I don’t have the confidence to wear lipstick

[thissoundssilly]

I’m aware of how this title sounds, but hear me out.

I love wearing makeup. I wear it everyday, I try new blush shades, I love doing eyeshadow.

But one thing I never feel confident enough to wear is lipstick. I wear tinted lip balms day to day, but I wish I could wear lipstick. AIBU to ask how you get past that silly, feeling overly done up, thing?

Start with a neutral shade and gradually change it up a bit?

I think it’s about finding the right shades. I find I mostly tend to look overdone if I’m wearing a red that’s the wrong red for me, or any other colour that’s not quite right.

You could start by trying more subtle colours and building up your confidence that way. Also by trying lipsticks that are the more serum-based ones rather than anything matte.

Honestly when you see the state of some people who wear the brightest wildest shades you quickly realise that no one really cares.

Wear the lipstick.

I was like this for years and spent a fortune on lipsticks I never wore. Have now found one I really like which is fairly low key and I wear it everyday! I am very dark and in theory would suit red lipstick but I still don’t have the nerve!

I’ll happily wear a red lip when I’m going out out, with a full face of makeup!

But day to day I struggle. I’ve tried lip tints, liners that are designed to go under lip gloss, Charlotte tilbury pillow talk (2).

They all look fine, in theory. But for some reason I feel a huge mental block.

Same as pp - wear a neutral shade that’s similar to your natural colour but just looks sharper. Get used to applying it and wearing it. The main difference from other make up is that you have to keep an eye on lipstick and probably top up, whereas I would barely look at my face and eye make up as it stays put all day.

If you want a bolder lip colour, you might tone down other make up, otherwise it can look v glam / full on.

I like wearing lipstick and it helps me feel more polished or finished when I put it on before an event or meeting!

Start with something that’s a beige pinky neutral colour that’s a slightly deeper version of your natural lip colour rather than a strong red, pink or brown shade.

I find that testing lipstick colours on my hand often look nothing like that colour on my lips so it can be a bit hit or miss sometimes.

So you do wear lipstick! Maybe you associate it too much with the extra fancy going out feeling? Do you really want to be using it every day or do you just think you should?

I don’t think I’ve ever successfully worn lipstick. I try about once every 3 years. I’ll have a special day / evening out planned and I’ll think “maybe I’ll wear lipstick” and I’ll spend ages choosing one etc. Then I do all the other makeup (fine) and add the lipstick, and I just think noooo and off it comes. Best I’ve ever managed is lip liner smudged over to slightly stain the lips. I just can’t bring myself to do it! And definitely not red. I love playing with eye makeup but lips just feel so weird for me!

I haven’t worn it since probably 15 years ago when I had bright red lipstick for a night out and my bf at the time told me I looked like a clown!!! 🤡

I don't know if anyone's recommended Clinique's Almost Lipstick to you? I would start with the Nude Honey. It's a balm that sort of stains the lips rather than sitting on the iyswim.

It's annoying that a man put you off red lipstick, especially since historically wronguns on the bad side, like Hitler forbid women from wearing it. Even if I didn't suit it i do I would wear it more for this reason alone.

Oooh I'm literally wearing a red liquid lip right now 🤣 but I'm wearing it with the almost same colour top so it matches and feels part of the outfit

The state of some people?

Start by putting it on your bottom lip amd gloss/ balm on top and smudge them together: Honestly think you’re overthinking this OP , do you judge others on how they look? Maybe if you stop life will be better for you,

The most I ever wear is tinted lip balm too, OP - but I see the Korean gradient a lot, and I always think it looks so much nicer than a full lip, as well as being a little less bold. Perhaps you might like that?

dailyvanity.sg/beauty-tips/gradient-lips-korean-celebrities-laneige/

I love a bright lip as it makes me feel like I’m a bit more put together than I actually am or distracts from my eyes if I’m tired. I don’t personally like the beige lipsticks and the ‘concealer lips’ look but each to their own.

I think skincare and makeup routines have become a minefield of different products and techniques but wearing lipstick surely must be about the least intimidating aspect of it all. Especially as you actually do wear it on occasions anyway how on earth have you built it up into a problem?

Personally when I see, especially girls as opposed to women, wearing absolutely perfect masks of makeup - the polished effect - it really puts me off. They no longer look human but like dolls. I'd much rather see a bit of individuality in makeup, including lipsticks, so that women don't just look like clones of each other as seems to be the aim now.

I love lipstick, primarily because I have no colour in my lips and it looks awful. However, I have recently started using Mavala lip balm and it gives a lovely tint can be used on its own or as a buildable base.

I use a matte dark colour, Mac and Anastasia are goid. Blot it them put lip oil on top. It settles to a really nice outline and stain.

When I first started wearing lipstick it was in shades that suited me, then I progressed onto brighter shades (pinks, reds). I do have one lipstick I bought recently (Nars, a berry sort of shade) which I found hard to wear and was going to return it to Space NK but I ran out of time).

Agree with pp about Mac or other high end brands I prefer, though I did get a couple of cheapy Rimmel colours recently which I’m happy with.

I don't wear lipstick, but that's bc i like to wear a lot of eye makeup. I love coloured eyeliners and mascaras. Adding lipstick would be too much, i just wear tinted lip balms.

If you're already wearing blusher and eye makeup you probably don't need lipstick, a bit of balm/gloss is enough.

Also, lipstick is a complete pain in the arse, it needs constant checking and reapplying, it feels weird and heavy on your lips and can smudge when you eat or take your jumper off. I find it annoying and impractical. I want to just put my makeup on in the morning and forget about it. Lip balm is great bc you can apply it without a mirror and get on with your day and it doesn't feel mask-like like lipstick.

Yes I definitely overthink it. I don’t know why, I think it’s because I only really wear lipstick for events. So I feel like I’ll look “too done up” for work. I’m quite insecure in my looks anyway, so this is tough for me.

Wear it round the house and look in the mirror a lot so you get used to yourself. Any change in our own appearance takes adjustment and we can feel self conscious until we get used to it.