Lipstick professionals share tricks of trade
Dear Heloise: Until fairly recently, I worked for a company that manufactures lipsticks, and it made me observe and become aware of how women wear their lipstick. I have a few hints for your lipstick-wearing readers:
1. Open your mouth when you apply lipstick.
2. Never use a dark outline on your lips. Instead, go for a nude color. A dark outline ages you and draws attention to “smoker’s lines” above the mouth.
3. Using a drop of foundation on your bottom lip and then applying a lipstick makes your lips appear fuller.
4. Stay within the outer edge of your lips. Overdrawing your natural lip line dates you.
5. If your lips are really dry, mix a little dab of foundation and petroleum jelly in the palm of your hand and gently pat over your lips. Then, apply your lipstick.
6. Get used to applying lipstick with a brush. You get much better coverage. Anon.
Dear Heloise: I’ve worked behind the makeup counter at a very well-known department store for the last seven years. One thing I’ve discovered is that many people buy lipstick regularly and have anywhere from 10 to 15 different shades — more than they’ll ever need.
The truth is that the vast majority of people only need about three or four shades at most. Over time, the wrong shades of lipstick will dry out or sit unused in a drawer because the person who bought them didn’t like that color. It did nothing for their skin tone, eyes or hair color.
Instead of throwing away money on a color that does not enhance their skin tones, they should let a makeup salesperson help them select the correct color. We are trained to help people find the right shades, for everything from eyebrow pencils to foundation.
Jodie T., Denver Jodie, I have to say, I’ve been guilty of buying the wrong shade of just about every type of cosmetic. I finally took time to consult with an expert (a makeup artist in New York) who corrected my mistakes. Our natural coloring changes as we age and that lovely shade of pink we wore in our 20s no longer does the job.
Every few years, I get a reevaluation of what colors I should use because I don’t want to look like a ghost or a ghoul at one of my speaking engagements. Heloise
Dear Heloise: Having trouble getting eggs out of the carton? Simply wet your fingertips before picking them up.
Vicki, Mansfield, Ohio
Dear Heloise: I always enjoy reading the clever hints people send in. Here is one of my own: To keep my sink area clear of the utensils I use, when rinsing or washing dishes, I keep them on the back of the top rack of my dishwasher. My sink plug, scraper and long-handled brush don’t take up much room, are out of sight and are easy to access. Above all, they are washed and disinfected each time I run the dishwasher. Adele Y., Grapevine
Dear Heloise: Christmas might be over, but I found a great use for the wreath hanger that goes over the top of the door.
I usually hang my purse up using the wreath holder, which is hung on the back of my bedroom door. This way, I don’t have to hang it on the doorknob, which is easy to walk into or knock off. Sometimes I hang my heavy bathrobe from the wreath hanger or even my straw gardening hat. It has multiple uses!
Allis M., Lubbock Allis, a wreath hanger is a very handy tool. I’ve used one for hanging up a tennis racket, an umbrella and sometimes to hold up an outfit I plan to wear so that I can inspect it to see if it needs to be pressed. Heloise