As I write this morning, I’m excited after trying out my favourite new beauty secret from make-up artist Gucci Westman. My day with her was amazing, yet it was this incredible yet small nugget of knowledge that she shared with me that I shall cherish the most. Gucci had recreated the Perfect Red Lip step-by-step for Temperley London (see here) but for those of us not brave enough to wear this as a daytime lip (yes, me) I asked if she’d show me a lighter more summer daytime alternative. Before doing so she had to cleanse all remaining evidence of the red lip she’d created with lipstick earlier and it’s as if Gucci KNEW that I’d been waiting ALL my life to learn this one tiny thing.

My biggest fear with red lipstick is how difficult it is to remove. You have no idea

II: Cleansing a red lip!

As Gucci reached for her secret weapons an alarm went off in my head. When it’s just me at home trying to remove lipstick, it’s a task, when it’s just me at home trying to remove deep dramatic red lipstick, it’s a task  and a half. I braced myself. My biggest fear with red lipstick is how difficult it is to remove. You have no idea. It seems to get everywhere. The lasting power of a well done red lip can be insane and there’s always the leftover bits to contend with. Time was ticking. I was sitting opposite one of the world’s most famous make-up artists and I wanted to ask her… well… HOW? Sooooo…..this is what she said…

Gucci: “Take one of these  Shiseido Pureness Cleansing Sheets and simply remove the heaviest layer of lipstick first. Now add a little Dr Hauschka Normalising Oil to the cleansing sheet and watch as it cuts through heavy lipstick. Continue to remove every last trace adding a little more oil if needed and use a Q-tip to get right into the lip contours. The oil breaks down any remaining lipstick and lifts it out of the tiny creases and also helps condition lips and prevents dryness.”

Now Gucci was ready to show me a light summer lip for everyday wear.

III: The perfect summer lip!

Gucci: “If you’ve to pack one lip product pack this one for the summer.”

Gucci reached over to take the Revlon Just Bitten Lip Stain for this day look. The Just Bitten bit is an accurate description of its effect with it fiendish DUAL ACTION impressiveness; Is it a lipstain? Is it a balm? Well, it’s a bit of both, actually, a balm at one end and a stain at the other, it comes in a range of different shades. So turns out that this little bad boy is great for a touch of summer colour. Immediately lips look, well……. plumper – in a good way as opposed to plumper in a bad way (after several slices of chocolate cake).

As for me, I was ecstatic. The lipstick cleansing fear had left me. The fear of leaving half my lipstick on my hands had left and had been replaced by well??? A promise to myself to be a little braver.

*Just a little note… Before you go rushing out to the shops, Revlon Just Bitten will be landing in stores from today through April until then you can covet your favourite colours online.

and then remove every last trace with a little