luscious/juicy: lip gloss for summer.
I sense a theme in my writing of late. It is a theme of trying to convince myself that summer has arrived, despite the fact that is has been a cold, dismal, rainy May and it looks as though June might follow suit. Nature, you spoiled us with that first, early May blast of heat! Burnished afternoons and sultry evenings lasted for what felt like weeks, only to be cut short and labelled a tease. Still, I can’t seem to put my flimsy summer clothes back in the closet, and those bright colours which herald the hot weather, oh yes, they still call to me. I will not relinquish it!
What seems to be cheering me up lately is my lip gloss. Superficial? Yes. Silly? No. Well, maybe a little. Pretty? Yes! I tend to gravitate towards dramatic eye makeup, for the most part, rather than making my lips the central focus. However, I find that when the warm weather finally rolls in, heavy eye makeup suddenly seems inappropriate and I crave a more natural, light, bright-eyed look. My lips, usually bare of anything but a light balm, are suddenly thrust into the spotlight with an array of understated shades of lip stains and glosses. However, this year there has been a noticeable trend among cosmetic lines which celebrates a spectrum of bright coral shades. I, for one, cannot get enough of them. Apart from looking perfectly delectable, each one seeming as though it were infused with tropical fruit, they are also flexible enough to work with all skin tones, such is the number of options available. I find these lip glosses especially attractive, too, because they offer the option of a bright colour without being overpowering in their intensity. Lip gloss, by nature, is lighter and brighter than its cohorts, lipstick and lip stain, because it goes on sheer and the high gloss reduces the effect of the deep colour. It is a perfect way to add a bit of colour to your face without looking too made up at a barbecue or the beach. Don’t we all want to be that carefree, natural beauty who breezes in on a hot afternoon with perfect ‘beach hair’ and that impossibly sun-kissed skin, rather than a shadowy, dark-eyed vampire vixen brooding in the corner? Yes, we do.
Emma wearing ‘Paris Follies’ by Nars Cosmetics
Options abound, but I do have a few favourites which are worth checking out.
My first reaction when I shop for anything lip-related is to find the Nars aisle. I have already mentioned Nars Cosmetics in a previous post (which you can read here) so I won’t delve into details. Suffice it to say that although they are a little more of a financial investment, Nars products always live up to my high standards with their longevity and high quality. This year, they are offering a new line of lip gloss called “Larger Than Life”, and their Paris Follies shade immediately stands out as a punchy colour in perfect keeping with the season’s coral theme. I am aware that at $32.00 Canadian, this gloss is a pricey investment, but I have, personally, never been disappointed with this brand.
‘Paris Follies’ from the Larger Than Life lip gloss line by Nars Cosmetics
Higher up, in a cosmetic world of even greater prestige, sits Yves St. Laurent, a wide-reaching designer label which is inextricably linked with the highest standards of sophistication and elegance. No surprise, then, that you will find various coral shades among the ranks in their Rouge Pur Couture lip gloss line. At $36.00 Canadian, it is certainly an indulgence for many of us. However, if you are like me and only buy a few different lip shades each year, it is a worthy purchase purely from a qualitative perspective; wearing it makes it feel as though you’re oozing luxury from every pore.
‘Coral Fauve’ from the Rouge Pur Couture Vernis a Levres Glossy Stain lip line
New to me this year is Bite Beauty, a cosmetics line sold exclusively through Sephora. It perked my interest because the brand’s guiding philosophy, “you eat what you put on your lips, so your lipstick should be good for you.” To put it into more practical language, their products are made with organic, natural, beneficial ingredients that are food-grade, meaning that should you care to, you could eat a tube of Bite lipstick quite safely. When I perused their collection in search of a lip gloss, one immediately jumped out at me because of the pure vibrancy of its colour. British red meets coral in a perfect shade which seems to be both cool and hot in tone at once. I can’t wait to try it out with a few different outfits on. This one rings in at $25.00 Canadian which, considering the ingredients and apparent health benefits for your lips, seems a fair steal.
‘Spice’ from the Lush Fruit Lip Gloss line by Bite Beauty
Do you have a favourite lip gloss this season? Tell us what your pick is, or what you think of my choices above if you’ve tried them. Meanwhile, I’ll retreat to my bedroom where I plan to stand mournfully in front of my closet and stare at my as yet untouched summer dresses while a cold draft seeps in through my old windows. I’m already shivering in anticipation.
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