Makeup

How to Apply Lipstick Like a Makeup Artist

Follow these simple, yet essential tips for bleed-free, stay-all-day lipstick

by Amanda Montell | COMMENT

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Lipstick Rule No. 5: Lip Liner's a Bitch, But It's Still Your Friend Nix that mental image of bad '90s lip liner, and hear us out. Smith and Blair agree that one of the gravest lipstick mistakes you can make is wearing bright lipstick without liner.

"Liner is required for full lip service," says Blair. In other words, your bold red lip is doomed without a matte base for the color and a clean, defined edge, created with liner.

That said, Smith warns that there's a right way to do liner -- and a host of wrong ways. First, don't pick a pencil that's darker than your lipstick -- that will leave you looking all the wrong kinds of retro. Instead, Smith says, "Choose a liner that matches your color, so the application is smooth and even." (Try M.A.C. Ruby Woo Lipstick, $16, with M.A.C. Ruby Woo Lip Pencil, $16). Alternatively, a colorless universal liner, such as E.L.F. Studio Lip Lock Pencil, $3, does the same job (and works with all your lip colors).

Overdrawing the lips is also a bad move. "This never looks good," says King. "Stick to the actual line of the lips for a more natural look."

But one of the biggest liner tragedies happens "when you're left with a line of lip liner around your mouth after your lipstick or gloss has faded away." To avoid this, Smith says to "fill in your entire lip with liner -- even if it's just lightly -- so that you still have even, all-over color when the gloss or lipstick fades away." Blair describes this as a matte "stain," which remains all over the lips, even as the bolder lipstick on top disappears. (You can also use a colorless lip liner here).

SEE NEXT PAGE: Lipstick Rule No. 6: Symmetry Is Key

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