If Mumsnet cannot solve this then no one can. I CAN'T DRINK RED WINE IN PUBLIC <wail>

[MaMight]

Drinking red wine give me the most absurd black lips. Like I've been sucking ink cartridges. It is really really bad and it means I can only drink red wine while hiding in the airing cupboard.

On the odd occasion I have relaxed enough amongst good friends to drink red wine (translation: I'd had a couple of glasses of white and then there has only been red available) all my friends have agreed that no, I really shouldn't drink red in company. And then laughed at me and my stupid black lips.

HELP ME MUMSNET.

you can test it. At least, If I am wrong, you have had some great wine! I promise, it works!

I have given up drinking completely because of hassle like this from wine

This might actually be true- I have found this more with certain wines and it has never happened when drinking wine with my new man, who is a wine snob knows what he is talking about when it comes to nice wine.

here, no idea if they work though.

Have also heard that it to do with the ph value of the mouth.

i suggest you stick with this one-If only to avoid the dreaded red mouth!

I get this with cheap red wine - that they sell in some pubs, and also the stronger red wines - maybe more tannins?
If I sstick to lighter redd like chianti or rioja it is ok.
Is worse if lips are dry though.

I don't get black lips but instead kind of purple "joker" smile lines above my lips.

But hey, red wine, airing cupboard - party! Just invite some friends.

small lines ABOVE your lips? maybe you tip the glass too far back? guzzler?

Yes it is from guzzling I love wine. I used to get pissed when younger but now limit myself two 2 glasses - because of the guzzling I could get through a lot more if I let myself.

does anybody have a really big airing cupboard? Sounds like we could start off a new craze

DH gets this from some wines, I don't at all.

I think it's mostly from merlots or cheaper wines (FIL is the wine expert in our family and always brings us good ones that don't seem to cause a problem).

I don't know why it only affects DH and not me - something in saliva reacting with the wine?

does he have this problem when he drinks wine without you? maybe we can find out why he salivates so much?

'Tis right - my DH is also a wine snob lover of fine wines and if I let him buy the wine there is no problem... but if I buy it (obviously buying from the £4 supermarket range) then my lips turn a hideous, practically unremoveable black colour. As previously said by others, vaseline does help but I think I bite my lips and the wine 'settles' into the big bitten patches of my lips the worst... (nice).

I think it's the amount of tannin. Try going for bottles of wine over £8 or £9 and see if it makes a difference. Disaster if you're in a pub though because they generally only have cheap kak for sale by the glass.

Ooooh, how interesting. I support the lip balm/vaseline approach, although that doesn't help the black tongue the next morning thing - very attractive!!

Never thought about whether cheap wines might be to blame though. Could be right cos it is always worse after pub wine.

Hmm, interesting DH gets this, but i don't when we're drinking the same red wine.

I this sometimes too.
I think some people get it more than others, because it's the way your saliva interacts with the tanning. that's my theory anyway ! Also, some wines do have more tannin.

i drink lots of modestly priced red wine and never get this, so i don't think it can just be the wine. but i drink a lot of black tea so i am used to tannin.

those of you affected buy this - are you by any chance coffee drinkers?

I have a simlar issue, only worse. My lips are fine but my teeth actually go purple/black. Dp finds ut hilarious. Calls me his little Victorian lovely. I only drink red at home obviously, never in public. I spend about £10 a bottle and dp has no problems with staining teeth or lips. I think it is because I must sort ofcsomehow hold the wine in my mouth too long. Or maybe I slurp it through my teeth?! Either way I wish I could Solve the problem!

Yes, I drink a lot of coffee. Always decaff though.

I've never heard of people getting black lips from drinking red wine. But DP gets grey teeth from red. A most attractive look

DP is a big coffee drinker. Maybe the two are related.

Hey Kristina

I drink copious amounts of proper coffee (& wine) and get bad red wine stains. Can I assist with your research?

do you think i could get sponsorship? We could get two or three bottles of excellent red wine each week in the interest of science?

and now i think if it, i never got braxton hicks or after pains or stretch marks - maybe large amounts of black tea are the cure for everything [ponders]

me too, and the joker smile
Maybe just wear black lipstick then no-one will notice. As for the joker smile, that's caused by guzzling rather than sipping

I think it definitely depends on the wine. Pinot Noir good grape to head for to avoid it. Vaseline helps me but you do have to reapply, and don't scrub at your lips once you're out because you'll make them dry and flaky and give the black something to cling on to. Do keep rubbing your teeth clean though (a tiny baby muslin is ideal for this!) to keep them from getting stained. Do this in the loo otherwise people will think you are mad.

I can't believe I actually used to do all this when I went out!