It's standard operating procedure to carry lipstick to a fancy event. You need a tube for touchups after drinking something or a full on re-application as the night wears on and your lip color wears off. What happens when you carry a tiny clutch with little extra room? Do you forego a portable lipstick? No way — you copy Jennifer Hudson's beauty hack, where she carried lipstick in her cleavage at the same ballet gala to which Sarah Jessica Parker wore a ballerina bun and a sparkly Zuhair Murad gown.
Hudson, who has been rocking a gorgeous, close-cropped 'do that spotlights her killer features, namely those eyes and lips, displayed some serious ingenuity by slipping her lippie stick between her breasts while wearing a strapless gown with a sweetheart neckline. She posted that she didn't have any room in her tiny bag, so she improvised. How do you not love her creativity? She is insanely adorbs.
Whether or not the lipstick stayed there is inconsequential. The struggle is real, but the singer and Oscar-winning actress came up with the best solution for this particular beauty bind.
You just can't skip lipstick or apply a long-wearing formula once and hope for the best simply due to evening bag space restrictions. It's not an option.
Hudson was being all sorts of coy about tucking her tube of lipstick between her boobs.
Didn't Hudson slay in her cream-colored gown? Yes, she did.
Back to the lipstick. I have to say that I have done the same. Since my day job as a music publicist requires me to be at a lot of long-running, outdoor shows, I often tote a Gwen Stefani-designed L.A.M.B. crossbody or a Marc Jacobs wristlet that only holds necessities, since a long day with a heavy bag destroys my back and weighs me down.
That often means tucking a tube of MAC Lustreglass in the side of my bra. It actually stays put and the bump is obscured by my arm. Genius, right?
There are a few other places you can store a lipstick when your have no room in your bag or aren't carrying one. You never know when you could run into someone and want lovely lips, or when a photo opp might present itself.
These hacks can happen anywhere, not just at a formal event, as was the case for Hudson.
1. In Your Sock
You can tuck a lipstick in the side of your sock, as long as it goes over the ankle and the tube stays put in the elastic. If it slides down into your shoe... ouch. I don't even want to think about that.
2. In Your Ponytail Holder
If you wear your hair in a pony, why not slide the lipstick in between a twice-wrapped ponytail holder? It might even look like a hair accessory that way. Ah, creative, right?!
3. On Your Wrist
This might take a little finagling and dexterity, but how about affixing a small lipstick tube to your wrist via a bracelet? If you are wearing a stretchy or chunky cuff, you can strap your lipstick to your arm. It's a stretch, literally, but who knows?
I still think Hudson's between-the-boobs placement was the most flawless hack.
Want more fun tips? Check out the video below, and be sure to subscribe to Bustle’s YouTube page for more hacks and tricks!
Images: Jennifer Hudson/Instagram (1)
