LIP TARS: What they are, how they work, what I think of some of the colors.

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tars

I was recently asked my thoughts on Lip Tars and whether I thought it was worth it to invest in them. Well, I own 5 tubes so that's saying something. The thing to remember though, is that it's not for everyone. I'd recommend it if:

1. You need to enjoy "mixology" and blending colors to make your own,
2. You LOVE very strong accent makeup on your lips and you don't mind spending more time on your makeup, OR
3. You're a makeup artist and you need to do both of the above.

 Most people would have no use for lip tars because:

• They can't be applied quickly like a balm or gloss; it would look crazy
• With most colors you need to use a brush
• A lot of the colors are incredibly strong and not practical for school or regular office-work (ultraviolet, yellow, blue, black, white,... )
• The pigments separate from the oils after awhile, and you need to have the patience to tip it the other way and shake it around until everything is mixed up again

That said, here are the colors I own and what I think, plus tips at the end of the post if you want to use them!

OCC Lip Tar in RX

True black. But you MUST wear a lip liner or some sort of wax base round your lips with this. It will very quickly bleed into fine lines.
I actually recommend MAC's Black Lipmix from the Pro range if you can get it.
It's not as glossy when it goes on, but the formula doesn't separate as badly and it goes on more opaque, with no bleeding. I would probably not repurchase this after I use it up unless I can't get my MAC for some reason.

MAC Lipmix vs OCC Lip Tar: The MAC isn't bleeding. It's just smudgy application. The OCC is though.

Mix with: ANY color to darken it or dull it.

OCC Lip Tar in RX

True, true primary blue. If you're looking for an opaque, intense blue whether to mix or wear on its own, this is the BEST shade you can get. I love it. Here's a post with a few things I did using RX.

One word for bloggers and those taking photos; this blue has a tendency to flashback in flash or bright lights, so it looks almost pastel blue in certain conditions. 

Mix with: Any color to cool it down. Use only a TINY dot when mixing!

OCC Lip Tar in Belladonna

This bright purple doesn't look this blue in real life. But even more than RX, the blue in this picks up in most frontal shots I take. In real life, it's not so ultraviolet.

Still it's a fantastic bright purple, and if you're the sort to love things that are "somewhat left of the center" (like me), you'll love wearing this color neat, without mixing anything in.

Mix with: Pinks to make them more lavender toned, with red for a burgundy/wine. 

OCC Lip Tar in Pretty Boy

Bright fuchsia pink.
This is the older sister (or brother) of Anime, OCC's best selling neon pink. It's still bright, but slightly more grown up and slightly more flattering on most skins. This is a shade I would recommend wearing just on its own with a fuchsia lip liner.

OCC Lip Tar in Ophelia

Soft beige pink.
The only pale shade I have in my collection at this time. It's a gorgeous cool-toned pink, but you can see no matter how much patting and blending I did, the lines are still visible where the pigments sank in. From a slight distance, and in real life, it's not really noticeable. Just be careful when you're taking anything in high-res.
Mix with: A bright color to soften it slightly. Although I'd also recommend just wearing this on its own because it's a very pretty and wearable shade for those with pale to medium-fair skin.

A few tips for those who can't resist the lure of these little tubes:

• Try to always use a lip brush, except with some paler colors that look patchy or streaky. Then I recommend using your ring finger to lightly spread an pat it out.
• Apply a very very thin layer first, spread it out sheer, let it set a bit, then build up more when needed. Don't plonk on a whole lot (this is not regular lip gloss!) because it will seep everywhere, and be more likely to bleed and sink into lines.
• Lip tars are a blend of pigments and oils. This is the reason they separate, and why they seem to go on glossy, then lose some of the shine after awhile. The oils vaporize and get absorbed, leaving mainly pigments, unlike wax-based glosses and lipsticks which will just sit pretty on your skin.

If you want to make your own D.I.Y. Lip Tars (works better with metallic pigments), I also have a post on that here.

OCC: http://www.occmakeup.com/

Tips and Tricks: What To Do with a Blue Lip Mix!

The idea of blue lips always sounds so ridiculous. Until you actually wear it and realize it looks pretty cool.

I'm demonstrating with Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetic's Rx Lip Tar, which is a rich creme cobalt blue. It's quite deep and strong in real life, but for some reason in white fluorescent light, it looks bright blue.

In 2 of the images, I applied Lime Crime's deep indigo-blue glitter, Aquarius, over the Lip Tar. The glitter is darker than the gloss, so it created a deep metallic-looking effect. To see the intensity/depth of the final color, check out the low-light image above. (I apologize for the unfocused image; for some reason my camera doesn't want to focus without light. I probably should have tried an indoor setting.)

If you're taking photographs with it, remember 2 things will happen:

1. In indoor light, the sharp contrast of the blue against your skin color is going to create a dark border right around the lip color. 
2. In flash, the blue is going to GLOW.

Tools and Tips:

• Use a small concealer brush. There is no way you are getting this on using your fingers or directly from the tube. You will need plenty of precision because any streak, smear, or uneven lines is going to show up instantly.
• It's best to apply a lip primer or clear liner first. This is because lip tars will rapidly bleed into fine lines around your lips (as you can see from the slight fuzziness on some of the images above).
• For an extra precise lip, pick up a little concealer on a small brush after you apply your blue lip, and then go around the border of your lips just to clean up and get an ultra-neat line.
• OCC Lip Tars AND MAC Lip Mixes will go on glossy, but eventually set to a matte finish. If you want to apply any glitter to it, do it quickly while it is still glossy, because once it sets it goes matte and it will no longer be as tacky.

Some Ideas for Mixing

Wearing a cobalt blue lip isn't practical for everyone. So what else would you find useful in a Lip Tar or blue lipstick?

Color adjusting/mixing!

A strong blue can do 2 things:

1. Add cool tones to a color that you find a little too warm (yellowish, orange) for your liking. Adding this to a basic red lipstick allows you to make it almost berry-ish or blood-colored. Very cool if you're going for a glam look or have deeper skin and find most reds showing up orange on you.

When added to a pink or mauve, it intensifies the bright magenta/violet tones so you can add a twist to your regular bright pink lipstick.

2. It adds depth to an already-deep color. Try adding a dot into a dark plum or liver colored lipstick. Instant Noir. This works the same way that a translucent blue-toned hair dye can turn brown hair black. 

Final reminder:

Don't over-apply when you're using it as a lipmix! The color is extremely pigmented and can overtake the original lipstick you're trying to adjust. 

How much do you need?

This little. That's ALL I used for the 3 lip color adjustment swatches above. One tube is probably going to last you for years if you're only using it on yourself.