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Monday, February 05, 2007

Paint Your Smile on Your Lips

On Friday I became a woman.

Well, let me clarify. On Friday I became a woman who wears lipstick.

You see, I have always been a gloss girl with it comes to lip-makeup. Clear shiny glosses and shimmery pink balms were my way of life. And while these will always play an important role in my day to day affairs, I was ready for a change.

It started, as most life changes do, with a new outfit. On Thursday night I found the new perfect top: Black, fitted kimono style with 3/4 length slitted sleeves, black with a graphic cream colored floral pattern. As soon as I saw it I knew it would be perfect with jeans and my crimson pointy toed patent leather flats.

But something was missing. As I looked at myself in the mirror, trying to figure out what the final touch would be, my gaze fell on my clear-glossed lips and I knew it was time.

Time to venture into the world of Lipstick.

As a neophyte, I needed a sage guide so on Friday after work I went a place where I was sure to get some wise advice, the MAC counter at Macy's.

"So you want to be a lipstick girl", their sales girl asked me. I nodded fervently. And she ushered me into a chair and for the next 10 minutes we dabbled with roses and fire engine reds and cabernets and blood reds. When it was all said and done, I left the store with a new tube of MAC Amplified Lipstick in Dubbonet



And a Burgundy lip pencil. I even had the sales girl apply it for me before I left so I could begin my new life as a Lipstick Wearing Woman.

I have to say, it is a huge change. It may not sound like it, but when you think about it so much of our cosmetic routines are designed to conceal, or to highlight without being too obvious: neutral eye shadows, clear lip glosses, skin-toned concealer. But you need a certain kind of confidence to wear red lipstick. To say "BAM. Here. I. Am". Even if you think you don't have that confidence, wearing red lipstick GIVES it to you. It's like a fabulous crimson mask that hides any insecurity you may have behind a splash of bold.

I had a blast with it.

Of course this was just the first step with me. There is a whole world of lip color that I have not been privy too, deep pearly pinks, rich bricks, matte mauves and everything in between. I don't mind admitting I am like a kid in a candy store.

Or, to be redundant, a girl at a MAC counter.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

This kind of reminded me of the monologue part of "Why I Wore Lipstick to my Masectomy". I <3 Lifetime. And the red looked GREAT. You could have been wearing it all along! And now you WILL!

Sarah said...

ahaha I am psyched you said that because anytime I talk about lipstick out loud I think of that movie. Oh Lifetime, why do you relate to everything in life?

Anonymous said...

So weird, I decided to make the switch to lipstick too and I as well hit MAC where, you guessed it, I walked out wearing dubonnet. My friends were hysterically laughing, could not fathom that I could pull off red lipstick but I totally rocked it for all my holiday soirees and it was a hit. Glad to see I'm not the only one just arriving to this party :)

Sarah said...

woo!! It's such a great red.

Anonymous said...

I remember my first quest for the perfect red lipstick. At the time, I did not have access to a MAC counter, so I had to go by trial and error. I do have to say I did notice (and admired!) your fabulous red lipstick last night. It's really close to my "perfect" red (Almay's lipcolor in Wine), so I will make note. Congratulations on your first bold lipcolor purchase! (And thanks for coming over! Next time = shopping + UnWined).

Anonymous said...

Oooo...thanks for this post! I do wear lipstick occasionally already, but as a pale redhead I'm very touchy about red lipstick, even though I have always wanted to try it. I will definitely be hitting Macy's soon...

san said...

Dang! maybe it's time for me to 'become a woman' too ;)

Frankie said...

I think red would look really good on you.

I recently went the other way; a lipstick woman who turned to gloss. My lips are so big, sometimes I feel like the deep colors made me look like a pair of lips and nothing more.

But I still rock out in my reds (pictured right) from time to time!

Christine Staley said...

I LOVE MAC! I'm a veritable make-up whore but I didn't become a lipstick girl till after college, and now, I don't leave home without it! Great choice!

Sarah said...

Thanks girls! I am officially hooked. I'm going back tonight to pick up some more work-appro colors. woot!

Jenni said...

I'm totally a chapstick kinda girl...and wear the occassional light pink gloss when going out...I know, so boring. You've totally inspired me...I think I may have to check out the MAC counter this weekend! Thanks!

Sarah said...

work! i am totally checking it out this weekend. thanks for the tip!