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.

Merry Xmas Kiss! Coral Glitter Lip Tutorial

FUN, FUN, FUN and insanely bright! Image taken with flash photography, using MAC Force of Love lipstick and Lime Crime Aries glitter.

I was initially going to do a pure-swatch post for all 13 of the Lime Crime Zodiac Glitters, but figured it might be more fun to actually show you what I’d use each type of glitter shade for.

A note on buying Cosmetic-Grade glitters

Let me first state that these glitters were sent for review. Buying cosmetic grade glitters from makeup brands can be very expensive (upwards of $12-20 for a small jar; MAC being the most affordable comparing weight vs price, and Make Up For Ever the most expensive, with Lime Crime in-between), and they’re not something I recommend for regular use.

I tend to purchase my glitters from glitter distributors and wholesalers like TKBtrading or Coastalscents.com. That said, they don’t always have all the funky shades, and if you are only using a bit each time on special occasions, don’t want to fool around with messy bags, or checking which ones are cosmetic-grade (i.e. fine enough to be eye-safe and non-bleeding in sealants and solvents), then brands like MAC, Lime Crime and Make Up For Ever do offer some nice (but pricey) options in more convenient packaging.

Art and nail supply stores sometimes do have micro-glitters as well, so definitely check there and see if they have more affordable alternatives. Just be careful not to use them in the eye area if they aren’t super fine. For the lips, they might feel less comfortable but they’re fine otherwise.

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Quick fun side-note on Astrology and signs:

I’m not big on Astrology, but I remember an Astrologer friend once told me that our personalities aren’t dictated by our birth signs but a “moon” sign. (If I got the name/term wrong, forgive me!) So as an example, while I’m born an Aries, my moon is in Libra, and I actually behave like a Libran. 

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ARIES

Aries Strength Keywords:

- Independent
- Generous
- Optimistic
- Enthusiastic
- Courageous

Aries Weakness Keywords:

- Moody
- Short tempered
- Self-involved
- Impulsive
- Impatient

To read more, visit Zodiac Signs Astrology!

For the Lip Look today the colorful glitter I’m using today is none other than the first of the zodiac sign; Aries! This is a pinky-coral glitter with bright green and gold duochrome flash. Of course, to get the most dramatic effect, I had to pick a neon-pastel coral pink like MAC’s Force of Love. Mac Viva Glam Nicki is very similar but slightly creamier. Both shades will pop in flash photography because of the neon color pigments in them!

Swatch above was created using just glitter and a little petroleum jelly, so I would not change the color in any way with a colored base.

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Step 1: First apply a super-bright coral pink. No special prep and no lip liner. 

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Step 2: Next using a synthetic concealer brush, I picked up the glitter and gently pressed it over the lip surface. Don’t rub it around because you don’t want the lipstick to end up coating the surface of the glitter particles and turn everything dull. I covered the entire top lip, but kept only to the middle portions of the lower lip for a dimension when the head is turned. 

That’s it!

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A note on Aries glitter (or coral glitter in general):

The fastest way to bring out colored glitter is to use a base or shadow that is a similar color to it. But being a translucent coral shade, a neutral or black base (if you wear it on the eyes) would mask the nice coral base-tone and only bring out the green and gold reflections, so it’s a bit of a waste to wear it that way.

Over coral lips though, this type of glitter shade is fantastic, because it won’t change the color of your lipstick OR show up as obvious dark flecks, and the lip color plays up its coral tones beautifully. You’ll get to see both the highlight shades (green and gold), as well as the base color.

Lavender Sparkle “Stick-On” Lips

Lime Crime D'Lilac lipstick, coated with lavender glitter

No these aren't the latest Violent Lips tattoos. You can get the look by applying a layer of lipstick, and then gently packing on a couple of layers of glitter with a flat shadow brush.
For tips and tricks, click here!