Are your lips the most smooch-worthy?

Merle Norman is inviting everyone to come in and pucker up for the annual Most Kissable Lips Contest.

“This has been going on for about eight years,” Michelle Taylor said of the Merle Norman promotional contest.

Contestants come into the shop and leave their lip print behind.

“They can come in and get a free makeover or a lip service,” Taylor, one of the store’s owners, said. The customer selects their lip color and then “kisses” an entry form. The customer’s name and information is written on the back of the form and then the entry is displayed on the mirror behind the register.

The contest is open for entries now, Taylor said, and a winner will be picked on Feb. 13, just in time for Valentine’s Day, and will receive a gift certificate.

Every year, a local government or school official serves as the judge for the contest, Taylor said. “They just look at the entries and pick out the most kissable lips,” she said.

Several entries are already on display in the store in a variety of kissable shades of the Merle Norman cosmetic line.

“It’s just a really cool and fun little event that coincides with our Valentine’s Day gift baskets,” Taylor said.

This is the 13th year the local Merle Norman store has done gift baskets, Taylor said, and the continue to be a hit with customers.

“I’ve had so many customers say ‘Flowers are nice but they don’t last, I want Merle Norman, can you call my husband and tell him,’” Taylor said with a laugh.

When a gift basket is ordered, Taylor said the store staff will customize it for the customer.

“It’s whatever dollar amount they want to spend,” Taylor said. “We just customize it to what we think that customer will like.”

“We do put a little bit of chocolate in there,” she added. “Every girl needs a little bit of chocolate.”

The store staff will deliver gift baskets within a 20 mile radius if the customer wants, Taylor said.

If you want immortalize your kiss in the contest, or if you would like to order a gift basket, Taylor invites everyone to come on down to see what the store has to offer.