The Power of the Pucker
By Christy L. Breithaupt - Special to The Detroit News

Lip Service

Think tonight is the night you get to lock lips? Here are some simple tips from Leya Belaya, an aesthetician at Salone Nadwa and Day Spa in Novi, to make sure you are smooch-worthy:

• Keep your lips soft and smooth by following a simple skin care routine. Exfoliate your lips to remove the dry skin by applying a scrub and then using an old toothbrush to remove it. Next, apply a moisturizing masque, and finish with moisturizer or lip balm.
  
  
• Don’t lick you lips in the winter. This creates cracking and peeling.
  
  
• A kiss involves more than just your mouth. When you are kissing someone, you are so close to their face you can see every imperfection – including blackheads and stray hairs. Be sure your face is super clean and soft, and that you’ve kept up with any necessary facial waxing or plucking.
  
  
• A special message for the guys: Please, please, please shave just before your date. A serious make-out session can leave a girl with painful and unsightly beard-burn. When shaving, choose one direction and stick with it or risk ingrown hairs.
  
  
• Heavy kissing also can involve the touching of chins and noses, so if you’ve been actively puckering up, wash your face afterward to rid yourself of any oils that may have been exchanged. Apply a moisturizer after washing your face to combat any possible dry spots.

January 25, 2007