Tips & Tricks: Perfect Valentine's Day Lips!

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 Hey everyone!
Whether you're spending Valentine's Day smooching your significant other or hanging out with your friends and family, soft juicy lip are a definite must!  This post is going to show you how to achieve that.

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 Soften and Exfoliate! 
Winter is a horrible time of year for our skin and especially our delicate lips.  The harsh winds and having to breathe through your mouth because of gross stuffy noses can cause lips to become very chapped.  Whether it's Valentine's Day or not, exfoliating lips is very important!  Not only does it make your lips look and feel better, but it helps lipstick glide on easier as well. 

• Firstly, your lips will cooperate best when they are soft, so it's best to either take a shower beforehand, or warm them up using a warm towel before exfoliating.  
• I wrote a post a few months ago which included 3 homemade lip exfoliating scrub recipes and how to use them, so check those out by clicking here 

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 Moisturize! 
When your lips are feeling dry, the worst thing you can do is lick your lips.  Your lips have a natural oil which keeps them hydrated.  By licking your lips you're licking that oil off; as well, your lips can get dried out from the evaporation of the moisture on your lips.  Make sure to use a good lip balm or butter after exfoliating, and in general to keep your lips feeling and looking soft!

• If you don't have any lip balm, Vaseline can be used as a great basic lip balm.
• Make sure that right after you exfoliate you are applying a lip balm to lock in moisture.  

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 Plumping and Colour!

 Now that your lips are soft and nourished, the next step is to play them up with colour.

• If you weren't born with naturally plump lips, and you are looking for a way to fake it, TooFaced and DuWop both have great lip plumping glosses to help create a perfect plumped pout!  
•   The final step is to find and rock a lip colour that makes you feel sexy and confident!  Whether it is a bold red, or a soft baby pink, choose a colour that makes YOU feel good.  
• Just a hint, matte lipsticks are best for kissing as they're less sticky.  
• Try to choose a smudge-proof formula so that your lipstick won't end up all over your guy!

*To make your lipstick more smudge proof, first apply a lipliner to help prevent your lipstick from feathering.  Next, after you've applied your lipstick, place a tissue over your lips and dust the tissue using a powder brush with translucent powder.  This will soak up any excess oil.  Lastly, apply another coat of your lipstick and you're good to go!  

That's all there is to it!  Remember that you can have fun and dress up on Valentine's Day whether you're spending it with your prince or spending the night hanging out with your friends and family.  I'll personally be spending the day of love with some close friends, but that's definitely not going to stop me from rocking a bold lip and having a fun time!   

What are your essential lip care items?  Let me know below!