Lips
Lip balm does not add moisture, it slows moisture leaving
Almost every balm on the market is an occlusive. Knowing that changes when you apply it and why applying it to bone-dry lips…
Lips
Formulas, finishes, wear and looking after the skin underneath.
21 articles · updated August 11, 2026 · page 1 of 2
Lips
Lip skin has no oil glands, and every lip problem starts there
The structure of the lip is genuinely different from the rest of the face. Once you know how, most of the standard lip advice explains itself.
More in Lips
Lips
Matte, satin and gloss are three different engineering problems
Finish is not a style choice made at the end of formulation. It determines the wax, oil and pigment structure of the entire product.
Lips
Liquid lipstick transfers less and feels worse, for one reason
The polymer film that resists a coffee cup also resists your mouth moving. That is the whole trade, and no formula escapes it…
Lips
Lip liner works because the border is where colour fails first
Wear starts at the edges and in the centre, for different reasons. A liner addresses one of those directly and does it cheaply.
Lips
Lip plumpers work by irritation, and it is worth knowing that
The swelling is a mild inflammatory response to an irritant. The effect is temporary by definition, and repeating it daily is a…
Lips
A lipstick shade is a filter, not a paint, unless it is fully opaque
Your own lip colour sits underneath and changes the result. That is why the bullet, the swatch and your mouth are three different…
Lips
Scrubbing your lips is usually the cause of the peeling
Peeling lips look like they need exfoliation, which is the trap. Removing a layer that had not finished shedding starts the cycle…
Lips
Lips are the gap in almost every sun protection routine
They have minimal pigment, no thickness and almost no products that protect them properly. The lower lip takes the most exposure of…
Lips
Balm, tint, stain and lipstick sit on one continuous scale
The categories differ mainly in pigment load and how the colour attaches. Placing a product on that scale predicts how it will…
Lips
Feathering happens at the border, and the formula decides how much
Colour migrating into the lines around the mouth is a physical process involving oils and surface texture. Several things reduce it…
Lips
An old lipstick changes in ways you can see and smell
Anhydrous products do not spoil the way creams do, but oils go rancid, waxes bloom and the surface collects whatever your lips…