Learn How to Apply Lipstick With These 7 Tips

Makeup is part of many women’s daily routines. In fact, women spend an average of over $300 a month on new makeup!

When it comes to popular makeup types, it’s no surprise that lipstick is a key player. If you don’t know how to apply this makeup staple, you could have lipstick that slides around or doesn’t last.

If you struggle getting your lipstick to look beautiful, have no fear! The perfect lipstick application can be yours in a few simple steps. 

Continue reading to learn how to apply lipstick with seven secrets of the trade.

Choosing a Color

With thousands of lipsticks shades to choose from, picking the perfect color can seem like an impossible task. Luckily, there are a few tricks to help you find your ideal match.

You’ll first need to figure out what your skin undertone is. Undertones come in cool, neutral, and warm shades.

If you have cool undertones, you look best in silver jewelry. People with this undertone have veins that appear a bluish color. Sunburns can happen to people with cool undertones.

People with warm undertones favor gold jewelry. The veins of people with warm undertones will look more green. Warm-toned people also have skin that tans easily in the sun.

Do you look great in both silver and gold jewelry? If so, you are someone with neutral undertones.

People who have a neutral undertone have veins that take on a bluish-green hue. You may also find that you tan but rarely burn in the sun with this undertone.

If you have cool undertones, find lipstick with blue undertones. Rosy pinks, cherry reds, or a cool beige will look great on you!

Warmer shades of lipstick look beautiful on people with warm skin undertones. Try wearing a brick red or orange shade. If you are feeling fiery, try a gold or copper color on.

For the lucky people who have neutral undertones, you look great in a wide variety of shades! Have fun and experiment with colors from pale pinks to dark wine.

How to Apply Lipstick

Now that you are armed with your ideal lip color, it's time to learn how to correctly apply it to your lips. There is an art to applying lipstick so that it stays put all day.

1. Hydrate and Exfoliate Your Lips

The first step to perfect lipstick application is preparing your lips. If you put lipstick directly on your lips, you could risk flaky, uneven lipstick. 

You’ll want to make sure you have exfoliated and hydrated lips before you start your lipstick application. When you exfoliate your lips, you will remove dead skin to reveal softer, smoother lips. This step is essential if you wear lipstick in colder weather, which can exacerbate dry lips.

Exfoliants can be both store-bought or homemade. Making your own lip exfoliant isn’t hard. You can find the ingredients for your homemade lip exfoliant right in your kitchen pantry!

First grab three teaspoons white sugar and half a teaspoon of olive oil, lemon juice, and honey from your pantry. Mix these ingredients together until they form a paste. Rub the paste in a circular motion on your lips for about two minutes.

This lip scrub is edible so don’t worry if you get some in your mouth. After the two minutes, your lips should feel smooth and soft.

If you don’t have the ingredients or time for a homemade exfoliant, have no fear! Rubbing a damp toothbrush over your lips will do the trick too.

After exfoliating your lips, find a hydrating lip balm and swipe it on. Make sure to let it soak in for a few minutes but then remove the excess with a tissue. This will give your lips a moisturized but not oily base.

2. Apply a Base 

For lipstick to stay all day, it needs a base to stick to. To create a base, you’ll use a dab of liquid concealer on a small, flat brush. You’ll use short strokes to fill in your lips until you have covered them with a light layer. 

Once you have applied the concealer, you will need to set it. To do this, press a bit of compact finishing powder over the concealer. This will seal the base layer and keep it lasting a long while. 

A lipstick base has several purposes. When you take this extra step, your lipstick will stay on top of your lips and not sink into them. 

Are you planning on going with a bold lipstick color choice? Sometimes a lip’s natural color can change the color of the lipstick that you are wanting to wear. When you wear a lipstick base, the true color of the lipstick will show through. 

If your lips are naturally a darker red, try choosing a lighter concealer color. This will ensure you get the color from the tube onto your lips. 

3. Line Your Lips

Lip liner is a powerful makeup tool to have in your makeup bag. It can keep your lipstick from feathering and moving around during the day. This makeup product can also help define your canvas.

You can find lip liner in a wide variety of shades. It is the perfect tool for anything from nude lips to dramatic reds. You can also use lip liner to give your lips dramatic shapes and color variations.

Before you begin lining your lips, take your concealer and go around your lip line with it. Make sure to blend it into your foundation.

