Lips!

A while ago, I read a lipstick tag post over at Ulmiel's blog, and decided that I'd like to do it sometime. I wasn't tagged (which is expected, since I don't run a general beauty blog, of course), but you know by now that I don't care much and just do stuff anyway. I decided to do a little stash inventory at the same time, because, I do own a fair amount of lip products, but I don't keep track of it as I do with nail polish. I'm not by any means collecting, but lip products are essential for me, so I tend to buy those more than any other make up products. Just like Ulmiel, I extended this post to be about all kinds of lip products, not just lipsticks.

First, let's see what I have, and then I'll get to the questionnaire and personal picks! I put the stuff in groups relative to packaging, not opacity or official product description, as these swamps are deep and tricky.

Jars. I don't really like lip products in jars, so I don't keep a lot of them.

Tubes.

Wands.

And sticks...

...and some more sticks. I had to keep the caps by the sticks in this picture, otherwise I would never have managed to pair them back together again! Both the NYX Round Lipsticks and the Everyday Minerals "lipglosses" (actually more like matte lip balms) are terrible formula-wise, so I never really use them. However, cheap thrills.

Miscellaneous: a tube I forgot in the photo above, one of those weird roll-on glosses, some pens - some are lip liners, some are color sticks or stains.

I think that's it. There may be some stray sticks or tubes somewhere, but we'll survive without them.

Since I tend to use a lot of lip stuff, I always carry a bunch of varieties with me in my handbag. I shift some every once in a while, depending on my favourites at the moment, new purchases, and even time of year.

Actually, in this terrible Hello Kitty purse. I have to buy new purses for my lip stuff every once in a while, because there's just nothing more sticky than a leaked lipgloss.

I even managed to swatch the current inhabitants of the purse:

A fair variety of colors, I think. They are, from left to right: H&M Tropical Coconut, MAC Lipglass Nico, IsaDora Express Star Gloss Reflecting Lilac, Clarins Colour Quench Lip Balm 10, H&M Hello Kitty without a proper name, HEMA Jip & Janneke Light Pink, HEMA Jip & Janneke Fuchsia, DuWop Venom Gloss Tulip, Clinique Colour Surge Bare Brilliance Ruby Glass. Whew. The Jip & Janneke lipglosses were gifted to me by Michèle at Lacquerized, and are very dear to me.

Now, on to the questions of the original lipstick tag!

How many lipsticks/lip products do you have?
Now as I'm finally sitting down to write this post, I ask myself: why didn't I count them? But counting in the photos: 92?

When you were a child, did you use your mother's lipsticks?
My mom is one of those natural women. I'm not sure she even owned one single lipstick during my early childhood, maybe she started carrying one in her purse sometime during my teens. No, in our household, I was the one with the lipsticks. Really.

How old were you when you bought your first lipstick and what was it?
I believe I was less than 10 years old, maybe 8 or 9. It must had been a cheap brand available in the supermarket. If I asked my dad if I could have lipstick or earrings or anything like that, he usually said yes. I don't think it was my first, but I do remember owning a palette with four colors, of which at least one was very vampy. I woudn't hesitate once to wear it!

What is your newest lipstick?
It must be MAC Musky Amethyst. I fell in love with it and neededto have it, so I got it off ebay. Just like with nail polish, make up products are way more expensive in Sweden and most of Europe, than in the US. So ebay scalper prices are still cheaper for me.

I couldn't manage a decent swatch of this one, because I suck and it's a tricky bastard, but you may of course view it at Karla Sugar.

The most expensive lipstick I have ever bought ...
I can't say. I sometimes pay a lot, sometimes I buy more expensive brands on sale, so what I actually paid for each and every one... I have no clue. It could be any of the MAC products I have actually bought in Swedish stores. Or Biotherm or Lancôme products. Maybe?

And the cheapest?
Definitely either of my H&M lipglosses. The little Hello Kitty tubes for instance, came in a set of three where each must have been less than $2, which is cheap by Swedish standards.

What's the most bizarre thing you have ever done with a lipstick?
I was thinking the answer must be "shove one up my hoo-ha", but maybe the question refers to actual cosmetic usage. In that case, ehm... ...Wore one on my lips? I'm no funnier than that, sorry!

If you had to recommend a lipstick, which brand would you recommend and why?
Not a lipstick, but a sheer balm: Korres Wild Rose Lip Butter. This is my go-to lip product, and if I put one on before I leave home, this is most likely it. It can be worn very sheer, or build up to a little more color, and it has the most perfect deep rose color. It was the one treasure I found while searching for the perfect rose lip tint.


Pink or red lipstick?
Both. I'm not going to pick. There was a time when I refused to wear anything pink at all, but with time, I have come to really appreciate a good pink, but it has to be cooler in tone - I don't like those granny pinks. I love reds, and would like to wear them all the time, but I had to face the truth eventually: I have very luscious ...ehh ...thick lips. Dramatic colors make me look like a stop sign.

Favourite pink?
The one I use the most is Clarins Colour Quench Lip Balm in 10.


Favourite nude?
This is as nude as I go:

Benefit Lip Creme Back in the Saddle. I got it from my friend Anne, along with several other make up products she was going to toss, unless dot dot dot. She buys more nudes and pinks than I do. And then, somehow, a large bulk seems to end up in my drawers. (Thank you, Anne!)

Favourite unusual shade?
Definitely MAC Dazzle Lipstick Liquid Lurex. This shit is insane! I fell madly in love with it and had to have it. So of course, as usual, I got it off ebay.


Favourite dark shade?
Not really meant for everyday use, but this Yves Saint Laurent Lip Lacquer of unknown name and number is crazy awesome. I used to have photos of me wearing it on a night out, but I can't find them. Also, I had photos of random people wearing it, including to me unknown guys, as I evidently had both this lip lacquer and a camera with me that particular night.


Your biggest lipstick lemming?
I don't think I have one at the moment. I'm pretty content with what I've got right now.


Adding one:
Random lip product you'd like to promote?
Blue lipgloss! This particular one is a cheapish MNY tube. It doesn't give you blue lips, but a nice cool tone with blue sparkles. Put it on top of a pink and you have the lip color equivalent to the popular pink with blue flash nail polishes. Personally, I sometimes add it over the Korres Wild Rose lip butter.


And that was it. Don't get me started on the amount of work invested in this post... I hope you enjoyed seeing something different on this blog, though don't count on make up posts to become a steady recurrence. I really do suck when it comes to swatching lip products, and my thing is still nail polish.

If you enjoyed it, please repost your answers and favourites on your own blog, or write a comment here! You know, I know, I'm lousy when it comes to answering comments, but I do read and treasure each and every one!

Oh, famous last picture:

Lips.

Swedish word of the day:
läppar -noun pl. lips
Puttin' color on 'em since the 80's.