January 4, 2014

You asked: Tell me more about your lipsticks


In the middle of last June, on a day when the weather was just about a complete 180 from the wintry world we find ourselves in nearly seven months later, the wonderful Sanne from Sanne's Blog left a comment on one of my outfit posts, in which she said the following, "Even your lipstick is perfect. And speaking of lipstick - how about writing a post about your lipsticks?".

You bet, dear Sanne. It took a little while to come into being, but today I'm delighted to bring you just such a post.

As I've touched on before (such as in this post about 1950s eye make-up), generally speaking, I tend to use a fairly close-knit group of cosmetics. In other words, much as I adore make-up (and goodness, do I adore it!), I don't have mountains of mascaras, piles of powder jars, or scores of shadows filling up my make-up box and bathroom.

In part because of my super sensitive skin, in part because of the fact that I need to ensure all make-up that goes near or on my mouth is gluten-free (because I have celiac disease, a point that I chatted about in this post about Red Apple Lipsticks products), and in part because I tend to stick with what I love, my make-up collection is on the smaller side and typically includes a selection of items I've been using routinely for years.

Due to the fact that anything used near/on my mouth absolutely must be gluten-free (this is a non-negotiable point for me, as I get extremely ill from even super small trace amounts of gluten), and not all lipsticks (and liners, glosses, balms, stains, etc) are gluten-free, I don't presently have a very large lipstick collection, but I'm certainly game to talk about those that I do use these days.

There are four main lipsticks that I turn to, all of which have appeared here in outfit posts over the past couple of years. They are...





MAC Russian Red: Like many gals (vintage and otherwise) out there, it took me a long time to find my perfect shade of red. I'm fair skinned and look better in blue-reds, but my skin also has pink undertones, and it's easy for almost any lipstick to unintentionally bring out that pinkness in an unflattering way. About five years ago, I started using Russian Red after reading some really glowing reviews online about it, and have been hooked ever since. It is, bar none, my all-time favourite red lipstick.

The texture is thick, but not to the point of being stiff or hard to apply. The colour is a lush, vintage appropriate, deeply pigmented blue-red that goes on true to colour (at least I find that it does on me), and a single tube seems to last for a very long time even when applied almost every day (four to six or more months, I've found).

Here's an example of me wearing MAC Russian Red.






MAC Diva: A dark, seemingly vamp merlot wine hued lipstick might seem a bit out of place on a gal like myself who favours 1940s and 50s fashions, and while, admittedly, this colour wasn't the most common of shades during the era, it's one that I've found works surprisingly well with a number of vintage looks.

Much like Russian Red, this is a high quality lipstick with a lot of staying power, pigmentation, and punch. It is, however, lighter once on than it appears in the tube. Instead of looking goth, it's elegant, eye-catching and very sophisticated, yet sweetly fun at the same time. After Russian Red, this is the lip colour that gets the second most amount of play in my lip wear arsenal these days.

Here's an example of me wearing MAC Diva.





Clinique Raspberry Glace: Pink lipsticks are a tricky camp for me. I love them dearly (ditto for corals, which are almost impossible for me to wear), but often times they don't work well with my colouring. Over the years, I've had the best luck with those that veered towards the dusty rose and ever-so-subtly mauve infused side of the spectrum, and somewhere in between is where you'll find Raspberry Glace.

A gentle, very natural hit of pink with subtle shimmery undertones, this is a fairly lightweight lipstick that glides on like a dream, has quite decent staying power, partners well with vintage outfits, and is a perfect year-round pink in my books.

Here's an example of me wearing Clinique Raspberry Glace.




Red Apple Lipstick (in) Red: Much as I love, and very frequently wear, Russian Red, sometimes I want a slightly lighter red, one that's pigmented, but not quite as matte and dense, and on those days, Red Apple Lipstick's classic Red is often my shade of choice.

Far from being matte, this lipstick has an appealing shine and element of shimmer to it, but stops short of looking like a gloss. It's a timeless true red (that goes on like a dream) and one that I think would work wonderfully on a wide range of skin colours.

Here's an example of me wearing Red Apple Lipstick (in) Red (layered under Red Apple's Firestorm Lip Gloss).


{To learn more about a specific image, please click on it to be taken to its respective source.}




These are not the only lipsticks I own or wear, but they are the ones that see the most action by a long shot at the moment (and in the case of the first three lippies, for at least the past four years - Red Apple's offering is a fairly new edition that joined my make-up bag last year). Occasionally, if I'm after a shade that falls somewhere in between red, burgundy or pink, I'll combine two of these lipsticks, such as I did in this post from the summer of 2012.

