Fan Mail Fridays: How To Prevent Matte Lipstick From Drying Out Your Lips

Hello everyone! I've skipped Fan Mail Fridays last week because I didn't get any query. I didn't feel 'complete' last Friday because I didn't get to answer any question. Hmp! You guys made me sad. :( Lol! My dear readers, I encourage you guys to send in your queries. Just keep 'em coming because the great thing about this segment is, I get to cover a lot of important topics that aren't present in my blog. And each question leads to a new learning experience for me and everybody as well!

Anyway, we finally got mail! It's a good question from one of my avid readers, Elle. This is also her second time to ask. By the way, don't be afraid to ask me more questions just because you already did before. The sky's the limit here! :)

Let's go now to Elle's question. She asks:

Hi Ms. Martha,

I have another question for you since you are my most reliable source when it comes to fashion, beauty and make up matters. :) I always want to wear matte lipstick because it makes my lips look bigger and fuller than it is. (I don't know if I'm right or it's just my imagination :p) But my problem is, whenever I fly, my lips become dry and putting on a matte lipstick doesn't look good. Even though I put on a lot of lip balm, it still doesn't work. Can you help me how to wear matte lipstick without having my lips crack?

Elle

Photo Credits: idbcosmetics.tumblr.com

Hello again, Elle!

Like you, I love matte lipsticks too. Its boldness and rich texture add that much- needed "oomph" to my look. And it makes lips appear fuller indeed. Whenever I only feel like wearing light makeup, I make sure I have a tube of matte lipstick in my bag just in case the time calls for instant gorgeousness. It's my secret weapon to looking polished in a jiffy!

Matte lipstick is wonderful, but you gotta hate it when it starts to flake, crack, and feather on you. And the trouble is doubled when you have dry lips to begin with!

So how do you keep matte lipstick from drying out your puckers? Click READ MORE and find out!

Please bear in mind that these suggestions are only meant to prevent--not to cure.

SCRUB THOSE FLAKES AWAY

Hygiene is an important factor to having supple and flake- free lips. Exfoliate your lips twice to thrice a week, or depending on your lips' needs. Use a gentle scrubber as harsh ones may sensitize your lips.

PRIME YOUR LIPS

This is an often neglected step by most people who wear matte lipsticks: Lip priming. Lip primers aren't really necessary, but it's really useful most especially if you love wearing matte lipsticks. I do that's why I have one in my stash. What it does is it smoothens out your lip surface by filling in fine lines for a smoother finish, evens out lips' tone for truer color payoff, and creates a barrier between the lipstick and lips to help prevent dryness. A lot would say that under eye concealers would double as lip primers but I beg to differ: Under eye concealers are NOT formulated for the lips. Besides, it's not hygienic when you use a product intended for your face on a part that has saliva and bacteria. Gross, right? Try ArtDeco's Lifting Lip Stylo.

MATTE 2 MATTE

Here's a very affordable lipbalm from Nivea Men. It's a little over 80 pesos, and yields a matte and translucent finish. Just like ArtDeco's Lip Primer, it provides a barrier between your lips and the lipstick, but its softer texture will help moisturize your lips during wear. It's better than emollient lipbalms because it won't affect the beautiful finish of your lipstick.

Photo Credits: madeater.blogspot.com

HYDRATE, HYDRATE ,HYDRATE!

Dry lips is not only mere skin sensitivity, but also a symptom of what's going on inside you. If your lips flake quickly and badly, it's possible that your body lacks water. Follow the old, sage advice and consume 8-10 glasses of water per day. And before you wear matte lipstick, drink at least 2-3 full glasses of water to give your lips a fresh supply of moisture from within.

OPT FOR SOFT MATTE LIPSTICKS

Traditional matte lipsticks will dry out your lips and this fact will stay forever, unfortunately. Although there are new age matte lipsticks that won't dry out your lips as much as traditional matte lipstick does but in my opinion, the latter still wins the game in terms of finish, staying power, and opacity. But since you really dislike the dry and irritating feeling you get from wearing matte lipsticks, I would suggest to you the soft matte variants as alternatives. Soft Matte lipsticks have a softer, lightweight, and more powdery texture, and the semi- creamy consistency does not aggravate dry areas. Try NYX's Soft Matte Lip Cream.

CHECK THE LABEL FOR DRYING INGREDIENTS

Matte lipstick dries out your lips even more especially if it contains drying ingredients. Since your lips are very prone to dryness, watch out for these chemicals in matte lipsticks: Talc, Fragrance, Alcohol, and Silicone. These products draw out moisture from your lips. Go for products that are made sans these ingredients. They could be bit pricey though, but the comfortable feeling you'll get is absolutely worth it. Try VMV Hypoallergenics' Velvet Matte Lipsticks.

OTHER HELPFUL TIPS:

1. Resist the urge to peel hanging skin from your lips. You may end up getting wounds that can turn into ugly, dry scars!

2. Apply matte lipstick by layers, making sure that each layer is smooth and well- blended onto your lips. This prevents the lipstick from piling up and cracking on your lips.

3. It's an old tip, but it sure is true: Don't lubricate your lips with Saliva because the bacteria living in it sucks up moisture, thus leaving your lips dry.

4. Load up on H2O. I am saying this again because a lot of people tend to overlook this important tip thinking that lipbalms will provide the moisture their lips need. This is not true as lipbalms only LUBRICATE---They do not HYDRATE. Moisturized lips are healthy lips, and you can only get that important moisture from water.

If you've tried all these tips and nothing has worked on you, perhaps your dry lips is a sign of a health problem. It could also mean that you're Vitamin B deficient. If dryness still persists, please consult your doctor to know what causes severe dryness on your lips!

That's it! Have a wonderful Saturday guys! :)

**Got a burning question about makeups, skin care products, beauty, dieting, and health tips, relationships, and whatever? Just send them to martha.stabarbara@yahoo.com or shoot 'em up at The Beauty Junkee's FB Fan Page via the MESSAGE button and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. (Please, do not send me Math- related queries. :D)