Great Lips + Great Teeth = Great Smile

There’s more to having an amazing smile than selecting the right color lipstick color.

Excerpted from my book, Think & Date Like A Man:

Your smile has two components: Teeth and lips.

The biggest improvement you can make to your appearance is making sure your teeth are white and that has never been easier than today. Tooth color is genetic. Some people are just born with yellow tinted teeth. But certain foods and beverages can be avoided to keep teeth whiter. They are coffee, red wine and tea. Any foods that stain your clothes will stain your teeth. If your teeth are naturally yellow, you will get a big positive yield out of whitening your teeth. Teeth whitening can be undertaken at home or at your dentist’s office. The home products are reasonably priced, but require some discipline to apply the whitener, not eat after it is on, and remove it in the morning — for about three weeks.

Dentists can perform various teeth whitening procedures that are usually about $500 and not covered by insurance, but are quick! (Often in one or two visits.)

Lips should look inviting and kissable, so after taking good care of them by making sure there is no dead skin on them, and regularly maintaining them with vitamin E or balm, make sure they look polished and soft.

•Matte lipstick is strong on color without shine, but can be drying and look dull. If you
like the matte look, get a good, expensive lipstick. This is one type where cheap isn’t
better.

* Crème – nice color without shininess, and more moisturizing than matte

* Glossy – the least drying

Lip shape tricks:

* Lips too full? Avoid strong colors or you’ll look like Ronald McDonald. Tone down the
color with softer, sheerer hues and no lip liner. Also, play up your eyes to draw away
from or balance out your full lips.

* Lips too thin? Strong colors will just emphasize their thinness. Instead, use lighter,
sheer colors. Never use lip liner outside the natural lip line to try and fake bigger lips.
You’ll just end up looking like a clown.

* Crooked lips? Gently use your lip liner to even them out.

Lip color depends on your skin tone as well as your clothing colors:

* Best lip colors for fair skin: pales

* Best lip colors for medium skin: deeper colors

* Best lip colors for olive and yellow skin: browns and plums

* Best lip colors for dark skin: dark red, beiges and berry colors