Typically I use a lip liner in a similar shade to my lipstick first (to give my lippie extra staying power and help ward off that dreaded bare patch look that can happen to lipstick as it wears off throughout the day), with my two favourite brands presently being Annabelle and Red Apple Lipstick.

Sometimes, instead of a liner - or instead of lipstick (and liner) all together - I'll also reach for a lip stain, in which case I really love Covergirl Outlast Lipstain in 440 (Wild Berry Wink). It's a sweet dark pinkish-red that delivers a terrific I-just-ate-three-pink-popsicles kind of flush of colour to one's lips and which stays on for hours and hours (here's a series of outfit snaps in which I'm wearing Wild Berry Wink lip stain).

I don't tend to wear a lot of gloss nowadays (I did in my teens and early 20s, but lip gloss was a product that I kept getting glutened from in the early days of life with celiac disease, so I really scaled down on the amount I use, even though I'm happy to say that I have since found a few brands that are guaranteed to be gluten-free). When I do reach for glosses, I usually like either clear (it goes with everything, you've got to love that!) or a true red that can be worn alone or layered over one of the lippies discussed here. In either case, Red Apple Lipstick and Annabelle are my two brands of choice.

My lips (like my skin) in general tends to be pretty dry (especially during the fall and winter), so a good balm or chap stick is a must all-year round for me. To be honest, I've not yet found a gluten-free one that I'd give an A+ to in terms of effectiveness, but two that I've had decent results with so far have been Badger Balm and EOS (of which I've found their Strawberry Sorbet balm to be most effective).

I'm sure that as time goes on, I'll try other lipsticks, some of which will miss the mark by a long shot, others that will become instant favourites, and some that will land squarely in the middle. This is the nature of not just lipsticks, but almost all cosmetic products.

It's important for me that my lipsticks have a timeless feel to them and are on par with shades that existed during the mid-twentieth century. Ideally I like them to come in at under $25 a piece (I don't buy a lot of department store cosmetics at all for the sake of my budget and also because I'm quite happy with a number of drugstore products, but I make a notable exception to statement for lipsticks), have staying power when I kiss my husband (which I do a lot!), and last through many, many applications (so as to get a fair amount of bang for my make-up buck).

All four of the lipsticks discussed here today do just that, which is precisely why they're my go-to shades day in and day out all year long.

Thank you very much to Sanne for her great question - I always welcome queries from my wonderful readers, be they related to my make-up, wardrobe, or anything else pertaining to the vintage lifestyle, and hoped you enjoyed learning a more about my current favourite quartet of lipsticks.

54 comments:

  1. I'm waiting for the day when cosmetics are required to list ingredients as clearly as food labels. I need to avoid nut butters in products and you wouldn't believe how many different names (mostly chemical sounding compounds) there are for them that sound nothing like "nut butter." I can't tell you how many times I've stood in a store, trying to peel back the itty-bitty ingredient label on a tube of lippy (because they invariably have a label you must lift to read which looks ever-so-suspect in a drugstore anyway)and squinted to see what it contains, only to miss something, get it home, and need to toss it out. At the very least, wouldn't it be great if they could list maybe the top common allergens on products?

    I love how Russian Red looks on you.

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    1. I hear you loud and clear, dear gal! While food labeling itself still has a long, long way to come IMO (some brands are great, others are atrocious and plenty fall in the middle), that shouldn't stop cosmetic and beauty product brands from stepping up their game and properly listing all major allergens that they contain. I've run into that same situation (buying an item only to have to toss it later on) with numerous products that ended up containing gluten or eggs (I have celiac disease and am allergic to eggs) over the years. Red Apple Lipstick, one of the brands listed above, is free of nut products (as well as gluten), as far as I know. They have stellar customer service, so if you're ever interested in buying from them and have questions, I bet they'll be more than happy to answer them.

      Thank you! I love how Russian Red looks on me as well. It's absolutely "my red".

