30 Days to 10 years younger--10 minute tips. Tip 1: Find a MLBB lippie

Welcome to my month-long series on easy ways to freshen up your look! My first tip is to start wearing a "my-lips-but-better" shade of lipstick (or lipgloss.) And to wear it every day.

See, age has some subtle and not-so-subtle ways of affecting the way we look. We all notice when our hair starts to turn gray, but we don't always notice the sneakier changes.

As we get older, our complexions get a little darker. And our lips lose both volume and pigment. The good news is that this combination of changes can be disguised with the right shade of lipstick.

For years I thought of myself as a lighter shade of pale. I had fair, freckly, burns-don't-tan skin. I always bought the lightest shade of foundation available.

And then it occurred to me that my skin was no longer the Snow White-iest of Snow White. It had gotten a bit darker. And unfortunately, a bit sallower. And unfortunately, so had my teeth.

And my lips? Had sort of disappeared. Not in size--they're still evident. But they're paler than they used to be.

We hear about the loss of lip volume all the time--and we see the regrettable attempts some celebrities make to regain it.


But very few people talk about a loss of lip pigments. Well, it happens. Trust me, the pale lip look, while fashionable, is not flattering at our age. It accentuates what's already happening. The smoky-eye/pale combination that is all over the fashion magazines? Unless you have flawless, pearly teeth, plump lips, and incredibly beautiful eyes, don't go there.


Instead, find a wearable, between pink-and-brown shade that the makeup mavens on MakeupAlley call "My Lips but Better." It'll be a shade you can swipe on and go--with no fussy blending, layering, pencilling, and glossing. Your MLBB shade makes you look better even when it's the only makeup you're wearing. It will compliment your complexion and make your teeth look whiter.

You find this shade checking the color of the inside of your bottom lip. Go up to a mirror, roll down your lower lip, and check the shade. See how it's darker than your lips--but just a bit? That's the shade you're aiming for.

Here are some suggestions to start you on your search:

Revlon's Super Lustrous Lipstick in Smoky Rose
Revlon's Super Lustrous Lipstick in Gold Pearl Plum (this is actually a bit pink on me)
Revlon ColorStay Soft&Smooth Lipcolor in Fabulous Fig (this is a bit dark, so I apply lightly)
Revlon ColorStay Mineral Lipglaze in Infinite Rose (lovely, but not infinite! I have to reapply)
Bobbi Brown Shimmering Lip Gloss in Berry and Orchid

Other makeup junkies recommend MAC Hug Me; Palladio Nude; Urban Decay Naked; Clinique Guava Stain; Nars Dolce Vita.