I love Autumn. It's the time of year when our wardrobes change. We also change what we wear on our faces, our lips in particular. With cooler weather, the days inevitably shorten, and autumn displays her rapturous beauty. Therefore, it is from her that we should now take our cue. If you're like me, then you love lip color, especially the bolder, richer hues that mirror autumn's glory.

The other day I popped into a posh beauty boutique. The kind stocked full of every type of goody. Honestly? I felt like a kid in a candy store! Slowly I walked mirrored aisles, viewing tantalizing arrays of fall lip colors. There are rum raisins, and beautiful beiges. The redder tones are brick and russet. Earth tones are clay and sienna. There are roses, lovely warm pinks for those of us who are fair-skinned. There are sunsets, and rusts with gold dust, for twinkle and splendor. These can be worn by those with yellow and orange undertones. There are caramel colors, and chocolates...

The offerings are plenteous. Ethnic Sisters of all nationalities can take their look from subtle to dramatic in one sweep. Therefore, I began to think. On sepia tones, skin that encompasses every shade of brown, on olive, on black velvet, and on even fairer skin, autumn hued lip colors look great. Not only are they eye-catching, but some are infused with moisturizing agents, such as shea butter, and almond oil. Cosmetic professionals recommend liner, to keep the lip line delineated. No one wants color seeping into the area surrounding their lovely pout.

Not to date myself, I'll share this. I recall lip color from back in the day. Wearing it was sometimes akin to a tablespoon of torture. At that time, color could leave one's lips looking and feeling dry, and tight. However, now, such is rarely the case. Now we have lipsticks, lip glosses, and lip stains, to name a few. Many have boosts of moisture, while others claim to reduce the look of pesky lines and feathering. Some of these offerings tout fullness enhancers, and some contain sun block, while others promise a mirror shine. Some need no renewing, even after a woman eats, or shares a succulent kiss.

A few of the never fade shades I have tried. Candidly, I have yet to find one that doesn't leave my lips looking and feeling like a twice baked potato. However, in the moisture rich category, I have a couple of favorites. One is a caramel, with hints of copper from L'Oreal. (A lovely Latina, a Desperate Housewife is also rocking it, hard.) Often to turn the glam up a notch, I'll slick a gloss, from the same maker, over my lip color because I truly am feeling the sparkle tones.

This Ethnic Sister also likes lip pencils, whose color remains true. However, beware, these can be drying. With afore mentioned products I replenish, perhaps once or twice, for pout perfection, but who doesn't like smoothing on color or gloss? Applying it occasionally reminds me of playing dress up when I was a girl. Although now as women of the Ethnic Sisterhood, we are definitely not playing.

We can actively get our pout on, and enjoy it. And if after applying color, our lower lip needs more attention; or if it happens to be lusciously full and we've just got to flaunt it, why not add a shimmering gold? Or perhaps a bronze gloss, to highlight our fall favorite. Yes, or brush lip color a shade lighter, over fiery fascinating red, for multi-layered color. Let us also not forget the organic lip colors, some of which do not contain lead or synthetic dyes.

Ethnic Sisters, whatever your brand, your color, your choice, it's time to get glam. Experiment, to see what now works for you. Some manufacturers offer samples. Don't fear stepping out of the lip color box. Then...before heading off to be effervescent in whatever your social circle, for goodness sake, don't forget to smile. And do not forget to work that pout!