Makeup Manners: Is It Okay To Touch Up Lipstick In Public?
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by Stella Rose Saint Clair
Published Sep 19, 2012
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233
Picture this: Friday night date. The restaurant? Your favorite. Your dinner guest? Dreamy. After splitting a sinfully delicious dessert, you dab your mouth with a folded napkin and then, seductively reach into your purse, procure a compact mirror, and proceed to... reapply your lipstick.
Is this sexy? Was gliding a lip brush over your pout in public once considered glamorous and feminine? Who can forget the final scene in Breakfast At Tiffany’s where, before addressing a letter containing bad news, Holly Golightly proclaims “A girl can’t read that sort of thing without her lipstick,” while nervously dragging a peachy tube around her mouth. The action, while somber, reads as habitually sensual, and undeniably captivating.
But is lipstick just another part of personal hygiene? Picking one’s teeth, swiping a blotting paper over your T-zone—not only are these daily touch-ups not a turn on, most of us wouldn’t dare to do them anywhere outside of the ladies room. Perhaps we should be regretting that pastel pout retouching we did on the train after work? That dabbing of gloss we stopped to diligently apply before ducking in to meet friends for lunch?
With all the ultra-cute, look-at-me lipstick packaging on the market today, who wouldn’t be tempted to show off their purple Lime Crime unicorn or gilded Guerlain tubes to their fellow city bus or elevator riders? The fact is, this is one oral fixation that can instantly go from erotic to neurotic, and those lip traditionalists in between aren’t having either.
So you tell us, is applying lipstick in public a flirtatious do or a dirty don’t?
Featured Products
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405
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Poll
Do you apply your lipstick in public?
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A. Why not—YES!
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B. Bad form—NO!
- Vote
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Comments
Apr 16, 2013
Swarnim S.
No big deal.. I do that in my work place too.. I don't care what ppl think..
Apr 07, 2013
Arielle G.
I don't care what people think I do it in public if I feel that I need to and I use a mirror cause I can't handle the thought that it would be imperfect. Though I do try to keep this activity at the end of dinner so I don't see what the problem is.
Apr 03, 2013
Tara F.
*date...*stares
Apr 03, 2013
Tara F.
Totally feminine. We are ladies, we like to show it. If I am on a fate with my hubby, no, I would excuse myself and retouch in the ladies room...but normally, go for it. If someone states, its probably because they want to watch a lady being a lady.
Apr 01, 2013
Toribeth T.
I think lipstick is fine but I sometimes see women applying thier whole face in public. I really think this should be done in your own bathroom.
Mar 24, 2013
Fumie S.
I think it's okay if your just being self concious and need to swipe the lipstick over your lips, but if you need a mirror, maybe it would be best to say that you need a trip to the bathroom, besides, the mirror is much bigger :DD.
Mar 17, 2013
Lam D.
I hv dry skin, so I dun use blotting paper, but if I hv oily skin, I will NOT do it in public.
Mar 17, 2013
Lam D.
I think its fine, I do that all the time.
Mar 16, 2013
Flavia C.
I do it all the time. Be glad my lips don't look dry and flaky lol then we'd have a problem.
Mar 13, 2013
Diana S.
I think its pretty sexy to do it...with Marliyn Monroe song "I wanna be love by you" playing in my head, I will automatically feel a lil more feminine n sexy all at the same time and I love thr attentions from few heads that turn my way...be it jealousy, disgust or envy.