Lipstick: Is there a Sanitary Way?

I've seen a lot of cool designs on this forum that incorporate colored lipsticks and glitter lipstick. I'd love to use this, but I am wondering how you all do it...and how do you make it sanitary when you're at a party and painting many people? It would totally gross me out as a customer. Just curious if anybody has any methods for this, or if you just use lipstick for your portfolio shots and not parties.

Same way I put lipstick on when doing makeup - use a palette knife to scoop some from my lipstick palette (whatever combination of colours I'm using) and mix/soften it on the knife with my brush (or q-tip if I'm doing it on children). Apply, then clean brush after....

Think of the cosmetic counters at the department stores or Sephora. If you want to try a new shade of lipstick you wouldn't just take the tube and put it right on your lips. I love Sephora because they provide everything to keep things sanitary, not that others always use them. I follow that lead, like Noella. I use qtips whenever applying to a lip and I never double dip. I agree, I would be grossed out if I was a customer and the artist was using the same tube directly on multiple people.

I don`t use lipstick when face painting or body painting... it is all face paint and glitter gels.

As I have to sanitize the brushes between people any lips painted are with clean brushes only. Glitter is poofed on or applied with a q-tip, gels are applied with a flat brush or other tool which is then cleaned.

This was done with Snazaroo Glitter Gels applied with a palette knife which works well on lips.

Use q tips or disposable brushes or your finger, or sanitize each lip brush after each use

I use q-tips cut in half

There are disposible lip bruses that are really cheep at the beauty supply, if you don't like q tips. I have a pallet of interfernze and I like the two pinks in there for lips for little girls, so I just use the disposable lip brushes, and I don't double dip. I hate using qtips on lips, hated it at the cosmetics counter when I worked there too, and got hooked on either washing the lip brushes, or using the disposables. It would gross me out too, when customers would just pull a lipstick and put it on. I would wipe the entire lipstick with a tissue, then use a spatula and take enough for a person from the base of the lipstick for anyone I was doing.

I put face paint on the lips w/ a q-tip & then give it a poof of glitter. I love to use the metallic/pearl colors & will often put a lighter color on the lip, line w/ a darker color & blend.

I use the Q-tip method too. I have a little toothpick container that I keep filled with cut in half Q-tips. I found that it is easier to apply if it is really wet- otherwise the fuzz gets stuck everywhere and it is yuck. I usually don't spray my paints, but it works for lip color. I give the paint a spray then roll the Q-tip in. the cotton soaks up way more water than a brush does so my paint doesn't get soggy.

I think of lipstick as a way to "save" a mediocre design. like dumping on extra glitter!

Aaah, that makes sense. Thanks everyone. I am truly clueless as I don't wear lipstick myself and have never stopped at a makeup counter! Thanks much!!

I do the cut-in-half q-tips as well, but the fuzz is annoying. I keep my lipsticks in a seven-day pill box. Just remove from the tube and smoosh it in there. That way they're all in the same place. I like the Manic Panic lipsticks for odd colors like green, blue and black.

Wait, you keep an extra kit of actual lipstick? I just use my regular pink or red paint.

This is interesting. Thanks for all of the tips. =)

If you buy the cosmetic "q-tips" they don't have the fuzz. They are shaped like a sharp point on one end and a flat rounded tip on the other end. I usually find them in the cosmetic applicator aisle of Walgreens. I cut them in half and use regular paint (usually metallic rose) but never double-dip. I keep a small cup of clean water to dip the tip in before I dip it in the paints. Clients like that I don't use my brush that dipped in regular water that I've been painting out of! I'm thinking of buying a small pill box to put regular lip gloss in instead of using the paint but I hate to add anything else to my kit.

I don't usually paint lips unless the kid specifically asks.... real lipstick would be far better though because face paint on their lips comes off the instant they lick their lips or eat or drink anything (which is generally why I don't bother).

for the general pretty faces I tend to use IF bronze applied with a q tip, it is a gentle colour for the little ladies.

Geekophile wrote:Wait, you keep an extra kit of actual lipstick? I just use my regular pink or red paint.

I think you were directing this comment at me?

I keep a few different colors: light pink, dk. pink, red, blue, green, black, purple. I like being able to offer colors that go with designs that aren't necessarily girly. Pink lipstick with a green dragon might look kind of off. The Manic Panic colors are more expensive, but common colors can be had pretty cheaply at Walmart. The girls love to wear lipstick, and it seems like parents appreciate that it isn't going to just come right off. I've found pill containers for $2 at the local dollar store.