      ♥ Jessica

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  2. Hello Jessica!
    (Or: Hallo :-))

    Wow, I had no idea you know German?? I am a little lot confused now. Like.. really. I think I might missed something here, hihi :-) Thanks for your superlovely comment on my post - my heart was dancing a little when I found it there n_n

    And: Oh, I really need to try this Russian Red one from MAC too, since it seems to appear in every retro blogger's beauty case. It looks like the perfect red to me.
    I love red lipstick, but due to my yellowish skin, pink fits me much better.
    Also orange and coral tones look really stupid on me.. oh.. tricky..
    And the dark red ones, well, I admire them at other girls' lips, but myself I always feel super gothic with these...
    Maybe it's a matter of hair color or something. :-)
    Oh, and I agree: Lipgloss is super eww. I mean, it looks nice somehow. But then when I am outside, my hair always stucks to my lips. Most disgusting feeling ever. :|
    Btw, I had no idea that there is gluten in lots of lipsticks!

    Well. Must look through your previous photos now, to compare the lipsticks. (Cause usually I am more paying attention to the whole outfit)

    Have a wonderful day,
    Saperlotte

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  3. i really adore how you do your makeup!
    actually, you've inspired me after I've spent years only worn gloss or balm to wear again powerful red ........

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  4. Finding that perfect shade of red is so difficult but now I use one of Catrice 'Ultimate Colour, 080 My Red Card' and I'm very happy with it!

    xoxo Little Miss Bamboo ~

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  5. Good information on a lively topic. Thanks.

    I'm trying to learn more and more about cosmetics; in fact, that's one of my two New Year's resolutions. Still unsure of the differences between lipstick, lip-stain, lip-gloss and lip-crayons.

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  6. I've always wanted to try out MAC's products, but they're not as easy to get a hold of in Sweden as in USA :/ One day!

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  7. Oh boy! I feel so honoured that you made this post for me. Thank sooo much. Lovely and informative. I'm in love with Raspberry Glace, it looks like what I have been searching for, so I will check it out very soon. I have never heard about Red Apple, but I am in love with the Red one. My favourite red lippy is discontinued so I'm looking for it's replacement and it could very well be Red. Thank you so much again, dear friend. Wishing you both a lovely weekend. :)

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    1. Aww, you're very welcome, sweet Sanne. Many thanks again for the stellar question. Please feel free to ask any others you might like to see a post on in the future. It may sometimes take a little while for said post to pop up, but I do try very hard to create them for many of the questions I receive in blog comments here whenever possible.

      Tons of hugs & joyful weekend wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  8. I had no idea lipsticks and lip glosses contained gluten!!
    My sister-in-law is anaphylactic to milk and milk ingredients and apparently there are a lot of lip balms and glosses that contain milk products! She wanted some balm from Lush one Christmas and I spent a significant amount of time with the sales girl reading the ingredient labels to make sure I bought one she could wear.
    How do you find out the ingredients in a lipstick? Is it marked on the cardboard package? I've never checked..

    Lisa.

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    1. Hi sweet Lisa, I'm very sorry that your SIL has such an extremely powerful reaction to milk and milk ingredients. I get woefully sick from gluten (and eggs - another ingredient I stay clear in cosmetics and beauty products), but my reaction is from celiac disease, not a life and death allergy. I avoid gluten as if it were for me however, because of how sick it makes me, but ultimately, that isn't the same thing as a true anaphylactic allergy and again, I'm very sorry you has a family member who has to live with one.

      In some cases, especially when there's paper packaging involved a beauty product will have the ingredients it contains listed, but many that are smaller (such as tubes of lipstick, single colour pots of eye shadow, lip liners and eye liners, etc) often do not. In either case, I always check the website of the company that manufacturers the product (just because gluten isn't listed, doesn't mean that the item couldn't have been manufactured on the same line as a product that did and/or come in contact with one at the factory). If they don't list the ingredients, and ideally any allergens used in their products in general there, I'll either call or email the company. If the response I receive leads me to be able to confidentally believe that the product is gluten-free (and gluten cross contamination free) then I will purchase it, but if a company says something along the lines of "While that specific product does not contain gluten, it's possible that it may have come in contact with gluten in our manufacturing plant" I absolutely will not buy it. If it came down to it (which thankfully it doesn't!) I'd much rather never wear make-up again than risk getting glutened by my cosmetics.

      Red Apple Lipstick's products are all, as far s I know, vegan, so they would be safe for your SIL to use (as, in theory, would all other vegan products, as the presence of any dairy ingredients would prevent them from being called vegan).

