Lipsticks are akin to crayons – fun to use, totally transformative, and way too easy to colour out of the lines. If you can’t tell your lip balm from balm stains, don’t know how to stop getting lipstick on your teeth, or just need a new shade to try, we’ve drawn up your definitive list.
Back to Basics
High in pigment and wax content, the traditional lipstick should go on smooth and creamy on your lips. The rising popularity of longer-lasting matte lipsticks (more pigment, less wax) deserves a mention – but you’d have to sacrifice some of that luxuriant feel.
Try: NARS Pure Matte Lipstick or Revlon Colorstay Ultimate Suede
The perfect lip gloss should be slightly sticky to last longer and there are various types of gloss – clear, opaque, creamy, shimmery, and more.
Try: MAC Cremesheen Glass or Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar
Lip stains come in all forms, from the liquid that might actually look like food colouring, to gels, and even felt-tip applicators. As the name goes, your lips are stained, instead of the ‘painted on’ feeling given off by lipsticks and glosses.
Try: Benefit Benetint or L’Oreal Colour Caresse Wet Shine Stain
The hybrid balm stain has conquered a fair share of the lip-product market by combining the properties of lip stains, the texture of lip balm, and the packaging of lipstick or lip gloss. We like that we get to control colour intensity during application.
Try: Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm or Revlon Colorstay Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain
For instantly soft and smooth lips, you need a great lip balm, which provides a protective layer (typically with beeswax) on the surface of your lips to seal in moisture.
Try: Rosebud Perfume Company Rosebud Salve or Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm
Essential for long-lasting lip colours, lip liners have gotten a lot of bad press for their drying effects – but the thing is, most long-lasting products will dry lips out anyway, so don’t point fingers!
Try: Estée Lauder Double Wear Lip Pencil or The Body Shop Lip Liner
Lip primers prep your lips for smooth application and long-lasting colour, though many people still use lip balm in its stead.
Try: Urban Decay Lip Primer Potion or MAC Prep + Prime Lip
We will never be Angelina Jolie, but we can attempt her bee-stung pout with a lip plumper. Designed to make lips to fuller, they swell up the delicate skin on your lips with spices like cinnamon and cayenne.
Try: Soap & Glory Mighty Mouth Extreme Hydrating Super Glossy Lip Balm or Duwop Lip Venom
Many makeup experts we know swear by lip scrubs for a pair of soft, flake-free, and lipstick-ready kissers.
Try: Sara Happ Lip Scrub or Lush Lip Scrub
How to Apply Lipstick – The Right Way
Exfoliating and moisturizing your lips is the start to that perfect pout. Use a lip scrub (or a soft toothbrush) and lip balm to keep them soft and hydrated.
Apply your lip primer – convenience junkies can use foundation, which should be the same shade you’re using for your face – to your lips for an ideal base.
Apply lip liner that is a shade darker than your lipstick colour – using the side of the lip pencil makes it easier to blend at the end. Start at the center of your upper lips and remember to use short strokes for better control.
Put on your lippie however you want to – a lipstick brush, your ring finger, or even straight out of the tube, but start applying in the middle of your lips outwards to the corners. Make sure you’ve got every bit covered, especially the corners (open your mouth wide to check!).
Blot your lips with tissue paper to remove excess colour, and apply a second layer of lipstick to get that punch of colour going, and voila! You’re ready to conquer the world.
Look out for part II of our guide next week where we’ll talk lip shades and how to choose the right one.
Image credits: MAC