Lipstick Post #1 - Plucking up the courage.

Lipstick has - until recently - been an area of make up I've left well alone. I was all 'it's bright, it's scary, not everyone wears it so I'll be -gasp- DIFFERENT, and it smudges and gets on your teeth'. There are also so many shades it was quite frankly daunting; I mean how many shades of red can there possibly be?! The answer to that is a lot. Then there are different formulas, brands, methods of application ... I stuck to my trusty Burts Bees lip balm (review coming up if you're interested, I'll pretend you are).

However, it's always fun to try something new with make up, so I decided I'd give it a go, starting small of course (because I'm a massive wimp). I started out with a few different varieties of nude lipstick, progressed into a pale pink, then a brighter pink, a few reds, a vampy oxblood shade, and now? I've asked for Mac Chili and Rebel for Chistmas. I feel that makes me a proper lippy wearer, oui?

Tips for plucking up the courage to wear bright lipstick:

• Start small. Go for a sheer, nudey pink colour; think your lips but better.
• Wear it for a night out - everyone wears dramatic make up on a night out.
• Pick a low maintenance formula. 17's Lasting Fix is a good one.
• If you're going for a more daring colour, dab it on with your finger rather than going straight from the bullet.
• A natural balmy texture is generally more wearable than a matte lipstick or a high gloss one.
• Wear it round the house all day, you'll get used to how it feels, and seeing it on yourself when you look in the mirror.
• Put it on. Take a photo. Instagram it. Breathe in all the likes, and accept that it looks gooood.
• Try a pen/stain formula first, they're very wearable and you can't even feel them.
• Just DO it. Put it on, go out, own it *insert Tyra-style comment/gesture here*.

P.S. This post is just the start. Keep an eye out for tips on how to apply your lipstick and make it last, a guide on which colours suit you, info on the lip trends this season and posts on the best sheer, matte, cream, shimmer and even glittery (yeah, maybe not) shades.