      That's a great question, honey, thank you for asking it. Have a fabulous first weekend of 2014!
      ♥ Jessica

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  9. Oh, I love the deep, rich colour of the Mac Russian Red! I hope you and Tony are enjoying a fabulous weekend my sweet! Hopefully Annie is also feeling a bit better!

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  10. It is so difficult to find a good red lipstick, especially when one has odd coloring as I do. Finding a gluten free one must have been a nightmare! I'm not sure if there is such a thing here in Britain, although there must be. I find a lot of drugstore reds are more orange toned, the department store ones are the ones that suit me (boo, says my wallet!)

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  11. I always love to read about the make up that other bloggers wear. I've actually yet to try Mac lipsticks - something which I must remedy! I find that I suit an orangey red and when I wear that shade I use Revlon or Chanel lipsticks.

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    1. Revlons lipsticks are usually fantastic. Pre-GF days, I used their lippies often and loved that most were quite moisturizing and long lasting.

      Thank you very much for your lovely comment, honey - have a fantastic weekend,
      ♥ Jessica

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  12. They all look lovely on you but my favourite is still Diva. :)
    On the lip balm/chapstick front, have you tried Epic Blend? They're actually based in BC (West Kelowna, says my tube) and all the ones I have are listed as gluten free. Some are vegan as well which should take care of the egg thing too. I'm usually pretty picky when it comes to lip balm but I think I like them better than EOS!

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    1. Thank you very much, sweet lady - I flat out adore Diva as well.

      Oohhh, that is all kinds of cool! No, I haven't tried or even so much as heard of that brand. I love that there's a GF lip balm brand made a mere hour away from my house. Off to investigate Epic Blend (online) right now. Thank you deeply for telling me about it.

      ♥ Jessica

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  13. Great post :-) i have never heard of red apple lipsticks before. I also didnt realise about allergies and cosmetics. All i have ever had to consider is the colour quality and price.

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  14. {{{GAK}}} Raspberry Glace! I used to wear that shade a gazillion years ago. What a delight to see it now. I may just have to take a trip to the Clinique counter. Years ago, I used Clinique products, and always made sure to purchase goodies when they had their bonus offerings. Oh boy...I had a lot of beautiful makeup. Right now I'm using a mineral product that I buy online from a small business in Ontario. I was in Sephora before Christmas and splurged on an eyebrow pencil and lippie from Laura Mercier. Honestly, I felt like a kid in a candy store, with a sales associate picking just the right shades for me. Happy New Year!

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    1. Very cool! My mom (who wear more Clinique than I do) and I are precisely the same thing with their gift bag offerings. I usually use most of the products (especially the moisturizers, cleaners, and eye shadows) in those fun promotional bags and actually discovered Raspberry Glace a few years back through one of them.

      Big hugs & many thanks for your great comment,
      ♥ Jessica

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  15. Loved this post! I have yet to try any MAC products and I really think my first should be the Russian Red. It is so hard to find the right shade and this looks perfect.

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  16. I was surprised that you didn't have a Besame lipstick in your collection as they are now listing them as gluten (and paraben) free. I just ordered my first one and was hoping you had a color of their brand that you would recommend. That's ok though as this still had lots of good info. I also wish the cosmetic companies would list what is in the products. I always make sure to wipe my lipstick off before I eat so that I'm not consuming the chemicals in the lipstick along with my food! Like you I have very sensitive skin which I have had even more trouble with in the last year. I particularly have had trouble with eye makeup and would love to see a similar post on the brands you use for eyes as well.

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    1. Hi sweet Chrissy, ooohh, I honestly didn't know that Besame was GF! I know of their brand from its widespread popularity amongst the vintage community, but have never tried or bought any of their offerings. Now that you've shared with me that they're GF, I know what is making its way to the top of my birthday wish list this year! Thank you for sharing that fact with me, dear gal. If I do try one (or more) of their offerings, I'll post about my thoughts on it/them in a future entry here.

      Thanks again & have a stellar Sunday,
      ♥ Jessica

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  17. Their shades tend to be a bit more fashion forward than timeless classics, but a good gluten free brand is OCC. Some of my favorite lip colors from them are NSFW (actually, just a very classy cool red!), Vintage, and Black Dahlia (the matte finish one): http://occmakeup.com/collections/lips-1/products/lip-tar-matte I swatched NSFW on my hand at Sephora and it took rubbing alcohol to get it off, and even then it left a stain until the next day. If that's not incredible lasting power, I don't know what is! Plus, although they aren't cheap, you only need the tiniest bit of product and every lip tar comes with its own lip brush.

