Lipstick is My Jam

When the pandemic struck and we were encouraged to wear facemasks I stopped wearing lipsticks. I wear mostly cloth ones and I thought wearing lipstick   would be  difficult to nearly impossible to do successfully. Wearing lipstick is my only facial cosmetic adornment. I had stop wearing eye makeup years ago and I never wore face powders, concealers or blushes. So, lipsticks became my jam.

I braille labeled each tube with the corresponding color to keep track. I have various bold bright colors in variations of reds, pinks, bronzy golds and browns. These colors look the best on my skin tone and I was proud to wear them often.

When my Mary Kay consultant sent me a complimentary tube of bold red lipstick, with my regular order, I was so excited to wear it. But before I could run that smooth bright color across my lips the world shutdown and I had to wear a facemask. I was so disappointed as I sighed, put my favorite lipstick color back in its box and stored away hoping soon the pandemic would be over.

Well, it is a year later and I still haven’t worn that lipstick! LOL! Okay, not exactly, I have pulled it out for a Zoom video call or two but you know that is not the same as wearing it out in public. So, when I heard it was National Lipstick Day I wanted to find out if it was possible to wear lipstick and a facemask too. I quickly discovered the answer is yes. Initially when I started reading online articles about wearing lipstick under a facemask, I thought it was a waste because first, no one would see it. I mean why wear a beautiful color of lipstick to only cover it up. In my mind that is the whole reason. Second, what would be the point because my lips would get smudged and stain my mask.

Wearing Lipstick and a Facemask

Nowadays with the pandemic, I only go out for small errands like grocery shopping. Everything else I mostly do from home. However, the pandemic is not over and I will probably be wearing a mask for a lot longer. So, it got me to rethink this whole lipstick mask situation. Maybe it is possible for me to pull this off after all? 

If you are like me and missing wearing your lipstick, tired of wearing Chapstick or nothing at all, let me share a pointer or two. I read some tips in Harper’s Bazaar from Michelle Obama’s make-up artist, Carl Ray. First is to exfoliate & moisturize your lips. Our lips don’t naturally stay soft and smooth. Second use a lip primer or a concealer followed by lip liner applied all over your lips. Afterward apply your color. Keep in mind that matte finishes are preferrable over shiny ones that can stick to the mask. Also, you can blot off extra lipstick with facial tissue.

Focused on Pandemic and not Lipstick

As I read that article it dawned on me that this advice was nothing new. Even as I continued to read more articles online I found similar advice and helpful tips. This all made sense and I wondered why I hadn’t thought of it before now? Then I had an aha moment. Since dealing with this pandemic wearing lipstick has not been the priority. It has been trying to live, work and do the best I can. Wearing lipstick was one of those little rituals I did to prep before leaving the house. To feel pretty. To dress up. It was a part of my normal. Things have settled down a bit and now I can concentrate on life’s little pleasures again.