Lip Service - Enough Already

Hmmm...to moisturize, color, plump or shimmer?

How dry can lips get? Desert dry if you were to look inside the zipper compartment of my purse. I humorously admit that I have 4 varieties of lip products stuffed in that compartment. I have convinced myself that I need each one. For me, finding just the right lip product "is a journey, not a destination."

Still going strong.

Many people happily traverse life with nothing more than a tube of basic, standard, no-nonsense chap-stick. Much like salt and pepper, white, unflavored chap-stick is a staple lip product. It’s been around for as long as I can remember. Used by men and women alike, it has rightfully earned a spot in every bed night stand, purse, jeans pocket, fanny-pack or sock. Yes, I've tucked lipstick in my socks. Where else when you need to go purse-less? Some, like my husband Kevin, journey through life lip balm naked. Good for them. 

Venturing beyond basic chap-stick is where the "journey" gets tricky. Some high-end (and higher priced) makeup counters offer dedicated lip service. (Chortle, chortle) That's fine if you have the time, money and desire. The last time I tried a premium lip service I suffered from a cold sore from the constant "trial and error" removal of each shade.

And this is just one aisle.

I typically stroll the makeup aisles, wondering if spinning in circles and throwing a dart would be easier. Searching for just the right lip product is overwhelming: Ultra-Rich, Super Lustrous, Ultra Matte, Velvet Matte, Melted Matte.

Lip Primer, Lip Pumper, Lip Color, Lip Gloss, Lip Liner, Lip Stain. Shoot me now. It's no wonder my purse and makeup drawers fill with unused lipstick sticks, tubes and applicators.

An upside to lipstick shopping is being amused by some of the clever and brazenly named products: Be Legendary, Full Throttle, Pump it Up. Other shoppers glance my way as I laugh out-loud at the more risqué names:  Ecstasy Express, Big and Sexy, Studded Beloved and Wildly Whipped. My loudest guffaw erupting from this doozie: Chubby Stick. (Did I stumble into the wrong store?) 

Full Throttle

Little did I know that those early days of simple, no-nonsense, chap-stick use would become a lifetime quest to find the holy grail of lip protection. A “journey" I'm not sure I'll ever fully enjoy.

Chubby Stick

Studded Beloved