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    1. Hi Irene, thank you very for letting me know that OCC's offerings are GF. That's awesome!

      Wow, that is really, really incredible staying power for sure. I'm going to be looking into if they sell OCC's products at Sephora here in Canada (specifically, at the closest location to us, which is about an hour away).

      Thank you again & have a beautiful Sunday!
      ♥ Jessica

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  18. I feel a little like a stalker, commenting on the same post again, but... ^_^

    Oh, I think I was confused by your last comment, so I thought you would understand German.
    I'm always a bit torn between English and German.. On the one hand, I think I can handle English quite good by now, since lots of my friends don't speak German. On the other hand I noticed that 95% of my readers are from Germany or Austria and especially come for my writing style (which is of course much funnier and eloquent in ones native language.) So I stopped publishing mostly outfit posts with English texts and started to write down my female thoughts about men, women, cosmetics, fashion and all the important (well...) stuff happening in my daily life instead. Never thought this would be interesting for anybody, but suddenly I got much more readers, clicks and comments. Guess I am just a better writer than a model.. :-)

    Thanks for the nice comment on my outfit. As you might have noticed by my comments on your outfits, I am totally into color matching. So when I am wearing bright red lipstick, I always need to wear a bright red accessory as well, like the bandana.
    But since bandanas seem to look really silly in (my) open hair, and putting it around my neck made me look like Lucky Luke, the leg was the only other place to put it...

    Oh, I must look for new lipstick colors to try soon. Your post made me feel super boring, for always only wearing bright red or pink. But then I need to buy color matching accessories too. Might turn out expensive :-)

    Oh, I am always writing way too much here.... n_n'

    Have a fantastic day,
    Saperlotte

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    1. Hello sweet Saperlotte, that's okay, I'm sorry if there was a bit of confusion. I completely understand that. I suspect I'd always want to blog in my native tongue, too, if I was bilingual (which I'm not fully, though I do know a little French and an even smaller amount of Italian, thanks to the fact that it's my husband's mother tongue). I thoroughly enjoy reading your posts via Google Translate, and while, yes, as is always the case, some meanings are changed or lost and some words don't translate, I can certainly get the general gist of what you're saying and can tell what a passionate and wonderful writer you are.

      It's awesome that you're a big fan of colour coordinated outfits as well. I'm actually going to be blogging a bit more about that topic (I touched on it recently in this post: http://www.chronicallyvintage.com/2013/11/you-asked-how-i-put-my-vintage-outfits.html) later this year, as it's one that's very near and dear to my fashion (and colour) loving heart.

      Don't feel boring, honey, it's wonderful that you have a couple of beloved signature shades. I'm very loyal to the ones listed in this post and unlike many ladies, no longer (I used to as a teen and in my early 20s) have tons of different lippies that call my makeup bag home. If you find one or two that really work for you and compliment most of your ensembles, by all means, stick with them.

      Tons of hugs & happy Saturday wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  19. I love talking about make-up almost as much as clothes! The shades you have chosen are perfect for your skin tone. Many years ago I trained as a beauty therapist (as a hobby - I had a stressful job at the time) and I used to be one of those people who had boxes of make-up and tried out everything. Now I'm down to a few 'perfect' essentials, but the opposite end of the colour spectrum suits me to you. My skin has golden tones, so all the peaches through to orange-reds suit me best. I don't think they are ideal for a '40's/50's look. I can sometimes get away with a true red if I want defined lips, if I'm careful with the rest of my make-up. By the way, the other area I buy a more expensive product in is face powder. I find the pricier ones so much finer!
    As a footnote, my comment on your last post was cut short. Probably because I was trying to comment on my iPad. Anyway it should have said something along the lines of, everyone has to tend to their own garden, as we all have our work to do in life. Of course we should be kind to others and help when we can, but ultimately we can make ourselves unwell and time poor to the extent where we can't look after ourselves or those nearest and dearest and that's when we need to recognise where the boundaries lie...I think you picked that up from what I read in your response anyway! Funnily enough, I know I'm getting time poor when I don't have time to paint my toenails! I keep them a beautiful red similar to the first Mac lipstick, and silly as it sounds this little bit of glamour really cheers me up! I think make-up can be quite therapeutic, actually!

