We get it: everyone isn’t a fan of those colorful bullets filled with gorgeous pigments, but here in the ESSENCE beauty department, we’re all lipstick girls (for the most part.) We love a good lip—matte, cream, frosted or glossy—we’ve tried them all. You’ll be hard-pressed to catch one of us without a gorgeous lippie in our beauty bags especially since the beauty favorite can be used for a lot more than just perking up your pout. Here are a few ways to use lipstick to up your beauty and your social skills!
1. Repurpose as a blush. No room in that Saturday night clutch for a rouge? Press a little lipstick into the apples of your cheeks and blend with your fingers. It’s a quick way to refresh your makeup look without loosing out on space that could be used for your cell phone!
2. Gift a smile. Turns out, lipstick is kind of an aphrodisiac. Psychiatrists report that gifting a lipstick to someone who suffers from depression can be highly effective in altering their mood. So, the next time you’re perusing the beauty aisles at Sephora, pick up a lipstick for you and a friend in need of a little pick-me-up.
3. Send a message. If you’re lucky enough to still be in school, this trick may come in handy for those classes with teachers who are sticklers about writing notes and texting during class. Tuck a piece of paper into an empty lipstick tube and hand it to your bestie in between classes.
4. Break the awkward silence. Short on words? Tell someone you love their lipstick. It’s an easy way to break the ice and put a smile on someone’s face without seeming too cheesy.
5. Ditch a Tinder date gone wrong. If you got catfished and Eric from Tinder looks nothing like his profile picture or he happens to have an obnoxious laugh, smear an alarmingly bright lipstick on your lips and extend past the lip line. Then return his obnoxious laugh and hope he never asks you out again.
6. Try it as a shadow. Curious about that new red eyeshadow trend that keeps popping up on the red carpet? If you can’t find a good red shadow to recreate the look, try applying your favorite red lip to your lids and dust them with a translucent powder to mattify. Instant chic, and you didn’t even have to make another trip to the beauty store!
7. Hide that tattoo you got during one tragic spring break. So you had a little too much fun in college— the more memories the better, right? You’re not alone. A lot of women have tattoos that may or may not have been the result of too many…”spirits.” Use your favorite orange lipstick to neutralize the tattoo and cover it with your favorite foundation. This same technique can be used to cover dark under eye circles.
8. Add to your art collection. If you don’t have the budget to buy an original art piece, you can always purchase canvas and create your own art. Whether you choose to melt down your lipstick stubs or paint with your favorite bullets, your art wall is one lipstick away from being a full-on beauty gallery.
9. Tap into your sexy. Lipstick has been a beacon of beauty and sex appeal since people first began crushing pigments and berries and applying it to their lips centuries ago. If you’re not feeling so hot, or you just want to make a memorable mark on your guy, write yourself—or your guy—a love note in lipstick on the bathroom mirror. Trust us, you’ll feel better [almost] instantly.
10. Get an instant glow. Repurpose that shimmery nude lip as a highlighter and sweep it across the high plains of your face to up your glow. Blend with your fingers and snap a selfie with flash to make sure you’ve done the job right.