proper. Also, I do a lot of work in low-income countries and I feel like lipstick is out of place in areas like rural Northern Uganda.

At what age should you start wearing lipstick?  Whenever you have enough judgment to wear a shade that suits you!

Rachel Ford, England 

Rachel Ford, England

I don't like the upkeep of wearing lipstick....re-application, fading, not to mention on a windy day and the implications of long hair! I also prefer a more muted look and find wearing lipstick makes me feel a bit uncomfortable and on show..

I do wear lipstick for a special occasion, although I inevitably forget to reapply it so after the first course or glass of wine my lipstick is non-existent!

My first experience with lipstick was routing through my Grandma's bottomless makeup box when I was a child! Although looking back orange coral was perhaps not the best colour for me.

I like wearing lipstick but mostly on special occasions. Red lips are classic, and a timeless look. First experience I think it was my graduation ball after high school. I used to wear heavy eye make-up throughout high school and would not “appreciate” the lips. I thought I had quite small/narrow lips and so not suited for the lipstick. It wasn’t until late when I started using it myself. However, as I’m getting used to wearing it more and more these days, I like the look of it and the feeling. It highlights the lips and completes the overall look. It also reminds me of old times and old movies and so think, it can be very elegant.

My favourite item of make-up is actually mascara and I feel naked without it ;). I’m getting used to wearing lipstick more often these days and perhaps one day will trade it. I'd like to think that in my 40s I will be able to wear it without any excuses and so would wear it even to work. I’m warming up and getting ready so bring on my 40s.

What did this teach me? Wearing lipstick is something extremely personal. But whether you go all out, or practice moderation, in the words of Blake's 'Proverbs of Hell'; 

" Exuberance is not only right but also beautiful." " It is the means by which life is made meaningful"."

"He whose face gives no light, shall never become a star."

Enough! or too much?   Only you can tell....

I would like to take the opportunity to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who took time out of their busy schedules to  reveal their adventures and thoughts on lipstick.

xxxxx