What is Lip Tar?

Lip tar, seriously? Is it made of tar? Will it feel like rubber? What's the point? All of these questions ran through my mind when I first heard of lip tars. I've been seeing them pop up all over the place and just had to know more. So I google-fu'd lip tars and found this link to Sephora. Read the reviews for more insight if you're curious. What did I find out?

Lip tar is a hugely pigmented, high-opacity lipstick concentrate made by Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics. They claim the product has unprecedented longevity. From watching the tutorials and reading the reviews, it sounds like it's a cross between a stain and a long-wear lipstick. It reminds me of Stila's Stay All Day Lipstick. Only more pigmented, if you can imagine. 

The product description says, "this forumula combines the longevity of a lipstick with the breezy application of a gloss. The rich pigment will drench your pout and the blend of essential oils, including hemp and peppermint, will soothe and soften the skin for a supremely comfortable finish. For easy travel and application, each Lip Tar comes with a vinyl carrying case and mini lip brush."

For those of you that know me, you'll know that the inclusion of essential oils both thrills and scares me. Essential oils are molecularily very small and readily absorbed through the skin and into the blood stream where they're carried through the body to work their beautiful magic. It's why they're the active ingredients in a lot of the medicines we take. Rule one with essential oils is not to blend them with products not safe for consumption, even if you apply them topically, because the ingredients WILL BE ABSORBED into your body. I like that the formula doesn't have parabens in it. But still, I'm leary. Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics does promise this product is 100% vegan and cruelty-free, so I'm still willing to try it. 

What do you get for your money? The cost on Sephora is $18 for a .3 oz tube of product. A little on the steep side, and not something I can afford to buy just to try out at the moment. When the time comes that I pick some up I will report back here and give an honest review with color-true photos. Has anyone else tried these? Is it a love or hate thing? Are they the future for lip color?

Lip Exfoliation

Did you know this was a thing? Because I didn't. Which pisses me off, because I could have had lush soft lips for years. Instead I've been plagued through summer and winter with flaky chapped lips. Until now.

You can go out and buy a variety of types of lip exfoliators. I made my own. Using:

Coconut Oil

Olive Oil

White Sugar

Melt a little bit of coconut oil in the microwave. Don't make it so hot it will melt the sugar, just warm enough to liquify. Mix in half as much olive oil. Blend them well. Then add white sugar until it's soaked up the oil and the sugar and the oil base are level in the container. Pop on a lid and allow to cool to room temp.

Every morning before I brush my teeth I use an old (clean) toothbrush and brush my lips gently using this mix for a few seconds to half a minute. Then I dab off the residue with a tissue. I keep my lips moisturized during the day with lip balm. And I repeat this at night before bed, applying lip balm before I climb between the sheets.

What have I learned from all of this? EXFOLIATE YOUR LIPS! You, your spouse and your lipstick will thank me for it.

How To Wear Really Bright Lipstick Tutorial

 I found this lipstick tutorial by Lisa Eldridge on Youtube and thought I'd share. I've recently ventured into the realm of bright lipsticks. It's not intuitive, deciding which shades work best with my skin tones, what to do with the rest of my face and even how to apply the lipstick so it stays put. I thought this video was well done and informative.