Lipstick: The LBD of Make-up

By Amber Kallor

When in doubt or pressed for time in the morning (which, let's face it, is pretty much always) I resort to the one makeup item that takes the least amount of time to apply, but makes the biggest impact: lipstick. Case in point: The photo at left of food editor Lynn Andriani's grandmother-her perfectly made up mouth acts as a badge of confidence and strength. Similar to a little black dress, lipstick is always there when I have no clue what to put on and makes me look instantly pulled together despite the dark under-eye circles and the blemish in the middle of my forehead.

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And the color I choose is often a barometer of my mood: red when I'm feeling punchy, orange or hot pink when I need a boost, nude when I'm feeling content, and dark burgundy for days I feel like I can take on the world and anything it throws my way. And it seems that others have noticed the power of lipstick and its ability to highlight emotions-no matter what they may be. Here are three celebrations of this classic cosmetic guaranteed to make you smile:

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  • This interactive image of lips by photographer Greg Kessler morphs and changes color as you scroll across it. If you need a two-minute mental break this will do the job. [via Nowness]


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  • Watch this lip-focused film series by photographer Elle Muliarchyk that features 24 international models spitting out tongue twisters in their native language. The equivalent of "Sally sells seashells by the seashore" in other parts of the world will leave you laughing. [via The New York Times]


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  • Check out this gallery of photos from the new book, A Shade of Red, by jewelry designer and photographer Alyson Fox. It features 100 portraits of women of all ages tied together by one common thread: Revlon's Certainly Red lipstick. While you may be expecting glamour shots, what is interesting about Fox's approach is how the same color brings out something different in each of her subjects. [via Of A Kind]


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How do you express your emotions? Is lipstick a visual cue of your mood?

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