Matte or gloss, cream or liquid, chapstick or lip stain? Walking into Ulta can be OVERWHELMING for even the most seasoned professionals. I can tell you that when I walk into my local Ulta or Sephora, even I have an overwhelmed feeling that can cause me to be stressed out. I feel as though every month, the top brands are launching something new and innovative – so how does one sift through all of the options and make an educated decision on which lippie to go with for their wedding or other event. I recommend chatting with your beauty pro BEFORE making the trek into the store. Here’s why:

1. You won’t know what color to use for your lips until you see the overall look of your bridal trial once you have finished up with your artist. Looking at Pinterest photos, scouring the internet for recommendations by beauty gurus, and then seeking advice from the gals or gentlemen at your beauty retailer will overwhelm you further. Take a breather, let the artist work their magic, and then go over color selections with your trusted pro. Your trial is your opportunity to try six colors if you want. No lipstick will look the same on YOU as it does on the photoshopped model online – undertones are so important.
2. Consider the weather, and how your lips react during certain times of the year. If you are like me – the middle of the winter means seventeen layers of chapstick and never touching a matte lippie. BUT do your lips behave the same way year round? If you love the look of a beautiful matte lip and you are getting married in the middle of the summer, with proper prep you can make this matte lipped dream a reality. Try not to let your current situation confine your decision making. Chances are your artist will also have some great preparation ideas to share with you!
3. Evaluate your water intake. I can always tell when I’ve treated my body poorly and not consumed enough water. If your water intake is low, your skin (and yes, even lips) will be drastically effected. This can mean dryness and flaking, lack of luster and glow, and an overall look of dehydration or cracking. Super unsightly and you will be so uncomfortable, this is why I recommend amping up your water intake in general, but especially close to your wedding date.
4. Your artist just might be able to offer you some savings on your lip products. I personally have been fortunate enough to partner with CLNandDRTY and GunpowderNGloss to offer my customers a discount on the products that they purchase online.

My personal recommendations:

For lip prep, I love a great hydrating balm. One of my favorites is the Beautycounter Lip Conditioner in either Peppermint (link here) or Calendula (link here). If you have ever worked with me, chances are that I’ve used this amazing hydrating product on you! I am in love with the texture and moisturizing factor of this lip balm, and I try to make sure to apply this during the skincare prep section to ensure that the lips are hydrated and ready to go for whatever lip product we choose!

Another prep product that I suggest is the Peppermint Rosemary Lip Balm (link here) or the Cocoa Vanilla Balm (link here) by CLNandDRTY. Paula and her team have supplied me with a discount code (not a commission code in any way) to offer you 20% off of any of their full priced products. This brand is an amazing and indie company that is focused on putting safe and natural products into the hands of their consumers, while NEVER sacrificing quality or safety to make an extra dollar. Definitely check them out, especially because this awesome balm is purse-friendly, it is a great option on the go and don’t forget to use code “ASHLEY20” to save!

For a matte lipstick, I use the trusted and true Liquid Lipsticks (link here) from GunpowderNGloss! Within my kit, I carry 16 shades of this amazing product and I custom blend a lip color for each and every one of my clients! If you are interested in shopping this awesome (and locally owned indie brand), Chris has supplied a coupon code to save you 20% off of every cosmetic product on her site! This is NOT a commission code, simply an awesome opportunity for you to save big on some great gifts for you and your bridal party! Use code “ASHLEY20” at check out. GunpowderNGloss also has some awesome Mint and duo glosses that you should check out as well, I personally carry the shade “cute boots” in my purse and love the texture.

If clean beauty for lipstick and glosses are your jam and you are an avid supporter of Beautycounter like me, I also love the Color Intense Lipsticks (link here) and the Beautycounter Lip Glosses (link here) – which I use on EVERYONE as well. The pigmentation on the lipstick creams is so incredible that it truly competes with all of the other brands on the market. The glosses offer a hint of color and hours of hydration, if I’m not using the duo gloss by GunpowderNGloss, you can usually find me wearing shade “rosewood”. Seriously, they are so good.

To be honest, there are so many different products on the market that the options are endless. I’d be happy to chat with you about other products that I also carry in my kit, but truly, the products above are some amazing goodies that I suggest to everyone and use on each client I encounter. If you are going to make a trip to Ulta, take a friend and sort out the chaos together! I know that I do best when I have a friend, or other beauty pro, shopping with me and I think you will too!