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    1. Hi sweet Philippa, how wonderfully cool that you trained as a beauty therapist. I didn't know that you were such a big fan of cosmetics....hmm, maybe I should post about what I use/my faves here more often then! :) (I usually tend to stick with the same beloved handful of items at this point in my life, too, and a good part of the reason why I don't blog about my makeup more often is that I can't help but think it might seem boring to those who use far more or are really, really into cosmetics.)

      Just about any red (be it true, blue or yellow based) works splendidly for a 40s or 50s look, as there were all kinds of red options available back then, too. This Tangee brand lipstick ad from the 40s, for example, includes an orangey red and a coral-pink shade: http://www.funlipstick.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/3827962324_7869bc112e.jpg

      It's okay, I noticed that your comment got chopped off there. That's happened to me before when I was trying to comment from my iPhone, so I can relate. Thank you for sharing the rest of what you were trying to say that day here with me how. I couldn't agree more with your wise words, my dear friend.

      Gentle hugs & joyful Sunday wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  20. MACs Russian Red is on my wish list but it is so expensive here in Australia that I can't really justify it at the moment. I have started wearing a Revlon red that I don't mind, and as part of my fundraising I make sure I have a nice red pout to match my shoes at my medical appointments. But it does seem to aggravate my lips if I wear it too often. Dairy/lactose is more my issue, as is lanolin, and both seem so hard to avoid in cosmetics. I do wish there was more transparency in their ingredients.

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  21. It has never even occurred to me to check whether lip products are gluten free! I've given so many lippies as gifts or done the makeup of my gluten-free girlfriends without giving this a second thought. Thank you so much for bringing that point up, I'll make sure that I'm more careful about that in the future!

    My all-time favourite red lipstick is Red Sinner from the Lipstick Queen range. It's a great matte true red that stays on all day. In fact, I've never found a Lipstick Queen lipstick I didn't like, and I've got quite a big collection now!

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  22. I have just recently gotten my paws on MAC Russian Red and I am amazed! I like it very much :D I'd love to try also Ruby Woo and Diva and Media and countless amount of other shades :D (un)Luckily, the closest MAC shop is 200km away :D

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  23. Great post! I was wondering, do you put on your lipstick with a brush, or straight out of the tube?
    (Also I don't know if this is only happening for me but I don't see any pictures where it says "and here is an example of me wearing...")

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    1. Generally speaking, I apply straight from the tube, but since about October of last year, I've been going the brush route more and more. I don't have very full lips (especially on the top) and my lips are slightly uneven (some areas are a little fuller than others), and I do find that using a brush helps me stick as close to my true lip shape as possible.

      Sorry if that wasn't clear, honey. Where is says that, it's a link to click through to a post that includes photos of me wearing those shades, not pictures themselves in this post.

      Big hugs & tons of happy Sunday wishes,
      ♥ Jessica

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  24. I love mac Lipstick and I love red lipstick, but...I don't have a red mac lipstick!!! I think I will probably have to change this now!!!

    Still enjoying your blog!!

    Alice x

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  25. i have to confess i still haven´t found the perfect red lipstick for me, well i never tried mac, but you convinced me as i think we have similar fair skin, it´s a shame always when i change my haircolour i have to start again with looking for the perfect lipstick colors as red really does´n´t go well with everything:(
    love and kiss,mary

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  26. Getting the red is so important, I was interested to read about what suits you and what doesn't, everyone's very different aren't they? These days I tend to buy a lot more cosmetics and beauty products online, from retailers that I know have high standards of organic ingredients, no animal testing, no petrochemicals etc, and they also tend to list all the ingredients on the websites which is great if you have allergies etc. Gone are the days of giving unknown brands a try, I do my research these days!!

    P x

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  27. Man I have such a hard time with makeup. when I wear it it just looks weird! I do have one lipstick I like with a 40's red color but eye makeup it's all so hard for me. You do such a great job!

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  28. Like you I don't own a large amount of make-up things. I only have two lipsticks although I use them every day. A brighter one that you can see in my outfit posts on the blog or when I go out and a lighter one that I use when I go to work. That's all and I'm happy with that. I can say that I found my favourite colours and I hope they will be produced for a long time. Cause I don't like looking for new lipstick colours cause often they don't have these special warm colours that I like and that go well with my complexion.

