Dear WOFTW,

I have given in to this new trend of matte lipsticks. I bought this one in particular that has my lips extremely dry and cracked when I put it on. It feels like I’m wearing a coat of paint and when I smile, it collects into the cracks of my lip and looks disgusting. As for taking it off, I would have to use my exfoliating glove or even salt or sugar with a little soap and vigorously rub it off.{{more}} Is this normal? And what can I do to prevent my lips from drying out.

Please help me,

The struggle is real

Hey The struggle is real,

I myself love the matte finish that is now trending, but hate that dry feeling. Matte lipstick/glosses are designed to give a non-glossy finish; that means it’s not going to have as much moisture as other lip products. What you can do is apply some chap stick first before you apply your lipstick/lipgloss. This helps to add some much needed moisture to your lip and acts as a barrier between your lip and the gloss. There are matte finishes that are not as drying as others, so you can ask before you purchase. If the product says “Ultra Dry,” then that means it has the strongest of staying power and won’t easily come off. With regard to taking it off, use any form of oil (not engine oil, lol), such as baby oil, cooking oil or even Vaseline to help remove your matte finish if you find it difficult to wash off.

I hope this helps,

WOFTW

For any questions or comments contact me at onfleekthisweek@gmail.com or address letters to On Fleek This Week C/o Searchlight Newspaper, Lower Kings­town Park, PO Box 152, Kingstown.