Grab your lip liner of choice and make sure that it is nice and sharp. You may want to draw a bit on the back of your hand with your liner to warm it up. This will help it blend into your lips more easily.

Find your cupid's bow and make an X shape on either side. Next, move to the outer corners of your lips and line them before lining the bottom of your lips. Finally, connect each of these lines until you have lined around your whole mouth.

If you are looking for super-staying power, fill the rest of your lips in with the liner. You can then layer your liner with your lipstick for lip color that will last for hours.

If you want to get more comfortable with a liner, try a clear version! This will let you practice before adding in a bolder color. 

4. Choosing a Lipstick Type

Now that you have exfoliated and lined, it’s time for lipstick!

This type of makeup comes in many different styles. This type of makeup comes in many different styles. It’s helpful to know about them so you know what effect your lipstick will have when you put it on.

If you choose a sheer lipstick, it will be a hydrating color. This lipstick is usually not as bold as other formulas. Although sheer lipstick will keep your lips moisturized, this type can wear off quickly.

Known for its staying power, a matte lipstick is also very pigmented. This formula of lipstick has no shine but instead comes in a flat finish. Matte lipstick can be drying so lip prep is essential with this type!

If your lips tend to get dry, you’ll want to give creamy lipstick a try. This type of lipstick is not as dry as a matte but has more color than a sheer. If you choose a creamy lipstick in a dark shade, make sure to wear a matching lip liner.

Gloss is easily recognizable by its shiny finish. This type of lip product was very popular in years past. Layer gloss over your lipstick if you want to add some pizzazz to a nighttime or special event look.

5. Applying Your Lipstick

Now that you have picked out your perfect lipstick, it's time to apply it to your lips. You're going to want to start from the middle of your lips and work your way out. This will help keep your lipstick from getting outside your lip liner.

Your lips will be doing a lot of moving and talking when you wear your lipstick! Because of this, it's helpful to form a small smile when applying your lipstick. This will help you catch any spots that you may miss towards the inside of your lips.

Applying your lipstick right from the tube is not always the way to get the best results. A lip brush is a very small, pointed brush made specifically for the application of lipstick. When you use a brush, you have more control over how much lipstick is going on your lips.

Have your concealer brush handy during your lipstick application. This little tool can help to hide any lipstick outside of your lip liner.

6. Setting Your Lipstick 

After you have applied your lipstick, you now have to finish the process by blotting and setting it. 

Grab a tissue and gently press your lips onto it. This will remove the excess lipstick from your first round of application. Several thinner layers will keep your lipstick lasting longer than one thick layer. 

Once you have finished the first round of blotting, go ahead and add another light layer of lipstick to your lips. Focusing more on the middle of your lips can help make your lips look fuller. Blot this round of lipstick too with a fresh tissue. 

After you have blotted your lipstick, grab a translucent setting powder. Pat a very tiny amount of this powder onto your second layer of lipstick. This is the secret to keeping your lipstick from moving all day. 

You can use an eyeshadow as setting powder if you want even more pigmented color! Dab on a color the same shade as your lipstick for a vibrant final lipstick result.

7. Extra Tips and Tricks

If you want your lips to look fuller, line your top lips outside of the natural line. Choosing to accentuate one part of your lip keeps them from looking overdone.

Do you want to wear a gloss? Make sure to apply a liner underneath first. This will keep this notoriously quick to wear off formula lasting much longer.

If you’re feeling creative, you can make your own lipstick shade! Grab an old eyeshadow and some clear gloss. Mix the crushed eyeshadow powder with the gloss until you have a new color!

You don't have to throw lipsticks in shades you don’t like in the trash! Instead, try experimenting by layering the colors to get a brand new lip look.

To give your lips a plumper look, break out the highlighter! Put a tiny dot of this makeup product in the center of your Cupid’s bow. This will give the appearance of a fuller pout.

Are you looking to add some drama to your lips? Find a lip liner that is one shade darker than your lipstick shade. Add a dot of gloss to the top of your lipstick for an unforgettable look. 

Liner can be a great way to play with your look. Play with different shades of liners and lipstick colors for a creative-looking lip. 

Perfect Lipstick Application Is Only a Few Steps Away!

Lipstick is a powerful makeup tool. You can wear this type of makeup alone or pull together an entire face of makeup. 

When you know how to apply lipstick, the process doesn't have to be an intimidating one. In a few steps, you’ll have an even application that lasts through anything!

For more makeup tips, come on over and check out our site!