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  29. I had no idea that lipstick contains gluten, what a pain! The colours you have chosen work so well with your look and your wardrobe. I am still looking for a red that suits me, I often end up with a natural lip shade of lipstick! I have no idea if it is gluten free but I find Eight Hour cream by Elizabeth Arden fantastic for chapped lips and dry skin. It isn't cheap but a tube lasts ages.

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  30. Thanks for sharing! You so suit Russian Red!!

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  31. great post! you know i love ready anything about beauty, and lipsticks are of course a major weakness of mine too! i've got MAC's ruby woo instead of russian red but i'd love to try russian red as well because i can never have too many red lipsticks and because sometimes i don't feel like maintaining a matte lipstick all day because it can be so drying.

    i've got MAC's diva as well though and it's such a great shade! to be honest i haven't worn it a lot lately but you've reminded me to make sure i use it sometime this week because dark reds are a favourite of mine. also i didn't realise how careful you had to be with gluten to make sure it's not even in your lip products. of course it makes sense but being lucky enough to not have to watch out for it, it never occurred to me that you would have to. but luckily there are some great brands like MAC and clinique that have huge colour ranges in their lipsticks that you will be safe with. :)

    little henry lee

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  32. Blue reds are the best for my colouring too. It's so hard to find a good one and I've read a lot of 'vintage girls' wear MAC Russian Red. I will have to see if I can source some and give it a try.

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  33. Fantastic post!
    I love seeing lady-like posts (meaning: we are finally getting away from Christmas and New Year posts and entering a new Vintage-loving year).
    Long time ago (let's be honest: when I say "high school" that WAS a long time ago) I swore by lip-gloss. The glitter, the sparkle and the shine were my Trinity. I liked my glossy lips to be neutral color, but to shine like there's no tomorrow. :)
    Strangely, I couldn't wear that any more. Mat and red. That is how I like my lips. Now, I've heard a lot of great reviews on MAC makeup; unfortunately they don't sell them here. I opt for Bourjois (Chanel's much cheaper sister brand), Rimmel and Max Factor. And, I shouldn't dare forget: Avon. :)
    One day, when folks from MAC decide to come over here, I'll be the first one to grab the "Russian Red, be sure of that.

    Hug
    Marija

    P.S.
    Again: Thank you for answering so quickly, for giving me much needed advice & support!

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  34. I'm pretty sure I'm not a red lipstick person myself. Whenever I put it on, I feel like I'm putting on an act or something, which is definitely not how it should be. However whenever I put on a bold pink or deep wine {technically a red, but not so bold} I feel more like myself.

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    1. I get that completely. Much as I'd like to find a coral or more orange tinged shade of lipstick, when I put them on, they just don't feel like me at all (perhaps because they so rarely look good on me). If you like wine shades, Diva from MAC (included here) is my top colour in that category for sure. I love how it's dark, but doesn't (IMO) veer into unintended goth territory.

      ♥ Jessica

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  35. Raspberry glaze from Clinique was one of my favorites ! and i just got a new reddish one from MAC - we'll see how it looks on me-

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  36. Based on your blog I got russian red and I do love it. I want to try that diva color too its lovely

    retro rover

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  37. I love all of your lipstick choices! I have similar coloring and I can't wait to check them out. I had no idea that there was gluten in lipsticks or glosses. It really is everywhere. No wonder so many people have issues with it. Best of luck to you and all the Gluten free gals out there!

    Sarah

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  38. I am on a quest for the perfect (red) lipstick. All of the ones I have tried have failed miserably. I actually prefer my lips bare (save for a generous sweep of lip balm). I think the color of my lips works okay, so I don't feel too bad about not wearing it. I do have one I use that I like but it is very pinkish. Maybe reds just don't work well on me because of my skin tone. I think a darker red would work maybe.

    Maybe I will give MAC Diva a try!

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    1. You have a beautiful natural lip colour, lucky lady! Mine, like many peoples', is anything but worthy of writing home about (plus, my lips - especially my top lip - are a bit thin, so lippie is a must to help perk up that part of my face) if they go au naturel. I could Diva looking smashing on you! I'd love to know your thoughts on it if you ever give it a try.

      Thank you very much for all of your terrific blog comments today, sweetheart.

      Huge hugs!
      ♥ Jessica

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  39. I think that no matter what shade you wear, you always look fabulous!!
    ~xoxo, CoriLynn

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    1. You're all kinds of wonderfully sweet! Thank you so much, darling gal (believe me though, coral, oranges and grape hues do me no favours).

      ♥ Jessica

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