Lip Colors For This Winter

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As we mentioned in last week's post, 5 Things You Can Make Your Basic Outfit, Not-So-Basic, we talked about how just a simple lip color can completely revamp your entire outfit!  Well this week we're sharing you some of our favorite lipsticks of this winter season!  Nude & red lipsticks are a necessity, but why not switch it up a little and choose a deeper tone of each with the selection above?

Deeper browns & purples are starting to make its way back and started becoming trendy this winter!  Try it out this season and let us know what you think!

5 Things That Can Make Your Basic Outfit, Not-So-Basic

If you're more of a minimalist like us and like your basic tees and jeans we have five things we always wear to still stand out wearing a basic outfit!  It's pretty amazing what one thing can do to your entire outfit.  We believe in the term, "less is more", so we thinking keeping it simple is better, but you can always spruce things up!  Here is our list of items that can make your outfit stand out from the crowd!

1. Lipstick - it's pretty amazing what a simple lip color can do to your entire outfit.  Maybe match a black turtleneck and skinny jeans with a red lip?! So simple, but so cute!
2. Hats - hats can really make you stand out from the crowd.  If you're not really a hat person, just try it out for a day and we promise you're going to be getting tons of compliments left & right!
3. Your Hair-do - if you always wear your hair down, wear it in a cute ponytail or vise versa!  We love a basic outfit with a cute messy bun, pony tail, or even wear it in a braid.  The point of this is switch it up from your usual and it can really make a difference!
4. Shoes - yes, shoes are a girls favorite thing, but just by switching it up and wearing converses or even heels with a basic outfit it spruces things up!
5. Jewelry - now again, since you are wearing a simple outfit, you can go either way with your jewelry! You can keep it simple or you can wear something more detailed- that's the best part about wearing simple outfits!

What are some of your favorite ways to spruce up your basic outfits??

How To Rock Matte Lipstick

Matte lipstick has been a pretty popular beauty fad as of late. We love the matte lipsticks from Dose of Colors, Colour Pop, and Smashbox to name of few. But, to properly rock matte lips, you've got to do some lip prepping. There have just been too many times where our lips look so dry and our skin on our lips starts to break off because we didn't set our lips up properly for the matte lipstick.

Basically, to achieve a matte look on your lips, the chemicals in the lipstick dry out your lips. In order to counter that chapped lip look, you've got to first, scrub your lips to exfoliate it and take off dead skin. We really like this lip scrub from Sara Happ or the Bliss Spa Fabulips lip scrub. Next, apply a lip primer. We are currently trying out Lip Insurance and so far so good! A lip primer works great or even a nice lip balm like the Sephora collection ones. Apply your matte lipsticks and rock those lips to perfection!

How to Apply Lipstick Like A Pro

products: translucent powder, primer, lipstick, lip pencil, fluffy brush.

We love wearing fun lipstick colors!  At first, it can be tricky to apply... how do you use lip liner?!  How do you get it to last longer?  We answer all of these questions, so you can have a pretty pout in no time.

1.  Start with clean, hydrated lips.  If you're wearing a dark color, exfoliate gently with a toothbrush before getting started.  Add a light coat of chapstick or face lotion to moisturize.

2.  Next, apply primer.  We actually like using MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Painterly, which can be used as an eyeshadow primer as well!  This will serve as a base to help that lipstick stay put.  It will look lighter than your natural lip color, but not to worry-- we're adding the color back in!

3.  Start lining your lips at the cupid's bow... the little dip at the top center of your lip line.  You can draw the pencil in the shape of an "X" so it gets the lines at the cupid's bow in a straight line, as seen in picture number 3.

4.  Now, line the entire lip shape!  You can go slightly outside the natural lip line if desired for a fuller lip effect.  Be careful to not go too far outside the natural lip line, as you want your lip shape to still appear well-- natural!  We used MAC Pro Longwear Lip Pencil in Staunchly Stylish.  We love how versatile this color is, and the long lasting effects of this lip pencil formula!

5.  After you've lined your lips, apply lipstick.  Start by dabbing on, covering the areas lined by the pencil so it all blends together.  For more precision (especially helpful when wearing bold or darker lipstick hues) use a lip brush instead of applying it straight from the tube.  We used MAC Lipstick in Twig.  It's a great neutral shade for fall!

6.  Once the lipstick is applied, blot your lips together.  No need to "mash" them from side to side, simply blot by pressing them together.

7.  Now, your lipstick is almost ready to go!  But, we have a final step for extra long wear...

8.  As the last step, apply a sheer layer of translucent powder.  We used MAC Prep + Prime Transparent Powder, which is a favorite product of ours that can be used on the rest of the face as well!  Use a fluffy brush (like this one by e.l.f.) to lightly dust a tiny bit of powder on top of the lipstick.  For a skilled hand, this can be done directly on the lips.  If you want to practice first (or if you have a heavy hand) use a 1-ply tissue instead of applying directly to the lips.  Hold the tissue up to your lips, and dust the powder on top of the tissue.  Adding the powder will add a slight matte finish to the look as well.

9.  Smile, you're done!  Your lipstick will be ready to go, and ready to take on the day with your pretty painted lips!  If you're wearing a darker hue, stick your pointer finger in your pursed lips, and pull your finger out.  This will help to remove any lipstick residue inside the lips, which can end up on your teeth... and nobody wants lipstick on their teeth!

10.  Kisses.

Enjoy your long lasting lipstick!  What are some of your favorite tips for applying lipstick?  Share with us below!

