The summer months may see you spending a significant amount of time outdoors. That means you’ve been stocking up on SPF sunscreen and slathering it on generously. However, almost 70 percent of people that use sunscreen tend to overlook one sensitive part of their body – their lips.
Most people are aware that the sun’s UV rays damage their skin. However, a large percentage are unaware that excessive exposure to the sun can potentially lead to lip cancer. The sun’s UV rays are the most critical risk factor for skin cancer. Lips do not have any melanin, which makes them far more susceptible to the damage caused by exposure to the sun’s UV rays.
The signs of sun damage on your lips will develop over time due to excessive exposure to the sun over the years. These rays can hamper collagen production in the lip area, which results in the formation of fine lines and wrinkles around and on the lips. These are the early signs of sun damage and aging.
Professional Makeup Artist Courses
Today, many products such as lipsticks and lip gloss mention SPF content. One of the most widely debated topics during professional makeup classes and within the beauty community is centered on the use of lipstick versus lip gloss.
Anyone genuinely interested in knowing more about getting their makeup right or who wants to move into the makeup field can benefit from attending makeup artist classes. The experts at these institutes have in-depth knowledge of the different techniques and products and how to use them. They know how these products stand up against each other in terms of function, appearance, quality, durability, and more.
Lipstick vs. Lip Gloss
Returning to the topic of lipsticks and lip gloss, let’s look at which one is better to use during the warmer months. When determining what lip makeup you should use, you should consider factors like application, finish, staying power, and price.
While there are various mediums for lip products, such as lip stains, tinted lip balms, and lip pencils, the most popular are lipsticks and lip glosses. Here we take a detailed look at each of these and understand which one is better for summer:
1. Lipsticks
Lipsticks are waxy, oil-based, velvety, crayon-like beauty products used to color the lips. The tubular containers they come in and their baton shape is where they get their name from. They may or may not have hydrating properties and are available in various finishes like gloss, semi-gloss, matte, metallic, and more. Lipsticks contain waxes, pigments, and oils and are usually designed to have a long-lasting effect. This effect means they may not require frequent reapplication.
But not all lipsticks are made equal, and if you are clumsy with the application, they will smudge during summertime. You may find yourself reapplying your lipstick several times a day, especially during the hotter months. Professional makeup artist classes can teach you how to make your makeup resistant to fading.
2. Lip Gloss
Lip gloss gives your lips a shiny or glossy texture. The primary purpose of using lip gloss is to give your lips shine. While some lip gloss products have a slight pigmentation to add color to the lips, most have a sheer tint. However, you will also find products with some shimmer or translucent glitter in them. Glosses with a low tone and shimmer have more staying power, but you need to reapply them at some point in the day.
Even lip glosses of different shades have a see-through color, and the pigmentation is very subtle. This means you can apply lip gloss without any significant change to the color of your lips. Glosses help maintain plumpness and moisture in the lips during summertime.
Good quality lip gloss is nourishing and helps maintain plumpness in your lips. Some products have argan oil and jojoba that help keep lips well-hydrated and are great for summertime use. The one downside, however, is that lip gloss attracts dust and pollen from the air; food crumbs and stray baby or pet hair can quickly get stuck to your lip gloss.
The Verdict
Keeping the different characteristics of lipstick and lipgloss in view, it’s a good idea to bid farewell to your heavy lipsticks during summer. Use lip gloss sparingly and preferably when you will be indoors for a more extended period. That raises the question- If you can use neither lipstick nor lip gloss, what option do you have?
Most experts like the ones at well-established professional makeup institutes will tell you that it’s better to use lip stains during the warmer months. These offer sheer coverage and are long-lasting formulations. They are amazingly versatile, and you can apply them without worrying about color traveling.
Four Tips for Summer Lip Care
Tip 1: If your lips are starting to peel and are very dry, use some olive oil and fine sugar to exfoliate the accumulated dead cells on your lips lightly.
Tip 2: Zero in on lip products with paraffin, petroleum jelly, or beeswax bases. These seal in the moisture and will last on your lips for a more extended period compared to thin glosses or lipsticks.
Tip 3: Give the lip gloss a miss and use an SPF 30 matte lip stain instead.
Tip 4: If you still prefer to use lip gloss, first apply some lipstick to your lips, and then add a coat of gloss. Make sure that the lipstick also has the recommended SPF content.
It’s a little challenging to determine which product to settle for during the summertime. While lip glosses offer an excellent finish, the application method and stickiness don’t work for everyone. You can create genuinely vibrant lips using lip stains and stick of the best brands.
Learn More About LMI
Teaching the art and science of makeup artistry to the next generation of makeup and special effects artists since 2010, the L Makeup Institute offers classes covering all styles of makeup artistry. There are thousands of cosmetology schools, but only a handful of schools like L Makeup Institute that focus exclusively on preparing you to work as a professional makeup artist immediately upon graduating. Discover why LMI is well known in the MUA community as producing talented, well-rounded, and sought-after graduates. We can’t wait to meet you!