Pucker Up: Pretty Pouts for Valentine's Day

Amor, amour, amore... No matter how you say it, love is in the air!

Valentine's Day allows Cupid's arrow to take precise aim. And as the son of Venus, the goddess of love, he's got a lot of street cred. So if you're lucky enough to get struck, be prepared to not only fall under a powerful spell but to pucker up as well.

This means it's time to have a heart-to-heart discussion about how to present a pretty pout. Today's lipsticks and glosses come in matte, shimmery, glossy and creamy varieties to help bring out your inner glam goddess--no relation to Cupid. Colors range from classic to contemporary and subtle to standout. Plus, ingredients such as fruit extracts, natural seed oils and vitamins benefit the overall health of your lips.

To achieve a fuller, flirty pout, take a look at the following love struck lipsticks and glosses. They might even make Cupid blush!

SHINE: Babor Ultra Performance Lip Colour. BEAUTY: Soften and smooth your smoochers with castor seed oil, sea fennel and vitamin E in Shiny Plum--which is a sparkling mauve shade. BEACON: No animal testing.

SHINE: Mirabella Colour Luxe Lip Gloss. BEAUTY: Step up shine and suppleness with pomegranate extract, jojoba oil and peptides in a shimmery shade of Beam, a pearlescent pink. BEACON: Free of lead and parabens.

SHINE: Purely Pro Cosmetics Hi Gloss Lipstick. BEAUTY: Out your pout with a pop of bright hot pink pigment called Saucy, which also contains a hint of a warm vanilla fragrance. BEACON: No animal testing. Supports Dress for Success. 

SHINE: Smashbox Limitless Long Wear Lip Gloss. BEAUTY: Nonstop, a soft raspberry shade, helps make lips feel super silky with vitamin E and a contoured wand. BEACON: Cruelty free. Packaging is made using Sustainable Forestry Initiative certified paper and soy ink.

SHINE: Sormé Treatment Cosmetics Perfect Performance Lip Color, and Mineral Botanicals Lip Color and Vitamin E Lip Conditioner. BEAUTY: Glamour Red, a classic crimson, and Confection, a pinky coral, provide pigment, protection and pizzazz. BEACON: No animal testing. Supports Look Good...Feel Better.

SHINE: Sue Devitt Balanced Sheer Lipstick and Balanced Matte Lipstick. BEAUTY: Villefranche, a sheer pink, and Phuket, a matte rust, maximize color, coverage and your kissability quotient. BEACON: No animal testing. Supports Africa Foundation and Blue Planet Network.

SHINE: Susan Posnick ColorEssential Lipstick. BEAUTY: Keep caps secure with a unique magnetic closure, and create a lush lip look with Rio, a bright berry shade, and Milan, a deep red. BEACON: Supports Big Thought.

SHINE: VMV Hypoallergenics Glitz Lipstick. BEAUTY: Moisturize your lips and mesmerize your significant other with World Peace, a glimmer coral tone. BEACON: No animal testing. Free of fragrances, phthalates, dyes and parabens. 

SHINE: Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics Lipstick. BEAUTY: Experience rich color and conditioning with Vixen, a matte red shade with blue undertones, and Spicy, a fiery golden red. BEACON: No animal testing. Contains no oils, chemicals, alcohol, artificial fragrances or dyes.

Sexy Lip Gloss Shades For Valentine's Day

Photo by Shazeen Samad

Looking for the perfect pout on Valentine's Day? Well, pucker up!

Lip gloss adds shine, sparkle and style to any smile. Even better, many manufacturers now offer formulas containing unique blends of botanicals, peptides and antioxidants to not only plump your pout but protect it against environmental irritants. Ultimately, your lips appear more voluptuous for an alluring look.

Have a happy Valentine's Day--and get kissable close with the following sexy shades.

SHINE: Babor Cosmetics Ultra Shine Lip Gloss ("Crystal Pink," a sparkling sheer hot pink). BEAUTY: Sea fennel, lupine oil and vitamin E protect the lips from loss of moisture. BEACON: No animal testing. Supports Dolphin Aid.

SHINE: Elf Studio Minty Lip Gloss ("New York City," a reddish-pink shade with silver shimmer). BEAUTY: Peppermint and spearmint oils condition lips and freshen breath. BEACON: Cruelty free.

