It’s hard to hide your lips — every time you speak, eat, drink or kiss someone, your lips take center stage. Lipstick and gloss make you look polished, even if you’re not wearing any other makeup. And it’s the perfect finishing touch to mascara, eye shadow and blush. Follow these four steps to make your lips look healthy and beautiful.
Step 1: Prep your lips for color
The first step toward lush, beautiful lips? Keep them soft, and your lip color will go on smoothly.
- Exfoliate. Because lip skin is thinner than skin elsewhere, it’s prone to dryness and chapping, explains dermatologist Marsha Goodwin, M.D., in O: The Oprah Magazine. Before adding color to your lips, remove any dry, flakey skin. Two tricks:
- Rub a damp washcloth or a wet toothbrush gently over lips.
- Pick up a product like Colorescience Lip Exfoliator. This night-time treatment has botanical peach glycolic and papaya extracts to exfoliate and smooth the lips.
- Moisturize. During the day, before applying lipstick or gloss, rub on a thin layer of lip balm with petrolatum or mineral oil. These ingredients are hearty and won’t wear off easily. Before heading to bed, slather your lips with lip balm — you’ll get maximum moisturizing benefits while you sleep. Try SkinCeuticals Antioxidant Lip Repair, which features petrolatum to seal in moisture and antioxidants to prevent damage and dryness.
- Combat lines. The muscles around your mouth are used frequently — when you talk, kiss or chew, for example. That’s why fine lines so readily develop along this area. When you apply sunscreen before heading outside, don’t skimp on the skin around your lips. At night, use a topical retinol treatment to build collagen, which helps plump up and fill out fine lines. A great choice is Pevonia Power Repair Youthful Lip Serum.
Step 2: Choose your lip color
Your lipstick choice says a lot about your personal style. You can’t go wrong with a color that’s one or two shades lighter or darker than your natural lip color. Factor in the color of your skin and hair, too — if you have lighter hair, your lip color will appear brighter. As a general rule, according to Bobbi Brown’s Living Beauty:
Fair skin looks best in shades of pale pink, beige and light coral.
Medium skin works well with brown-based tones of rose, darker beige and mauve.
Dark skin can pull off red, deep plum and chocolate lip color.
Want to make sure your teeth look dazzling white? Choose lip colors with blue undertones. Wine, plum and rosy pink shades can make your smile look extra white. However, orangey coral lip color can make teeth appear yellow.
Step 3: Assemble your tools
Here’s what you’ll need for the perfect application:
- Creamy concealer
- Translucent powder
- Clean makeup sponge
- Favorite lip color, gloss and liner
- Lip brush (optional)
Step 4: Apply lip color
You’ve prepped your lips, chosen the perfect color and assembled your tools. Now you’re ready to pucker up and add color!
- Outline the edges of your mouth with lip liner that’s close to your natural lip color. Never use a lip liner darker than your lipstick. Use short, quick strokes to avoid drawing a harsh line. Begin at the outer corner of one side of your lips and sketch inward. Once you hit the center of your lips, start at the opposite corner, again working inward. Line the top and bottom lips.
- Use lip liner to fill in the center of your mouth. That way, if your lipstick wears off after eating or drinking, you won’t be left with a ring of liner.
- Apply neutral colors and sheer or creamy lipstick formulas directly from the tube. Matte or intense colors, like red, call for more precise application with a lip brush. Follow the same application process as lip liner, working from the outer corners in. For extra shine, top with gloss.
- Prevent lip color from bleeding into fine lines by painting around the perimeter of your mouth with concealer. Use a clean makeup sponge. Dust translucent powder lightly over the concealer to set it.
Product picks for your pout
Check out these choices to give you plump, kissable lips:
- Define your lips with DuWop Neutral Lip Pencil, a creamy liner that plumps and smoothes fine lines with the natural filler Kombuchka. You can choose from a variety of colors.
- Try Stila Lip Glaze for a super-easy application. Available in a wide range of shades, Lip Glaze comes with a built-in brush, providing sheer color and shine without being sticky.
- Top off your favorite lipstick with a sheer gloss, like DDF Glossy Lip Treatment, for extra shine and moisture. Or wear it alone for a clear, natural look. Bonus — it has a sweet minty flavor and also contains SPF.
See also:
Stop the Makeup Madness: Solutions for 7 Common Slip-Ups
Brighten Your Complexion with Blush
How to Create a Flawless Face with Concealer
The Shifting Face of Plastic Surgery Patients
Tips for Choosing and Using Moisturizer