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Are there any products for lips that you don't use?

I rarely find myself reaching for things like lip liner or lip primer, and while I do wear them for testing, you won’t usually see me reaching for a flat, matte liquid lipstick outside of testing.

— Christine

75 Comments

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Deborah S. Avatar

When I was younger I didn’t use anything but traditional lipsticks and balms like Chapstick. I am old enough to say that there was not much else available, LOL. Now I do use a lip pencil as it helps to keep the lipstick from bleeding and it helps my lipstick to last longer and not wear off in a disgusting manner. I would never use a liquid lipstick without a balm underneath or a gloss over the top since they are too drying to my lips and show all of my lip lines and wrinkles. I have very pigmented lips and so I cannot wear really nude lipsticks. I have tried covering my pigmented lips with foundation, concealer, etc. but when they wear off it is not attractive. I never wear orange lipsticks and do not use primers.

Nancy T Avatar

Oh yeah! Those horrible dry-down matte liquid lipsticks. I really hate how they feel. Like my lips *feel* chalky? And just tight and uncomfortable. Only one lipstick designated as such, Colourpop Cheap Thrills, doesn’t give me that unpleasant sensation. Cannot wait for this fad to go bye-bye!
Conversely, not a fan of oily gloss that feels like Crisco, either!

Mariella Avatar

I rarely use lip liner and I’m also not a big one for gloss (I never use it on top of lipstick though I will use a richly tinted one in place of lipstick if I’m in a hurry or just rushing out to the gym). I’ve also never used but do want to try MAC’s lipstick “primer” (I forget the proper name – it’s probably a “prep+prime” product – and don’t have the time to look for it now as I should be getting ready for work)

Linda Avatar

Prep & Prime Lip — have it. Like it quite a lot. Do I use it? Maybe once every three months when I think to find it in the bottom of my purse. 🙂

Mariella Avatar

Good to read, Linda. I’ve heard from others that it’s a good product. You sound a bit like me – you have stuff like this and mean to use it but often just reach for the lipstick and slap that on before you think to use the primer! I think I will try to remember to buy a tube the next time I’m at MAC.

Mariella Avatar

I should have included nude lipstick (corpse-colours!) and also those matte lipsticks – both look most unflattering to me. Christine, it was interesting to read that you don’t use the matte liquid lipsticks except for testing because within the last few weeks, when you’ve tested a bunch, I’ve notice that your very youthful and lovely lips look lined and parched so for someone like me – probably twice your age – well, it’s simply not a nice look at all. A moist lip with some colour makes anyone, EVERYONE look better, more youthful, brighter….

Linda Avatar

Numero uno are matte liquid lipsticks. I absolutely hate them. They look OK, I guess. Not my fave. But I cannot tolerate for more than a minute or two how they feel. Life is too short to put up with that discomfort. 🙂

I don’t use primer or lip liner pencils even though I have both and liner pencils in multiples. I’m just too lazy and will reach for them on the very rare occasion. I’d like to use them. I think pencils can add a lot but the motivation is never there.

Fran Avatar

I can’t think of any, but there are several that I don’t use very often: primer, lip liner, lip gloss, and lip scrubs — I use them anywhere from once a week to once a month, whereas I use lip balm several times a day, and lipstick at least once almost every day.

Julia Avatar

I’m not really a lipstick person! I just don’t like how they wear off. I don’t even own a lipliner, and I’ve never felt the need for a primer. I don’t have great luck with liquid lipstick, either (same issue with weird wear and just not looking very natural or flattering). I pretty much only use gloss and balm! I have a deluxe sample of a Fresh lip scrub that I pull out every once in a long while, but I’m not sure it does much.

Aj Avatar

Lip primer (which I honestly should use for special events), and matte lip products whether they be a liquid lipstick style or lipstick style.
Matte lip products and my lips don’t work well together no matter how much I prep, so while it’s sad it’s okay. The matte-st I can get with is a semi-matte, so those lip products that say they’re matte but end up not being as matte as they should be.

Susan Avatar

Anything matte. They make my lips look unhealthy and dead. Frankly I think they make all lips look that way and don’t get the appeal whatsoever. I don’t want disco ball shine either, but completely matte…. shudder.

Goregrindgirl Avatar

I never use lip liner ever, and personally i dont think a good liquid lipstick even needs one, and that is the only kind of lipstick i use. So technically, that would be another answer: bullet lipstick. I only own ones i got in Sephora Favorites boxes.. I too do not use lip primer. I also do not use things like EOS lip balm because it does nothing for me. Literally no chapstick/lip balm can even attempt to help my chapped winter lips, they are so beyond it. So i cant remember the last time i even tried to use one. So i guess the easy answer is that i dont really use any lip products besides: Kat von D liquid lipstick in lolita, Bite Beauty Matte Lip Creme Crayon in Glace, Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask (the only thing that cures my winter lips), and Kari Gran Tinted Lipwhip in cinnamon. So i only use 4 lip products now that i think about it. Wierd. Thanks for listening to my life story lol.

MoMerrell Avatar

I don’t use on my lips:

*Lip scrubs – I usually exfoliate my face every other day with a light Aveeno product and lips are included in that
*Lip primers – didn’t need them back then and don’t need it now. To me, it’s just another unnecessary product
*Lip Liners – unless I’m wearing a dark lip, I don’t use a liner.
*Combination lip/cheek products – I can’t put something on my cheek then use the same product on my lips and eyes, my bacteria phobia-ness wouldn’t allow me to do that nor do I understand the concept of the product.
*Any lip product that requires my finger to apply it
* I love matte lips but not the OVERLY dry ones so it takes a while for me to discover the right formula. (ABH, Dose of Colors, BH Cosmetics, Jeffree Star work fine but Coloured Raine and LA Splash are horrible for me)
*Anything scented – it’s just wrong man. lol.
*Glitter on my lips is not ok.

Anime Avatar

Christine, you’re gonna hate me for this one! I don’t own a SINGLE sheer or moisturizing lipstick! (like your love of all time, Guerlain Rouge G!) If I see a lipstick whose wear is advertised at less than 8+ hours (or reviews as such on your site) I immediately pass on it. Maybe it’s the drag makeup thing, but I always strive for the whole ‘immortal makeup’ vibe. Reapplying is such an unattractive concept to me and I’ve never really known why — not even for other people, just for myself. I actually find there to be something classy and gorgeous about a woman touching up her lipstick on in public. Just not me. LOL

Shannon. N Avatar

Are you me!? I always wear liquid lips or long wearing lipsticks, because I’m too shy and anxious to reapply in public.

Iv been known to sneak into the bathroom, inot a bathroom stall, and use my cell phone to help me reapply!!

I love watching other women apply lipstick. But with me. MAN.

Shannon. N Avatar

I never reach for lipliners!! I own 5 lip liners, and they are all the exact same brand and shade!! And even then I barely use them.

I also own two lip primers, but I RARELY use them. Only for super glossy/emollient lipsticks!!

I only own 2 glosses!! One is a duochrome shimmer top coat, and the other ones a MLBB. and I BARELY wear them!!

Cassidy Avatar

Lip primer and lip oils. Lip oils always irritate the skin around my lips, which looks gross. And I’ve never found a lip primer to really do anything that a balm or a liner couldn’t (maybe I haven’t tried the right one?). But I love lip liners and matte lipsticks! Probably in the minority here, but to me it’s so much more comfortable when it doesn’t feel like my lipstick is sliding around.

AB Avatar

As a category — I don’t do matte lipsticks. Also, there are a ranges of colors that don’t do well on me — cool colors, deeper or darker shades (I’m pretty fair), or too far into blues/greens/purples (I guess I’m just too conservative or middle aged or something). I haven’t tried liner or primer but may at some point.

Anne Avatar

I use lip liner, but never any other kind of lip primer. I’ve also never used glitter or other particulates on my lips, though I figure I’m in the majority there. I also don’t often use gloss, and when I do it’s never sticky, and never shimmery or glittery.

LaMaitresse Avatar

I don’t use plumpers, only because they are glossy and interfere with my lip colour. No primers or liquid lipsticks, I think I’d “eat” them off and I generally find liquid lipsticks a bit drying.

Erica Avatar

I don’t usually wear lip liner or primer. Not that I never wear lip liner but only in the purpose of creating a specific look but I don’t really use to make anything last longer and I never find it helps much anyway. I also never use lip plumpers or any lip product with irritants like peppermint which dries your lips out!

Glenda Avatar

I save matte lipsticks for a couple times per week only. I do NOT use lip gloss… just to greasy even the un greasiest of them. Don’t like shine on my lips.

Kylie5 Avatar

Lip liner for lining lips. But I bought some mac long wear lip pencils recently to try them as lipstick. In the Mariah Carey collection there was the lip pencil ombré and you showed it on your lips completely filled with the lip pencil. I liked it very much and tried it out and surprisingly it did not dry out my lips as much as I thought it would and it lasted very good. So I will try out with other long wear lip pencils now.