SHINE: Essence Stay With Me Longstanding Lipgloss ("Berry Me!," a raspberry/magenta hue). BEAUTY: Creamy yet durable texture leaves no sticky feeling. BEACON: No animal testing.

SHINE: Milani Haute Flash Full Coverage Shimmer Lipgloss ("In A Flash," a violet shade with purple and blush shimmer). BEAUTY: A flexible soft sponge tip provides easy application of this non-tacky, anti-feathering formula. BEACON: Cruelty free.

SHINE: Smashbox Limitless Long Wear Lip Gloss SPF 15 ("Forever," a barely there pink hue). BEAUTY: Vitamins A, C and E, and sea kale revitalize and nourish lips with a silky texture. BEACON: Cruelty free.

SHINE: Sormé Treatment Cosmetics Lip Thick Super Plumping Lip Gloss ("Empress," a mandarin orange sorbet shade). BEAUTY: Aloe vera prevents cracking, while peptides stimulate natural collagen to increase fullness. BEACON: No animal testing. Supports Look Good...Feel Better.

SHINE: Sue Devitt Lip Enhancing Gloss ("Costa Del Sol," a rich mocha hue). BEAUTY: Hyaluronic filling spheres smooth fine lines and wrinkles. BEACON: No animal testing. Paraben free.

SHINE: Vapour Organic Beauty Elixir Plumping Lip Gloss ("Vivid," a sheer fuchsia shade with a silver accent). BEAUTY: Jojoba seed oil, and acai and goji fruit extracts help hydrate for fuller lips. BEACON: Supports the Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute.

Kissable Colors

Love means never having to say you're sorry, right? Wrong, love bird breath--unless your husband, boyfriend or significant other wants to spend the night in the doghouse.


If someone special in your life needs to make amends for past digressions, today's the day to do it. It's Kiss and Make Up Day. 


For a presentable pout, we've assembled an assortment of summery lip balms, glosses, crayons, tints and sticks. So pucker up and enjoy the day--it only comes once each year. 

BEAUTY (clockwise from top left): Enjoy Kay-Eye-Ess-Ess-Eye-En-Gee with essence Candy Bar (pinkish coral) Stay With Me Longlasting Lipgloss, Prom Night (pink) Lipstick, Wanted! (shimmery silver) XXXL Shine Lipgloss, Hoping (creamy pink) Caring Lipbalm and Super Girl (shimmery hot pink) XXXL Shine Lipgloss. BEACON: No animal testing.

BEAUTY: Love and kisses go much better together with Glo Minerals Countess Coral (peach) Glo Royal Lip Crayon. BEACON: Talc-free, non-comedogenic, and contains no perfumes or chemical dyes.

BEAUTY (clockwise from top left): Show pucker PDA with Palladio Beauty Group Coral Punch (deep lobster shell) Herbal Lipstick, Cotton Candy (pinkish nude) Herbal Tinted Lip Balm, Bubble Gum (pink) Herbal Lip Gloss, Creamy Pink Plump 'n' Shine Herbal Plumping Lip Gloss and Pink Pearl Herbal Lip Gloss. BEACON: No animal testing policy.

BEAUTY: Feel free to kiss and tell with Smashbox Aura (shimmery pink nude) Lip Enhancing Gloss and Sublime (classic berry) Photo Finish Lipstick. BEACON: Cruelty free. Recyclable packaging is made using Sustainable Forestry Initiative certified paper and soy ink.

BEAUTY (clockwise from top left): Start a kissing contest by using Sormé Treatment Cosmetics Tango (watermelon) Glosse Lip Gloss, Delicious (pinkish gold) Natural Organic Lip Color, Diva (peach) Lip Thick Gloss Lip Plumper, Smile (coralish nude) Perfect Performance Lip Color, Doll (deep pink) Lip Thick Gloss Lip Plumper and Stop (goldish peach) Perfect Performance Lip Color. BEACON: No animal testing. Supports Look Good...Feel Better.

BEAUTY (clockwise from top left): Kiss me you fool with Sue Devitt Suva (beige) Balanced Matte Lipstick, Northern Lights (shimmery rose) Balanced Sheer Lipstick, Kirakira (nude) Lip Intensifier Pencil and Golden Triangle (gold) Lip Enhancing Gloss. BEACON: No animal testing.