Better Beauty Vermont

I’m terrible at choosing lipstick. Knowing that, I never coughed up the money for nice lipstick (because I assumed there was a slim chance I was going to actually like the color) and the result was a whole bag of lipstick that I was too shy to wear, made my teeth look yellow and ultimately didn’t last. Every pocket of every winter jacket had at least one chapstick, some tinted, most with sunscreen. For someone with so little aptitude for lips, I certainly had a lot invested in the effort.

Along came my wedding. I figured investing in nice products would be cheaper and more fun than having my makeup done one time. I headed out on a quest for foundation and lipstick that actually worked. This was in 2013, the year Beautycounter started, and I didn’t hear of them. I certainly wish I had knowing what I know now.

The foundation I actually got right on the first try. Go figure. The lips took a little longer. I’ve learned that cooler, blue based hues make your teeth look whiter, and my lips are darker than I think, so nudes that seem too dark in the tube are just right. Once you figure out your actual coloring, and get good at seeing which colors have those cool undertones that contrast with yellow, then the idea of shopping for lip color isn’t nearly as daunting.

I’ve also learned some inconvenient truths about lipsticks. There’s all sorts of data out there about how much you ingest in a lifetime, the most logical to me putting it about four pounds. Imagine 4 boxes of butter. Now, imagine that that butter is full of lead, chromium, preservatives and other unknown ingredients that can lead to all sorts of cancers and other health issues. Now eat it, kiss your spouse and baby with it. I don’t think so. Now that I think about it, all those super long lasting formulas must have some pretty serious chemicals to not wear off. I wonder what that does for your health?

Luckily, Beautycounter has safe and beautiful lip options. The featured image shows the Lip Shine , and the Lip Sheer in Twig and Plum (again, I would have steered away from the plum thinking it was too dark, but it’s perfect for my skin. The image above shows the Lip Gloss in Peony- a color that I wouldn’t have chosen last year, but now that I know, it’s just the right little something to pull a look together on a busy day. Now that I have safe products to play with, I can’t stop…

Another thing I learned in the process is the condition of your lips makes a major difference in how your lip color looks. It should go without saying that your lips need protection from the sun as well. A chapstick with sunscreen is key. So is keeping your lips in good shape. I use a homemade sugar scrub when the seasons change, and the Peppermint Lip Conditioner applied every night leaves my lips refreshed and smooth.

If your eyes are the window to your soul, your lips are the messengers to the heart… take care of them, #switchtosafer and have fun with it!