Wearing lipstick can have many positive effects. Wearing a bold lipstick color can give you confidence on a night out, a professional look for a job interview, or a seductive look on a date. Use the following tips to not only make wearing lipstick more comfortable, but also more effective:
1. Exfoliate for smoother lips
Exfoliating your lips can have a similar effect to exfoliating your skin. It can help remove dirt and dead skin cells from your lips and make them smoother and healthier. You can buy lip scrubs to exfoliate your lips or even make your own! Below is a simple recipe for a healthy lip scrub you can make at home:
- Mix one part honey with two parts sugar
- Gently rub the mixture into your lips and let it sit for a few minutes
- Remove the scrub with a wet washcloth
2. Use translucent powder for longer wear
Translucent powder can be used for two different purposes: firstly, it can be used on top of a glossy lipstick to give it a matte finish; or secondly, it can act as a preservative coating to make your lipstick last longer. To apply translucent powder over lipstick:
- Apply your lipstick as usual
- Gently blot your lips with a tissue
- Keep the tissue against your lips and light tap some invisible setting powder onto the tissue
This will create a barrier just thick enough to keep your lipstick in place longer and not smear as easily.
3. Reshape the lips with concealer
Concealers can be used to enhance the shape of your lips and make them look fuller. The key is to use a concealer that best matches your foundation. Once you’ve chosen the concealer:
- Add a highlight of a lighter shade and one of a darker shade
- Add a bit of shadowing using a darker concealer
- Blend the shades evenly
- Use some lip liner to create the perfect edge
4. X your cupid’s bow
Creating the perfect shape on your cupid’s bow is something many people struggle with. However, we have a quick and simple tip that can make it much easier to achieve the desired result:
- Locate the highest point on each side of your upper lip
- Draw a line using lip liner down diagonally from each high point to the middle of the other side of your lip, just below the high point on that side
- Fill in the inside of the X and extend the lipstick down to the bottom center of your lip
- Apply lipstick to your bottom lip as you normally would
- Finish off your upper lip with lipstick and fill in the outsides