How to Apply Lipsticks

Basic Neutral Lipstick

Ever wanted to make your own lipstick? Here is how!

1/4 cup grated beeswax (you could try soy wax for a vegan substitute)

3 tablespoons vegetable shortening

1 tablespoon almond oil

3 tablespoons cocoa butter

Mix all of your ingredients together in an ovenproof container and then heat the mixture on high in the microwave for one to two minutes. It should be completely melted. Pour the liquid into a pan or box (about 5-by-3 inches) that you've lined with foil and greased.

When the mixture has cooled, you can cut it into sticks and put those in lipstick tubes (which you can buy from cosmetics suppliers).

[source: Pallingston]

Lipstick Ingredients

A single lipstick can contain dozens of separate ingredients, and the exact blends are usually a closely guarded secret. They typically fall into a few categories: waxes, oils and fats, emollients, and pigments.

The different types of waxes used in lipstick include beeswax, paraffin and carnauba wax. Wax stabilizes the stick and allows it to be molded into shape. There are also a number of different types of oils used in lipstick manufacturing, including lanolin oil, castor oil, olive oil and cocoa butter (this is where the cow brains come in -- a very inexpensive fat can be extracted from it). The oils and fats in lipstick keep it just the right texture -- soft enough to apply but firm enough to keep it from melting. Emollients make the lipstick more moisturizing to your lips, and they may include vitamin E and aloe vera. 

The thing that sets each lipstick apart in most consumers' minds, however, is the pigment. Lipstick color can come from combinations of plant, animal, mineral or synthetic ingredients. The beetles mentioned in the first section of this article are the source of a color often listed as carmine or cochineal extract. Cochineal insects are killed by steam, dried, powdered and processed to create a bright crimson dye that's nontoxic and noncancerous, unlike some red dyes used in the past.

Lipsticks may also contain preservatives such as alcohol, or other ingredients such as sunscreen and fragrance.

Lipstick is prepared in batches. After being formulated, the ingredients must be carefully combined so that the entire batch has consistent color and texture. It's actually much like making crayons. The pigment and other dry ingredients are finely ground so they will be smooth and evenly distributed within the mixture, then combined with the heated oils. Once this mass is stirred, it's mixed with heated wax and the other ingredients. Finally, the hot liquid is poured into cold aluminum molds and then chilled until firm. Typically it's quickly passed through a flame to create a satiny finish, and then the lipsticks are inserted into their metal or plastic tubes and packaged.

[source: http://health.howstuffworks.com/skin-care/beauty/skin-and-makeup/lipstick2.htm]

Types of Lipstick, from Matte to Shimmer

If you were visiting the cosmetics area of a drugstore for the first time, you might be overwhelmed by the variety of lipstick available. Choosing one is about more than just figuring out which color looks best on you. Most women have experienced the disappointment of buying a lipstick that they end up not using, so choosing the right type is just as important. There are essentially five basic types:

• Matte - The strongest, darkest colors of lipstick are often mattes, because they contain a lot of pigment. Rather than being shiny, they deflect the light. Mattes can often be longer-wearing than shinier types of lipstick as well. Sometimes they aren't as flattering on thinner or wrinkled lips, because they don't contain as many moisturizing ingredients.

• Gloss - Glossy lipsticks contain more oil, so they're shiny. They can also be kind of sticky, especially if they're flavored. They're also usually more transparent and colors are generally lighter. Glosses rub off easily, but they provide a lot of moisture. They are sometimes used over matte or creme lipstick to get the best of both worlds: deep color and shine.

• Creme - This type of lipstick usually falls somewhere between mattes and glosses. Cremes contain more wax than mattes, so creme lipsticks protect the lips better than other types. However, they can also result in dry lips.

• Shimmer - Also known as pearly or frost, shimmer lipsticks contain light-reflecting particles that may be mica, silica, synthetic pearl or even fish scales. Today, shimmers are more often used for special occasions and come in lighter colors.

• Long-wearing - The problem with all lipsticks is that they need to be reapplied at some point because they wear off, so this type of lipstick attempts to solve that issue. Some long-wearing lipsticks are very drying. The most long-lasting lipsticks are usually a two-part system consisting of a base and a gloss. The base may contain silicone oil, which seals in its color. Once it dries, you apply the colorless gloss for the shine. The gloss may be reapplied but the colored base stays put until you remove it, usually with a makeup remover.

[source: http://health.howstuffworks.com/skin-care/beauty/skin-and-makeup/lipstick2.htm]

History of Lipstick

Lipstick started in the Ancient Indus Valley Civilization where women applied lipstick to their lip for face decoration. Ancient Egyptians extracted purplish-red dye from fucus-algin, 0.01% iodine and some bromine mannite, which resulted in serious illness. Cleopatra had her lipstick made from crushed carmine beetles, which gave a deep red pigment, and ants for a base. Lipstick with shimmering effects were initially make using a substances found in fish scales called pearlescence.

During the Islamic Golden Age the notable Arab Andalusian cosmetologist Abu al-Qasim al-Zahrawi (Abulcasis) invented solid lipstick, where were perfumed stocks rolled and pressed in special molds, and he described them in his Al-Tasrif. In Medieval Europe, lipstick was banned by the church and was thought to use as an "incarnation of satan", cosmetic being "reserved for prostitutes". Lipstick started to gain popularity in England the 16th century, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, who made piercing red lips and bright white face a fashion statement. By that time, lipstick was made from a blend of beeswax and red stains from plants.

During the Second World War, lipstick gained popularity as a result of it use in the movie industry, and it became commonplace for women to apply makeup, or "put their face on".