Lipstick Rescues

Have you ever bought a lipstick and found that the color or consistency is just not going to do it for you? You looked at the color swatch online and thought, "That's gorgeous!" You wait forever (three days can seem like forever) only to find that the color is not even close to the online swatch AND not to mention it looks like a bag lady would use it! And then you think about the $25 that you put into that lipstick (not to mention shipping) and the fact that now you have applied it twice (the second time because you though you were imagining the results the first time) so you can't sell it on Ebay. Since you bought it mail order, the company promises money back even if you used it. But you know that means a trip to the post office including the long lines and inconvenient hours after you have spent an hour filling out the return packing slip, filing some form online, and finding the packing tape (that's the really hard part!). So what do you do? You keep it, and gaze longingly at it (the beautiful tube) in your make-up drawer. Why waste it? Why not rescue it? Here are some of my lipstick rescues.

I happen to have just such a color in my wardrobe. Worst yet, it happens to be a Chanel lipstick. I love my other Chanel lipsticks but this one is just NOT what I had expected. I wanted a cool orange, something with pop and summer hotness. Instead, I got a sticky, matte coral that emphasizes every line and crack in my lips. Awful. So I got a little creative with it.

1. Since my Chanel orange wasn't brown enough, I employ the use of a lip pencil, filling in for the brown color to darken up the orange to more of a harvest color. This is great for protecting the consistency of the lipstick but changing the color successfully. This is a Rouge Allure lipstick which gives good moisture and some shine. I add another lipstick, it may change what I find to be an acceptable lipstick finish. If I use a darker brown, I sacrifice some of the coral color and that is good for lessening the shock factor of what happens to be a very bright tone.

2. I bought this color because I wanted orange and that's what I got. But the tone was just too bright and vivid for me. But instead of muting it, perhaps I'd like to bring out some of the positive parts of the color. It is light and bright which during the summer is an added bonus. But the finish of the lipstick is not dewey summer finish. It is more matte than I would like, which as I mentioned above tends to show age and lines. So as another lipstick rescue, I add an overlay of lipgloss. In this case, I pick a lipgloss that has little color but plenty of sparkle. I have a Sephora pale pink that works well for this particular lipstick. I have also used Lancome Juicy tube for the same purpose - choosing a more brown neutral like Sparkling Night's Twinkle. The added sparkles and light diffusers take the focus away from the dramatic and pretentious coral. It adds a softer element to the lipstick making it not seem so hideous.

3. Change the color with a lipstick adjuster or a color changer. Use a color change lipstick and it will change the color based on body chemistry. These types of lipsticks were huge in the 80's but they could present some scary colors. However, the idea of changing your lipstick color can be put to use here. Dior offers a lip balm that changes color. Sephora has offered lipstick adjusters in the past. They have discontinued them but you can still find them on Ebay. The concept is simple. Like the lip pencil, you can add more of one tone to help the lipstick suit you better. Perhaps it's lacking in brown, or is too dark. Add a tan or white adjuster to find the right color for your complexion.

Hope these rescues help you with that finicky lipstick. Share some of your lipstick rescues with me!