However minimal or well stocked one’s make-up cache may be, one thing is certain. Lip make-up has become an essential part of asserting the identity that a woman wishes to project.
“The trend of the bright red lip is in vogue and I am particular about the quality of lip make-up,” says Anisha, a young chartered accountant. It was after a short trial and error that she discovered her favorite brand, the Mac Ruby Woo: a red lipstick with matte finish.
“Red is a bold, lively color and the dull matte finish gives a touch of sophistication that does wonders to the confidence levels during a tough workday,” says Anisha.
Lip make-up can serve as a clue to being the babe or the brain, the wise once quipped.
The notion is passe, one may argue, and the bright red lip is back in the limelight.
At the recently concluded Miss South India beauty pageant, the contestants sported various shades of red.
“There were 16 contestants and their favorite was the fine, lively red shades,” says Jebitha Ajith, MD, Pegasus Event Makers. “The youth are well informed about the various shades of red that would go with their skin tones, personality and overall confidence levels. Bollywood has a say in determining the style, and we expect an altogether different trend by May when Ms Queen of India, a national-level pageant would be held. The retro styles can make a comeback.”
Bollywood newcomer Alia Bhatt sported the bright red in Karan Johar’s film, ‘Student of the Year’. Then there was Kareena Kapoor rocking the red lip in Aamir Khan’s ‘Talaash’.
“There is a shade of red for every woman,” says ace make-up artist Rani Thomas. “Discovering the right hue for your skin is necessary. With the long-lasting matte finish now very popular, there is a need to do a round of gentle exfoliation and moisturisation before applying the lip make-up, so that the dry, matte finish does not reveal the irregularities on your lip. With the summer close at hand, it is advisable to use lighter lip make-up during the day and stick to the darker shades for the evening.”
While filling your lip with dark colors, define the lip with a lip pencil, and start applying the lipstick from the cupid’s bow downward.
Lip products come at prices ranging from Rs 250 to Rs 2000. The number of users who buy online are also increasing, thanks to the discounts offered by web portals. It also gives a chance to avoid the over-manicured sales staff at cosmetic stores, who are ready to pounce on the customer’s vulnerabilities.
While it is the Gen Y that experiments with lip make-up, the older generation has a different approach.
Special disabilities trainer Tess Vijay discovered her perfect shade at a local Lakme makeover session.
For Saramma Mathew, 63, the makeover session she took at Macy’s in Arizona, USA, while on a visit to see her daughter, opened the doors to identify the right shade. Her favorite brand is Clinique.
“It is healthy to have the right amount of interest in projecting one’s personality,” says Saramma, who is the president of the Women’s Forum of Y’s Men Club Academic Circle.
There are few who do a detailed product study before zeroing in on lip make-up. Though the basic component of lipstick is oil-wax, pigment and mineral oil, the users cited concerns about the health aspects when problematic ingredients like lead (neurotoxin) are used.
Before investing in a lip make-up brand, the modern consumer definitely has a long checklist in mind, uber chic or not.