Silvia Avatar

I don’t bother with priducts to relieve chafeness when it occurs especially in winter. I believe our bodies does that for us eventually or I very few times use my toothbrush and that’s about it. Don’t believe in buying products that will actually worsen it. Tons of chapstic ( I’m a runner) and any lip smoothing stick I can get my hands off. Vaseline at night does the trick.

judy h. Avatar

I never wear any lip product which refers to itself as a lip plumper, anything with cinnamon extract, peppermint extract or any other mint (except spearmint).
I purchased an expensive lip plumping lipstick two years ago and the day after I used it, found myself in the dermatologist’s office. My lips were plump, bright red, blistery, peeling and the skin around my lips was bright red and inflamed. I felt the tingling when I applied the lipstick the day before, but never associated the lipstick with the terrible condition of my lips the following day. My derm took one look and askd me if I had used a lip plumping lipstick. I left her office with an Rx for two different creams directions to never use a plumper or a product having any the above ingredients. It took a full 6 weeks for my lips to heal. For months after, the only thing I could tolerate was a cocoa butter lip balm. To this day, even if I wear a hypo-allergenic lipstick on Monday, I cannot wear lipstick on Tuesday. I have now developed a reaction response to the color pigments in lipsticks.

Karen J. Avatar

I never use liquid lipsticks, I dislike both the feel of them and the flat one-dimensional effect they give lips. I have never found that having to reapply lipstick every once in a while is a burden (actually I quite enjoy it!) and my lips actually look better with nothing on them than with a liquid lipstick. That is one trend that I wouldn’t mind seeing disappear!
That is it really, while I don’t wear primers, lipgloss or lip liners all the time I do occasionally, especially lip liners for when I do want to extend the wear time of my lipstick.

Gracie Avatar

I don’t use glittery lipsticks or lipsticks in non traditional colors such as blue, black, green, etc. i also extremely dislike fragrance in lip products. However, I use urban decay ozone lip primer and lip liner every time I use lipstick or gloss because they really help the color last a long, long time and keep the color from feathering. Primer and liner are essential when wearing red lipstick, in my humble opinion.

Tammy Avatar

Without lipliner, you can’t even tell that I have lips. I never, ever, ever go without lipliner. I never wear nude or light colored lipsticks for the same reason; they just blend into my skin and my face looks unbalanced. I do wear lip primer (MAC- just got it and it’s my favorite so far). I always prep my lips really well, and exfoliate them with a little bit of vaseline and sugar sometimes. I love Clinique Black Honey Lip Balm, and I hate any and all forms of Chapstick. It just makes my lips feel a million times worse for some reason. I do like certain liquid lipsticks, and sometimes I actually like matte lipsticks now.

Cheryl Avatar

I’m like you Tammy, without lip liner you can’t tell I have lips. I wear it daily and am always looking for a good one. Which ines do you like?

Tammy Avatar

I’ll use anything at all. I have mostly Urban Decay, but would like something better and I don’t care what brand. It’s hard to find something that will stay on!!! UD is too soft. I prefer a harder lipliner. What about you? If anyone has suggestions please let me know. I’ve tried the wax pencil from Too Faced but that’s not what I I’m looking for- I need to be able to see an outline.

Cheryl Avatar

I tried Urban Decay and like you didn’t care for them, they were soft. Right now I’m using Kiko and their just ok, alittle hard but I feel like there has to be good ones out there, just haven’t found it. For years I used Lancome and I liked it but it dried out my lips so bad and they changed the colors so I’m still looking. I have Mac Stripdown and it ok.

Sherry Avatar

No plumpers, primer, or matte lip products. Matte makes most of us look much older, and who needs that? No nude lip colors for me, either. I agree with Mariella — “corpse colors!”

mariana Avatar

I never use lip primer, nude lipsticks and pearly cream lipstick. I like lip gloss but I never find the occasion to use it…so I suposse I don´t use lip gloss either.

Maiten Avatar

I hardly reach for a matte (“flat) lipstick. Recently, I’ve begun to use lip pencil and I love it! (Marc Jacobs’s Nude and Lacome’s Rose Thé). I do use a balm in wintertime, makes a world of difference.

Heather Avatar

Other than lip plumpers, there’s not much I won’t try! I’m less likely to go for glitter/pearl, lip gloss, a matte lip (ouch), or a “nude” than anything else, though–huge fan of tinted balms and traditional bullets.

Silvia Avatar

I have not and will not ever buy a lip scrub. I believe our body’s dies just exact that for us already. I sometimes/rarely use my toothbrush as lip scrub alone or with honey. I don’t see the need and besides, it might lead to more dryness if experimenting with it. A primer? Especially on lips??Yuck! Never will either. I’m sounding like the 7Up commercial. Lol!
On face rarely wear it also and own two. Been wearing CeraVe moisturizer instead and my skin has greatly improved. Bingo! Hapoy Discovery.

Silvia Avatar

Oops! Just realized I had answered before a while ago. Chapstick yes! Lots of it. And simple Vaseline before going to sleep does wonders. No major issue with dry lips and I’m out there either running or gardening. Love the outdoors in S. California. I’ll worry about the wrinkles when dead. For now enjoy life. Do wear spf must! That I obey. Hmmm lip liner I have tons but forget to use most times.

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