The Gloss•a•ry: Shining Safe for Summer
By Michelle Carney

Summer is so close we can taste it. As we prep our beach bag with the essentials – steamy bikini, the latest guilty pleasure in paperback and of course, sunscreen – we’re also packing lip protection.

Some dermatologists insist that gliding on gloss without SPF can increase your risk of developing skin cancer because the shiny nature of gloss attracts the sun’s rays, making them hit even harder. Sun exposure can also cause small brown spots (like freckles) on the lips, as well as premature aging and excess thinning of the lips’ already thin skin.

But despite these cautionary facts, there’s no reason your lips shouldn’t shine like the rest of your hard-earned bod at the beach. And, we’ve learned, lip block does not have to be boring. So, enjoy this list of glosses that both shade and shield:

Pür Minerals Cosmetics Mineral Lip Tint SPF 15, $16.50.
Straight from the good earth, Pür’s Mineral Lip Tint uses minerals mined from nature to deliver subtle color (that means no synthetic or chemical dyes) and they also serve as natural sun blocks. Plus a perfect mix of Olive Oil, Mango Seed Extract and Cocoa Seed Butter acts as a serious moisturizer so your pout is always pür-fectly hydrated. Pür’s Mineral Lip Tint offers four summer-chic shades: Tropical Bronze, Ruby Sunset, Island Pearl, and our personal pick, Sandy Quartz, a versatile mauvey-rose. Available at Ulta stores and online at www.purminerals.com.

Stila SPF 20 Shine Lip Color, $22.
The cosmetics favorite of the cosmopolitan girl, Stila has released their SPF 20 Shine Lip Color. Unlike Stila’s signature pen stick gloss that’s known for a more sticky, stay-on texture, this mirrored tube is totally beach ready. A silky, smooth consistency means no sand or salt water sticks to the pucker on the outside, while on the inside, vitamins A, C and E provide antioxidant protection and veggie-based oils lightly moisturize. Choose from eight shimmering sheer shades: Keren (rosy brown), Georgina (rouge), Sarah (peachy pink), Chelsea (baby pink), Charlotte (coral), Tina (copper brown), Talia (rosy violet) and our color pick, Anna (antique rose.) Available at Sephora stores and online at www.stilacosmetics.com.

Sally Hansen Volumizing Lip Shield SPF 15, $7.49.
The queen of sheen continues to reign with Sally Hansen’s Volumizing Lip Shield. Think department store cosmetics counter quality with a drugstore price. This tiny tube shields lips from harmful UV Rays, glides on sheer shades of color with a soft-shine finish that hydrates and moisturizes and also packs a gentle plumper. Soy, pomegranate and peppermint extracts, vitamins A, C and E, beeswax and avocado oil make up this triple threat. Go for Va Va Voom (burgundy), Plenty Full (brown-berry), Plump It Up (strawberry red), So Smoochable (chocolate), Big Kiss (coral), Fully Fabulous (rose-mocha), Pretty Pout (purple-pink) or our color pick, Just Swell (a perfect wash of pink). Available at drugstores nationwide and online at www.walgreens.com.

Juara Candlenut Lip Balm SPF 20, $18.
Brought to us by four young friends and entrepreneurs, Juara Skincare (that’s “joo-ah-rah” – Indonesian for “winner”) fuses the active botanicals used in ancient Indonesian skincare rituals with modern science. The line’s Candlenut Lip Balm is a pint-sized example of that successful merger. Packed in a petite mirror compact, this balm blends beeswax, vitamin E, linoleic and linolenic acids and candlenut, jojoba and olive oils to moisturize and shine, soothe dryness and protect lips from environmental stresses along with those super-bad UVA and UVB rays. Plus, a splash of Indonesian citrus fruit adds a bit of sensory awakening. For a list of Juara’s retail carriers nationwide, click here. Available online at www.juaraskincare.com.

Neutrogena MoistureShine Lip Soother SPF 20, $7.47/2-pak $12;
& MoistureShine Lipsheer SPF 20, $7.74.
Neutrogena, the “house of clean,” is also a cosmetics brand to be reckoned with and not just because of its trustworthy name. Two dermatologist-tested Moistureshine lip products combine broad-spectrum SPF 20 with high-shine gloss. Lip Soother blends healthy aloe vera, cucumber and chamomile to soothe and heal with a “hydragel” consistency that cools, protects and shines. Pick from six non-stick, sheer-shiny tubes: Shimmer, Glisten, Shine, Sheen, Glaze, and our favorite, Gleam (a pinkish apricot.) Soothing Lipsheer combines natural peppermint to smooth and cool with hydrating emollients that restore and retain moisture, along with vitamin E for a boost of antioxidant influence. Housed in conveniently slim, silver-plated cases, choose from 10 shimmery sheer shades. We like Sparkling Nude, Cool Nectar, Sunny Berry and Shimmering Blush. Available at drugstores nationwide and online at www.amazon.com.

The gloss•a•ry is PrettyCity’s monthly roundup of all that glitters from our own wand-toting shimmer expert, Michelle Carney. Tune in each month for the latest and greatest in pout perfecting products utterly devoted to your sparkly, sexy and oh-so-shiny lips.  Please contact Michelle Carney with story ideas or product suggestions

gloss·a·ry: n: an alphabetical list of technical terms in the specialized field of lip gloss; i.e. PrettyCity.com's guide to lip gloss from A to Z

A = Application, a wand is better than a pot, keeps the fingers clean.

B = Burt's Bees Balm, always use a balm at bedtime to lips hydrate overnight.

C = Clinique, this department store brand is one you can always count on.

D = Delux Beauty, this darling brand is from Hollywood makeup artist Jillian Dempsey (Grey's Anatomy hottie Patrick Dempsey's wife).

E = Everyone who comments on our perfect pouts.

F = Fresh Lip Sheers, our perennial favorite with flawless texture.

G = Glitter, a kiss of glittered gloss puts a sparkly touch on a night out.

H = Hard Candy, a kitschy brand for flirty girls, and those who dare to go bold with color.

I = "I", as in "it's all about me and my gloss."

J = Jane Iredale's PureGlossT for Lips. Organic ingredients impart pucker perfection without preservatives and chemicals we can't pronounce.

K = Kiehl's, the brand's Lip Therapy is cold-weather catch.

L = Lips and all the things we do to make them luscious.

M = Maven, the line's Lip Exotics are a healthy alternative.

N = Nars, the Barney's of lip gloss, with such a delicious color range, you can't buy just one.

O = Orgasm, the must-have shade from Nars based on the line's famed blush, available exclusively at Sephora.

P = Pout, it's not how you do it, but what you do with it.

Q = the Queen you are.

R = Revlon - a rock-solid drug store brand that's got serious celeb power.

S = Smashbox, never tacky, always shiny.

T = TheBalm, an excellent brand that packs a lot of punch with its plumper.

U = Undeniably Addicted.

V = Vincent. Vincent Longo. The make-up artist to models and celebs has a gloss that's super silky.

W = Wet. Wet shine, wet slicks, anything wet, that's the look.

X = XXX Shine Lip Gloss from Urban Decay, ultra-glassy and minty-fresh.

Y = the Yummy flavors infused in Jessica Simpson's Dessert Beauty line, like chocolate, caramel and vanilla.

Z = Zipper pocket, where gloss should always be stored.