There was a period of time—a very, very long one—when nail art was extremely tacky. In 2004 if you asked me if I wanted leopard nails or stripes, that’d be a big NO.

Now in 2011, there isn’t much I wouldn’t get done to my nails if I had the patience, time and money. Build miniature houses and plant miniature gardens in the miniature yards on my nails—let’s go!

Point is—it’s not just me. As a society we’ve gotten bored with beauty, and as a result, quite kitschy. Next stop (oh you smarty pants, how did you guess??)… Your kisser. See above as I pose with Stephanie and Kelly rocking the latest questionable, yet undeniably fun beauty craze, Violent Lips.

Violent Lips are temporary lip tattoos that you apply with a wet sponge or paper towel, with the same technique and a similar level of enthusiasm as you did your Barbie tattoos at age five.

With 12 patterns to choose from and 4 (glitter ones!) coming soon, deciding on your tat is the first part of the fun. Stephanie chose The Pink Polka to match her Connecticut hair-ribbon-and-white-picket-fenced soul, I chose The Leopard to match my shirt, and Kelly chose red lipstick for her upper lip to match The Rainbow bottom lip when she accidentally pulled off the paper instead of the plastic on her top Violent Lip. (It’s been a while since Barbie has graced her forehead.)

Before you apply, you have to cut the tattoos to match the shape of your lips. Here’s the video tutorial, and here are 11 tips to applying Violent Lips provided by the company, but it’s not rocket science. Make sure you use a lot of water and press it on really firmly, end to end. I suggest smiling ever so slightly (while your mouth is open wide) as you put it on so that you have a little flexibility once it’s on.

And now: The fun part. Cameras ready, pucker up, and strike a pose or ten! They really look sensational on – the whole Spa Week office was buzzing with a newfound love for Violence. Stunning and vibrant and so simple to do. And, I quote the only straight man in our office: “OMG, that is so cool.”

So, I know what you’re thinking. How long do these last? Are they comfortable? And the answers are, truthfully, not that long, and not really. It’s not a set it and forget it sort of thing – they start chipping if you start talking too soon or too much (although in fairness I think I could get better at applying them with some practice). It also doesn’t lend itself to eating, drinking (use a straw if you do) or kissing. It’s one of those things you are constantly thinking about and wanting to touch with your tongue, just to see how it’s doing.

Kelly and Stephanie removed theirs after the photo, but I let mine run its course for a couple hours. I wiped it off with a wet paper towel at my desk, but it still didn’t come off. Now, hours later after some rubbing to remove the final pieces, I’m left with a few random black spots. More scrubbing later. Sexy, I know.

So, they definitely aren’t perfect, but I will tell you they are cool enough that I would recommend you try them for a party in the near future. I myself will be rocking them again (outside the office) for sure – they make such a statement! With a little practice and getting used to, this trend could prove to have some real staying power.

Violent Lips range from $9.95 – $15.95 for a pack of three. Check out all your options.

PS, because my sister Jessica and I are in the same industry (blogging is an industry, right?) and share one too many genes, I was not surprised that she popped this out yesterday, one day before I’d planned to. Check out Jessica and the writer Amanda from FashionIndie looking hot in their Violent Lips: