PAMPERS AND PEARLS: FIVE ON FRIDAY: "Lip Service"

For my first FIVE ON FRIDAY, I am going to highlight my five favorite lip products. I learned to have a love for all things "lippy" from my guardian angel, my mother. Even when she was going through chemo and bald as a baby's ass, she would NEVER leave the house without her earrings and lipstick on! She was the original Sasha Fierce!

I'll begin with a product I use daily, actually nightly. It's my Rodan + Fields Redefine Lip Renewing Serum. Yeah, Yeah...I know I work for this company, BUT I wouldn't jeopardize the validity of this blog for an "agenda." I'm a no BS kind of girl who will shoot it to you straight! In all honesty, I truly love this product and would buy it even if I weren't a consultant. It's the most expensive product on here, but I love it because there are 60 capsules that come in the jar and you apply an entire capsule every night before bed. It goes on very smooth and each capsule helps your lips retain their natural moisture while reducing the appearance of any lip wrinkles. Now, I definitely don't have any lip wrinkles as of yet, but if you are the type of person that drinks things through a straw (like me) then those wrinkles are just around the corner; so I consider this preemptive. The downfall other than cost...there is a lot of liquid in each capsule which I personally don't mind (I schmeer it on my lips like cream cheese on a bagel), but this could be annoying to others.

My Favorite lip liner is Bobbi Browns Lip Liner. My mother always taught me that you HAVE to wear lip liner, and Bobbi Brown (make-up Goddess) agrees. However, I rarely wear it. The only time I do is when I'm wearing a lip stick or lip pencil and I want my color to last; usually at weddings or all day events. I use Pink Mauve because of the natural hue of my own lips. So when selecting your lip liner, just be sure that it's as close to your natural lip color as possible or you'll end up looking like J.Lo during her Fly Girl days. The downfall...having to sharpen it.

My Favorite PINK is MAC Viva Glam VI. I've been wearing this color since it was first introduced. I personally love the LipGlass because of it's glass-like finish; its very fresh and makes the rest of my skin glow. I wear this at all different times of the day with all different outfits. Another great thing about the LipGlass is that it can do different things depending on how much you apply. I wear just a few dabs sometimes when I'm running errands or put on two very thick coats before a dinner out, PLUS, it's only $15! The downfall...it's a gloss, duh! If you are the type of person who wants/needs more matte, then you'll want the Lipstick version here. Same beautiful color - no gloss!

My Favorite RED!!! As Gwenyth Paltrow said, "Beauty to me, is about being comfortable in your own skin. That, or a kick-ass red lipstick." My go-to, kick-ass red lipstick is NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dragon Girl. This lip pencil applies like a velvety stick, but is long lasting and high-pigment. I usually apply one coat on my lips, blot with a tissue, touch up with another very light coat, and then dab on little clear lip gloss to add a small glow. I've also applied a subtle purple lip gloss over it which turns my lips the color of red wine...it can be very dramatic with the right outfit! The downfall...the color fades in the middle of the lip where you might unintentionally lick, which can end up making your mouth look like a moving bulls-eye by the end of the night. Just remember to re-apply.

And, saving the best for last, my all time favorite, use for any and everything lip product...Aquaphor!!! Who would have thought that the best and cheapest lip product could be found on your baby's changing table!? (*DO NOT double dip in the same jar; Keep your baby's booty jar separate from your luscious lip jar!) This stuff is so amazing! It softens, soothes and heals your baby's bottom AND your lips at the cost of $4 - $15. Plus it gives you just the perfect little glossy sheen. I keep the 1.75 oz tube in my bathroom to apply anytime I'm in there, and I keep a tube of the lip repair in my purse. Cheap, easy, and functional...it can't get much better!!! The downfall...applying it can get addictive, like crack.