Lipslick Trick

A pop of color with lipstick is one of the quickest ways to transform your look. Since your lips are one of the most important focal points of your face, you want to pay special attention to them when playing up your pout. There are few things that say bad makeup job like lipstick stained teeth, dark liner with lighter lip color, or lipstick bleeding outside of your natural lip line (think Crusty the Clown). Knowing how to properly apply lipstick will help keep your overall look balanced, as well as accentuate your smile and face.

How to Properly Apply Lipstick

1: Prime your lips with a good base of foundation and powder. This not only removes all the color from your lips, it also helps to keep the lipstick from smudging and smearing throughout the day/night.

2: Use a lip liner pencil that is the same shade or just a shade darker than your lipstick color to outline your lips. Start by defining the center curve of your upper lip using two precise strokes. Then, using short strokes, continue to line the rest of your upper lip (Hint: applying short strokes is easier than drawing a continuous line). To line the lower lip, work form the center out towards the corners. Be sure to keep your mouth closed and relaxed while lining your lips. Then, continue to fill with short strokes towards the center of the lip--the liner will actually help hold the lipstick on longer.

3: Apply the lipstick to a lip brush and begin coloring in your lips. Work gradually towards the lip outline, blending the lip liner with lipstick.

4: Next, to ensure that there are no unfinished edges, open your mouth wide and brush the color into the corners.

5: Gently blot your lips on a tissue paper, being careful not to smudge or remove too much color.

6: Apply a second coat of lip color to touch up and create a deeper effect. (Hint: For a more natural day time look, blot your lips again lightly with a tissue. If you want a bolder evening look, do not blot your lips after the final application.).

7: If you end up with a little lipstick that falls outside the lip lines, there are two ways to remove the imperfections. One, you can use a cotton swab with a touch of make remover, and erase the flaws. Two, you can use foundation or concealer to go over the flaws. Either way will usually accomplish what you need, but if there is a significant stray red mark, makeup remover is the better option.

Lipstick Tips and Tricks

Applying a lipstick that contains a moisturizer and sun protection is an effective way to help protect your lips from wind and sun damage.

Applying lipstick after drawing a crisp lip outline helps to keep the color from bleeding.

You can also use the tip of your lipstick to outline your lips and then use the broader face of the lipstick to fill them in. Just be sure not to use the tip to fill in your lips.

Always carry your lipstick with you in case of accidental removal or if you need to do a quick touch-up.

If you want to have fuller lips, apply the lip liner just outside of your natural lip line. Work on it slowly and steadily to get the perfect shape. Fill in with the lipstick.

A highlight of frosting on the upper lip will help create an impression of fullness.