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Speak Up

In the esthetics world there are always new and improved products coming out on the market.

We as estheticians like to check things out, sometimes out of curiosity or just to converse with our clients.

For myself, it's out of curiosity. I don't wear much makeup but I love to wear lipstick and with the years progressing I find it more of a challenge because of the bleeding that occurs around my lips.

If you are wondering what I mean by "bleeding" you haven't reached that "age" yet

Bleeding is when you put on a gloss or lipstick and later on you find it in the corners of your lips or following the little lines around your mouth.

And heaven forbid if anyone would let you know.

I'm always a sucker for the new and latest product that swears that my lips will plump up and stop my lipstick from bleeding. But guess what, they don't work.

They are an illusion and a case of mind over matter. Some of them are also so thick that you feel like your lips are stuck together

The way they are supposed to work is by putting in ingredients such as cinnamon, ginger or even chili pepper extracts to irritate the soft skin and give a feeling like your lips are growing.

They also add sparkles that give you the appearance of pucker lips.

If you want to get into the more expensive products you can check into dermal fillers. These products are more expensive but they do work.

These products consist of cow hide, rooster combs or bacteria and some are synthetic. It sounds a little gross, but if you are desperate for "those lips", this is how they are filling them.

It is not permanent and can last anywhere from six months to a year. By doing these injections you can have a fuller lip and less lines (less bleeding).

The only thing that you have to be aware of is cold sores, but this is discussed during your consult.

Have I ever had my lips done? Yes, a few years ago but just the outline.

Did I like the effect? Yes. Did I continue? No. And why not? Because of the cost.

Now I exfoliate my lips with my tooth brush. I line the outside of my lip and color in with a liner. I then put on lipstick and a smudge of gloss on my bottom lip.

I also try to stay away from colors that have too much red in them because they are more noticeable if they bleed.

And yes, if I could afford it I would have my lips done again. They were not "Angelina" lips but they were nice.

There was just enough product to remove the small lines around the lips.

If you do decide to go this route check out the credibility of the person who is doing it, because this product is with you for at least six months.

* Lorraine Cormier is an esthetician who also has years of experience in the medical field. She now operates In Our Hands, a skin care and beauty consultation company. She can be reached at 855-4264 or nrhands@nb.sympatico.ca.