5 Weird Beauty Hacks You Can Do with Your Lip Balm
As far as cult beauty products go, Glossier’s Balm Dotcom ranks pretty high on the list of this year’s most Instagrammed. (Pat McGrath’s Skin Fetish and Ouai’s Wave Spray also made the unofficial list that exists only in my head.)
And even though a flavored lip balm isn’t usually worth writing home about, once I was done Instagramming it (don’t judge me—we’re all guilty) I was surprised to find I didn’t just lose it at the bottom of my purse like most lip products. In fact, it’s shared the main rotation with Korres Lip Butter and Clinique Chubby Lip Stick for most of the summer—but not always for the reason you’d think.
When you combine my unlikely love for the cult balm with the fact that I’m supremely lazy, a challenge emerges: How do I use this one product that I pretty much always have on me in a bunch of ways? And by a bunch of ways, I mean all the ways—on my lips, my cheeks, my brows, my lids, and, uh, even my hair. Inspired by my general apathy in the morning, we came up with five—count ’em, five—off-label ways to use the Balm Dotcom in Cherry. Don’t have this particular product on hand? If you have some tinted Vaseline or Smith’s Minted Rose Lip Balm (the one that comes in the tin), you can sub that in for similar results, too.
Photographer: Tory Rust
Model: Ziayla with New York Model Management
Makeup: Ashleigh Ciucci
Hair: Jasmine Green of Hair Rules
Lip Balm
First, as a sort of control, we started out with the way god (Emily Weiss) intended it: as a lip balm. “With a glossy lip, I like to play with texture and keep the rest of the face relatively matte/satin matte,” says Ciucci.
Other products used: Nars Velvet Eyeliner in Kaliste; Make Up For Ever Aqua Seal; Nars Powder Blush in Orgasm; Benefit They're Real Mascara
Photo:
Tory Rust
Lip Balm
Layer it on for a glossier (lol) effect.
Other products used: Nars Velvet Eyeliner in Kaliste; Make Up For Ever Aqua Seal; Nars Powder Blush in Orgasm; Benefit They're Real Mascara
Photo:
Tory Rust
Highlighter/Cheeks
Working our way from beginner to expert, we land at the second application: as a highlighter-slash-cheek-stain. Ciucci used a single layer, starting at the apples of the cheek and working outward and upward.
Other products used: M.A.C Matte Eyeshadow in Copperplate; MAC Satin Eyeshadow in Arena; MAC Instacurl Lash Mascara; Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat Lip Pencil in Pillowtalk; Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Mink
Photo:
Tory Rust
Highlighter/Cheeks
To keep the highlighter looking dewy, not greasy, “avoid oil-producing areas like the center of the forehead, the chin and the sides of the nose,” says Ciucci. “Tap the balm onto the areas above with your ring finger (your softest digit) for the lightest layer.”
Other products used: M.A.C Matte Eyeshadow in Copperplate; MAC Satin Eyeshadow in Arena; MAC Instacurl Lash Mascara; Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat Lip Pencil in Pillowtalk; Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Mink
Photo:
Tory Rust
Brows
Sure, the balm’s consistency is a bit thicker than most brow gels, but it’s a great alternative because “it won’t dry crunchy or flake,” says Ciucci, who especially recommends this look for blondes, since it’ll add a subtle rose tint.
Other products used: MILK Makeup Matte Quad; Sisley Mascara So Intense; Stila Convertible Color in Lillium; Glossier _Generation G in Cake ; Maybelline Great Lash; Anastasia Dip Brow; Maybelline Brow Drama
Photo:
Tory Rust
Brows
Heed one warning, though: “If you use any pencil or pomade in the brow, the balm can cause the color to bleed."
Other products used: MILK Makeup Matte Quad; Sisley Mascara So Intense; Stila Convertible Color in Lillium; Glossier _Generation G in Cake ; Maybelline Great Lash; Anastasia Dip Brow; Maybelline Brow Drama
Photo:
Tory Rust
Eyeshadow
Yep, this’ll feel exactly as sticky as you’d imagine. In fact, it was pretty hard for Ziayla to blink without at least some creasing. But you don’t have to cake it on like Ciucci did to get a similarly glossy effect: one or two layers, stopping just short of the lashline, will do the trick.
Other products used: Benefit Hoola Bronzer; Estee Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Mascara
Photo:
Tory Rust
Eyeshadow
And to bring this majorly summery look into fall, “Line your eyes with black/brown/charcoal pencil before applying the balm to your lids,” Ciucci says.
Other products used: Benefit Hoola Bronzer; Estee Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Mascara
Photo:
Tory Rust
Split End Mender
You’ve probably heard of the whole body-lotion-on-the-hairline thing to combat flyaways, but what about gloss on the ends? Once you’re done dapping it on your lips, rub any extra product between two fingers and apply it to any split ends to disguise ’em for the day.
Other products used: MILK Makeup Matte Quad; Sisley Mascara So Intense; Stila Convertible Color in Lillium; Glossier _Generation G in Cake ; Maybelline Great Lash; Anastasia Dip Brow; Maybelline Brow Drama
Photo:
Tory Rust
Split End Mender
It’ll only last till your next wash, and because it’s so thick, you just need a pinch.
Other products used: MILK Makeup Matte Quad; Sisley Mascara So Intense; Stila Convertible Color in Lillium; Glossier _Generation G in Cake ; Maybelline Great Lash; Anastasia Dip Brow; Maybelline Brow Drama
Photo:
Tory Rust
Mixing Agent
The most off-label of them all, Ciucci got creative and mixed some loose pigment (Bare Minerals Glimmer Eyeshadow in Celestine) with the balm to create this high-shine metallic eye. “I mixed equal parts balm and pigment on a paper plate, and if you don't have a small pro spatula, use a butter knife to stir it up.”
Other products used: M.A.C Pigment in Heritage Rouge (also mixed with balm to create lip!); Anastasia Contour Palette; Topshop Glow Highlighter in Polish; Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara
Photo:
Tory Rust
Mixing Agent
Ciucci warns that the texture will certainly lend itself to constant creasing, but “it's easy to smooth out by tapping on the lid to reblend or just rock the creasing for a cool grungy feel.”
Other products used: M.A.C Pigment in Heritage Rouge (also mixed with balm to create lip!); Anastasia Contour Palette; Topshop Glow Highlighter in Polish; Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara
Photo:
Tory Rust