TSS Favorite Things {July}

Sakura- Hat | Lipstick | Flats

Ali- Shoes | Makeup Palette | Earrings

Karen- Juicer | Sunglasses | Lotion

July has been a wonderful month for us and we've had so much going on!  We're currently working on some fun & exciting stuff for TSS on the back-end that we can't wait to share!  Still in this crazy month of July, we still found time to go shopping and give you our must-haves of July!

Sakura was determined to find a new lip color and found Twig by MAC!  It's a great color and goes wonderfully with MAC's lipliner called Whirl.  It has that perfect "Kylie Jenner" matte look and it's definitely a must-have color.  Ali is Miss Fashionista and you can never go wrong with black wedges!  These Halogen wedges goes perfectly with everything and you can dress it up or down!  Karen's been committed to eating healthy and let's just say, she's doing a fabulous job!  Getting a juicer can be a bit pricey, but with a great juicer like Breville, it's worth every penny!

We hope everyone had a wonderful month!

The 10 Commandments of Lipstick

Just by adding lipstick, it can change your outfit or your "look"drastically!  I often hear a lot of people say, "I can't pull off red lipstick" or "Nude just doesn't look good on me", but it's probably because you just aren't used to yourself with a different lip color!  These 10 commandments will help you with any "lipstick problem" you may be having!

1. Start with a clean lip for a fresh base

Remove any and all previous lip color with your normal makeup remover.

2.  Know your formulas

Whether you want a neutral or vibrant color, knowing the different formulas can help perfect your desired look.

3. To intensify a color, use a lip pencil

A lip pencil can help add shape and volume to your lip lines.

4. A brush will help a lipstick last longer

Applying your lipstick with a brush can help the color last.

5. Blot the right way

After applying your lipstick, blot with a Kleenex to get rid of the unnecessary extras.

6. Don't get lipstick on your teeth

Every now and then, check your lipstick and teeth to make sure this embarrassing situation 

does not happen to you.

7. Top with gloss for a more dazzled look

Gloss is a glamorous way to show your flirty side.

8. Don't be afraid to go nude  

A nude lipstick can help add a classy look to any outfit.

9. There is a red for everyone

 Contrary to belief, there is a red for you! Try out different shades of red to find that perfect look.

10. Experiment with colors

A pop of lipstick color can always brighten your day. Don’t be afraid to mix it up every now and then.

Kissable Lips

 Lipstick: MAC.

Lipstick is a girl’s best friend! It’s the perfect accessory, easily changeable and can complete any outfit.  Whether you’re a lipstick guru or prefer a subtle gloss, it’s always helpful to know which colors match your skin tone best. Luckily, MAC Cosmetics carry a large variety of colors that fit all skin tones and only $15!

Fair Skin:

If you have fair skin, don’t overwhelm or wash out your complexion with ashy colors- stick with orange-based shades, fruity reds, light pinks or nude. These colors will compliment your fair skin, accentuate your mouth and brighten your face!

Medium Skin:

When you have a golden/beige skin tone, you have more versatility when choosing lipstick colors- stick with colors with warmth and blue undertones. Try a deeper nude color for a day lip and switch it up to a berry or true red for a night look. Other great colors to try with your skin tone are peaches, pinks, or darker purple colors.

Deep Skin:

Go bold! Hot pink, crimson, and dark berry are excellent shades for your skin tone! The bold colors won’t be harsh against your skin, but light pinks and nude also look great for a clean look.

My personal favorite colors right now are a pastel pink {Rose Lilly}, bright red {Relentlessly Red}, and deep berry {Instigator}. In addition to the great selection at MAC, Revlon also has a large variety of similar colors and are only $5! Happy lipstick hunting!

OMBRE LIPS

Lipstick: Mac Russian Red & Mac Diva.  Lip liner: Mac Nightmoth.  Beanie: American Apparel.  Tank: H&M (sold out).

Ombre has been THE trend over the past year, shown on everything from haircolor to dip-dyed denim.  So, we decided to take this trend and apply it to our lips-- literally.  Creating your own ombre lip is easier than you may think!  All you need is 3 shades (we chose deep red) in a similar hue, ranging from darkest on the outer area, to lightest on the inner area.  

Step One: Apply darkest color, the lip liner.  We used Mac Nightmoth.

Step Two: Apply lipstick in middle shade all over lips.  We chose Mac Diva for this dominant color.

Step Three: Apply lightest lipstick shade in center of lips only, dabbing on in the inner pucker.  Gently blot your lips together, to blend ever so slightly.  We used Mac Russian Red for the lightest shade.

Just like that, you'll have ombre lips.  This look would be perfect to try for our Valentine Makeup Contest!   We would love to see you put your own spin on this makeup trend.  What color do you want to try using an ombre lip?

 

Valentine Makeup Contest.  

 Email us: secret@thesororitysecrets.com OR Instagram us: #TSSkiss

Winners will be featured next week on our site, showing off their date night makeup looks. 

Send us your selfies!  

{Contest ends 2/17}

Pink Pop

Lipstick: MAC Candy Yum Yum (buy here and here).  Nail Polish: OPI Mod About You.  Top: Express.

Brighten up your day!  We've been having fun with lipstick colors lately, and we instantly fell in love with this shade by MAC Cosmetics.  Ali doesn't usually wear lipstick (she's more of a sheer gloss kind of girl), but she flipped over this neon pink color, and gave it a whirl.  It's the most vibrant shade of pink lipstick we've ever seen!  This particular shade, Candy Yum Yum, just recently became a part of MAC's permanent lipstick color collection-- it was formerly a limited edition hue.  MAC actually calls this color "the lipstick dreams were made of" on their website.  Now hooked on the hot pink, Ali is no longer afraid of adding a bold lip to her makeup routine.

What's your all-time favorite daring lip color to wear?