Hi everyone,
A few weeks back now I sent out a tweet asking for help and advice. At the ripe old age of nearly *cough* 46 I decided it was about time I owned a red lipstick and I wanted to know the best one for my rapidly ageing, lined, wrinkly nearly 46 year old lips! The wonderful Caroline Hirons suggested I give Estée Lauder colour envy a try. So off I trotted into town.
As I approached the Estée Lauder counter an immaculately made up young girl, she must have been all of 20, asked if I needed help. After scanning her face, and seeing not one line, or any smudged lips or smudged eyeliner in sight I felt like hot footing it out of there with the words "no thanks, just browsing!" stopping her sales patter dead. Thing is, these make up counters in department stores fill me with dread if I'm honest. Snooty sales assistants, crap lighting and every tom, dick and harry watching you, stifling their laughter as you are being made up to look like some sort of clown! Have you been there? Can't be just me. Why is it they promise you one thing and you end up looking like something totally different, the most 'amazing' foundation that makes you look like you've been tangoed ten times over, and lips and eyes that wouldn't be out of place on a drag queen! I think you get the idea that I've not had great experiences. BUT, this 20 something was soooo lovely (and beautiful) I found myself parking my bum on her stool before she could say "what are you looking for today?".
Red lipstick I told her. She didn't laugh and say "you might be a bit too old for red love", no she set to work finding what she thought was the right shade for me.
Now you're probably thinking "hold on a minute, that's not red, that's pink" and yep you'd be quite right. You see, she started off with quite a bright red, no way, it made me look so washed out and pale, yet I do see paled skinned girls rocking a red lip so why did it look so damn bad on me? I must admit I'd not had a great nights sleep the night before, in fact I never get a goods nights sleep these days, so perhaps that was the problem, eyes bags and wrinkly lips do not make for a good red lip. We went to a bit of paler shade, still no go, then eventually I told her to forget the red and lets try a pink.
Everyday I wear the same lip colour. Nude. I love it and it suits me well, but hell, I'm a blogger now and I need to be adventurous with my looks, I don't want to bore you all. I do have to be careful what I wear though as my lips are dryer than the sahara dessert and I have to have something on them at all times. I DO NOT wear lipsticks, until now obviously. I tend to opt for a balm type lip covering, the one I use every day is a real cheap brand but it doesn't dry my lips in the slightest, it's a bit like the Clinique chubby sticks. I haven't worn an actual lipstick for years, so here I am now, dipping my toe back into the twist up lipstick world of colour.
I settled on shade called Powerful/220 which is a VERY bright pink. I've just been looking at the colour charts on line and it looks nothing like the real life colour!!! It's so much less bright and vibrant on the colour chart so be careful there if ordering on line, something which I'd never do myself.
Scroll down and tell me what you think. As an older lady can I get away with it?
See I told you it was bright! I keep doing a double take every time I pass a mirror when wearing it as I'm still not sure this old face of mine can take it. Hands up in honesty, this photo does have a filter on it as we'd had friends around the night before for drinkipoos and I was very dehydrated here, I didn't want to scare to you too much. Bugger, I'm always tired AND dehydrated. Important note to self I MUST start drinking water!!!
I teamed it with a No7 lip liner, in the shade simply called 'pink' and it matches perfectly. I have the No7 lip liner in Nude too and they're great as they have a handy little sharpener concealed in the bottom of the pencil.
They say Colour Envy lipsticks give you this:
The first two get a big tick from me but the third I can't yet comment on as I've not worn it all day yet, only in little stints, baby steps you understand!
So, tell me what you think but be kind with your words! Can my lips, well my whole face actually, take colour? I'd love to know what you think, hubby says he 'likes' it, note doesn't say he loves it, Emily is 'not sure', and why do I feel so strange and as though everyones looking at me when I go out with it on? Perhaps I should just stick with neutrals and blend in at my age. I hate myself for saying that, what does 'at my age mean' anyway? And I hate the word middle-aged, I know I am but inside and certainly in my head I'm still a 20 something so I shall continue to be brave.
Are you a colour girl or a blend in type of girl?
They say Colour Envy lipsticks give you this:
INTENSIFIES
Saturates lips with high-intensity colour-in one stroke. Lip-sculpting statement shades for all skintones.
SCULPTS
Multi-faceted pigments create definition. Lips look beautifully shaped, sculpted, curvaceous.
HYDRATES
Time-released Moisture Complex helps capture and seal-in hydration. Lips feel continuously moisturised throughout the day.
The first two get a big tick from me but the third I can't yet comment on as I've not worn it all day yet, only in little stints, baby steps you understand!
So, tell me what you think but be kind with your words! Can my lips, well my whole face actually, take colour? I'd love to know what you think, hubby says he 'likes' it, note doesn't say he loves it, Emily is 'not sure', and why do I feel so strange and as though everyones looking at me when I go out with it on? Perhaps I should just stick with neutrals and blend in at my age. I hate myself for saying that, what does 'at my age mean' anyway? And I hate the word middle-aged, I know I am but inside and certainly in my head I'm still a 20 something so I shall continue to be brave.
Are you a colour girl or a blend in type of girl?
I LOVE it!! Keep on wearing it, it looks soo good... I know what you mean tho, as when I first wore a red I felt like my lips were standing out and had a big neon sign above my heads drawing everybody's attention to me, but after a while you get used to it... I think it's a lovely shade and suits your skin very well.
ReplyDeleteHeather x x
Aww thank you so much my lovely you are very kind. I know exactly what you mean about the neon sign, he he ! I think maybe when the better, brighter weather comes I'll enjoy wearing colour more? xx
DeleteThat colour is very pretty !! I usually shy away from bright colours but I bought a red and pink the other day so I can change up my look a bit from time to time. I haven't regretted it :)
ReplyDeleteWell done you. Hopefully I won't regret it either. Colour all the way for spring!! xx
DeleteI just turned 40 so I can totally relate to feeling ancient at makeup counters - went into M.A.C. the other day and all of the 16 year old staff were useless - plus the music hurt my head! (old lady alert ;-). That pink is perfect for you, truly lovely.I know bright colours can scare me too but nine times out of ten they do brighten up pale girls I think. I have similar issues with red lipstick - it sounds like maybe they didn't have the right shade of red for you though at Estee Lauder. I like a more pinky red, not everyone can pull off pillar box and I'm sure there is a red out there for you - maybe M.A.C. Ruby Woo or something along those lines? Also I do like a sheer/not lipstick red, like the Rimmel Red Crayon thing is actually very wearable.It leans orange (it has sparkles that are honestly not too bad) and I'm cool toned but it still works on me. Or even the original Benetint, it's more of a dark rose stain, but very flattering and wearable. :-)
ReplyDeleteAww thanks so much for your lovely compliment. I think you;re right on them not having the right shade and thanks for the suggestions on MAC and Rimmel, I may have a look at those because I'd like to find a red that suits for special occasions. Thanks for dropping by, see you again soon. xx
DeleteHi Steph, I love Estee Lauder too and this shade is divine! I would team it with a nude pencil and a dot of lip gloss just in the centre of the lips. So pretty, definitely wear this pink more often - it's beautiful with your 'English Rose' complexion. Speak soon, Lottie xx
ReplyDeleteHi Lottie. I don't know about English rose but thanks for that and next time I wear it I will be trying some gloss. Speak soon xx
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