Double trouble?

My mum is quite glam and 'down with it' it seems! Who knew?

I had a little rifle through her make up bag and came across YSL Lip Twins! I was a little surprised not only because this dinky little gem has had some bad reviews from make-up lovers around the world, but also because my best friend (who is EXTREMELY cool) recently received this as a gift for her birthday!

So what does mum like about it?

'Well, it's very pretty so you don't mind re-applying your lipstick when you are out, and it's got a mirror, so I don't have to juggle loads of things in my hand while trying to find the mirror, the brush, my glasses and so on in my handbag'.

Okay, so I buy that. It's handy and it looks nice. All pluses in my book. But how does it look and feel on?

'I like it. The colour is very good on my skin and the texture is creamy but not too jammy like some lip glosses or creams. But I have found it can make my lips a little bit too dry'.

That's a common complaint about this beautifully packaged product, but it is easily solved!

Simply get yourself a good lip scrub. Just as you exfoliate your face and body, you need to do the same on your lips, but go gently. You want kissable lips, not a red-raw and sore mouth.

So, I gave mum one of my fave exfoliants, The Lip Scrub by Sara Happ in Brown Sugar, US$24 on Amazon (sorry guys, it's not yet available in UK) and instructed her to massage a blob into her lips every morning and then simply wipe off with a tissue, apply a slick of Vaseline and then her YSL Lip Twins, £23.50.

I popped in to see her this morning to see if my secret beauty weapon had helped only to find my dad planting a big smacker on her! So I suppose it must have!

My top tips for using YSL Lip Duo.

1. Exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate! Nobody wants dry, cracked lips, so give them a gentle scrub. I love Sara Happ's Brown Sugar The Lip Scrub, but there are loads of great ones out there.

2. Apply a thin smear of your favourite lip balm. I am currently loving Vaseline Aloe Vera, It's very fresh tasting and absorbs so well after exfoliating. I buy mine in Savers which is a lot cheaper than some of the other shops.

3. Apply your YSL Lip Twins. Mum uses Coral Harmony which gives her a sexy '60s look, but I prefer Raspberry Violet. With 12 shades there is something for everyone.

4. Shove it in your handbag and pucker up those lips!