Lipstick Application 101

[fortworthgal]

I did some searching in this forum and found several general "tips and tricks" threads, as well as several discussions regarding shades of red lipstick, so hopefully I'm not being redundant!

I'm looking for a basic, "red lipstick 101" crash course. I have several shades I really like, but I have the most awful time applying red evenly and having it stay on. For everyday wear, I normally wear beiges, peaches, or pinks that are all quite forgiving, so I'm not used to wearing red daily. I see so many ladies here with immaculate, gorgeous red lips, so I'm really looking for technique tips on applying reds neatly and how to make it last.

Here are some starting questions I have, and hopefully you ladies can add to this and tell me what works for you (brand/color suggestions welcome as well!)

1. What liner do you use (red, nude, brown?), or do you use a liner at all?
2. Do you apply directly from the tube, or use a brush?
3. Thoughts on blotting and powdering?
4. Thoughts on the long-lasting formulas?

 

[Miss Neecerie]

I will leave this, but I am changing the title to Lipstick Application 101....as that is -really- what your question is, regardless of the color of lipstick and we have a zillion threads where people start offering color suggestions already, so please keep those in the existing threads.


So -How- do you get that perfectly outlined perfectly long lasting lipstick?

 

[KittyT]

Make sure lips are moisturized with a *non-petroleum-based* balm. Petroleum breaks down lipstick.

If you have problems with creasing on the outside of your lips, start by applying a very light coat of foundation to your lips and around the edges of your lips to prevent lipstick migration.

Use a *neutral* shade of lipliner to line and fill in your lips. Many gals will recommend a matching red liner. Kevin Aucoin recommends a neutral shade, and I agree with him. I think the results are far superior and you will save yourself money not having to buy a matching liner for every lipstick. I use MAC Spice. Using a liner and filling in with it will help keep lipstick from bleeding and migrating.

Use a brush to fill in lips. Start from the edges and work your way inward. Do not rub your lips together to distribute the lipstick. This leaves unevenly applied lipstick and can cause smudges on the outsides. I do not like long-lasting formulas, as I find that many are way too drying.

Lightly blot with tissue.

Lightly powder. If you're not great with the powder, hold one ply of tissue to your lips and powder through it.

Re-apply lipstick with brush.

Blot again. Powdering and blotting is necessary in my opinion and ensures that absolute longest-staying power. It only really works with matte lipsticks though.

Stick a finger in your mouth, pucker around it, and pull the finger out of your mouth. This will remove lipstick from areas where it is likely to rub off on your teeth.

Finally, check your teeth for lipstick!

 

[fortworthgal]

Thanks, Kitty! That is precisely the type of advice I was looking for!

I agree with you on the outlast type formulas. I've used them and they do work somewhat well, but are terribly drying. I've also had problems finding a nice color in them (most of the reds are too wine or burgundy for me), and for some reason I still seem to end up with "ring around the lips" with these!

 

[MissMissy]

I agree with KittyT, I use a liner that matches my lip color, that way it won't show but it will still keep my lipstick in place. I have one shade of lipliner and a gagillion shades of lipstick! Cheaper that way too

I'm going to have to try the finger in mouth trick, never heard of it before. Thanks KittyT!

 

[Blondie]

I just a red lipliner, outline my lips starting at center,
then apply lipstick with brush from tube,
blot once and i am good to go !
I can't do the balm, foundation , powder stuff on my lips, always ends up feeling chalky, annoying and i end up wiping it all off ( however I can see where this method would work for photo's )
The simpler the better for me

 

[KittyT]

I can't do the balm, foundation , powder stuff on my lips, always ends up feeling chalky, annoying and i end up wiping it all off ( however I can see where this method would work for photo's )

Powder does feel chalky - if you use too much. The trick to powder is a very, very, VERY light coat. This is why using a tissue helps if you're not so good at this.

Also, I wouldn't recommend using powder with any kind of frosted lipstick. Frosted lipsticks usually feel pretty gritty because of the mica in them, and the powder makes this even worse.

 

[mrswheats]

Use a *neutral* shade of lipliner to line and fill in your lips. Many gals will recommend a matching red liner. Kevin Aucoin recommends a neutral shade, and I agree with him.

Now that's a great tip! Thanks, Kitty!

 

[lyburnum]

Every so often I take a dry toothbrush to them to exfoliate any dead skin cells before I start. Then I do exactly what KittyT has already said. I don't use powder however and I've never found any reason to use it - but I do blot.

 

[KittyT]

Every so often I take a dry toothbrush to them to exfoliate any dead skin cells before I start. Then I do exactly what KittyT has already said. I don't use powder however and I've never found any reason to use it - but I do blot.

Yes, this is a definitely a necessity! I usually use a damp washcloth or sometimes Lipscription exfoliating beads by Benefit.

 

[PS]

If you have an aging mouth with many lines..kissing lines...there are a few lines that offer a clear wax-y liner to line your lips with. It fills in those creases and creates a serious barrier between your lipstick and lines. I do believe that DuWop calls theirs the Reverse Liner and Sonia Kashuk offers one on the opposite ends of her glosses, which is especially great because heavily lined lips often find it hard to wear gloss because it moves even more.

 

[MarieAnne]

I have many different shades of red and I used to buy corresponding shades of liner. It really adds up. I bought a clear liner from Revlon Colorstay and I really like it. It really is clear and works well. Now I only need one liner for all the lipsticks I own and all the lipsticks I buy in the future.

 

[The Shirt]

I will throw in that I sometimes use a lip plumper to start with(I have tiny lips already and age isn't helping me any). I also will line my lips slightly outside my lipline to get a fuller look or a cuter bow to my lips.

Also a trick of mine - I have 15-20 red lipsticks in my pile. All but 2 looked good on me. So in order to salvage some - I actually use a different colored lipliner to "tweak" the color. For example - I look horrible in orange-y reds. I put a slightly plum/burgandy (something with a blue base) lipliner under some of these orange-y reds in my supply and VIOLA! I had a red that I actually would wear. Sometimes it doesn't work so well - but it managed to keep me from pitching quite a few colors.

 

[Darhling]

I use MAC Brick lipliner which goes well with Russian Red and MAC Red lipstick. This is what I have learned from a MAC makeup artist: I start by lining the lower lip, starting in th middle going out in one fine, light line, repeat with the other side, with the upper lip I define the cupids bow first and then draw from the outer edge into the cupids bow for one and then the other side. You can now put on a second layer of lipliner if you wish, but I like the idea of having one fine and straight line in one stroke - it looks neater.

I fill the lipstick in with a brush, blot on a tissue then re-apply with a brush. I don't use powder to set it with.

 

[Miss 1929]

Kitty T nails it

Pretty much the same as my methods, but with these little differences:

I do use a matching lip liner - I want to subtly change the shape of my lips, and find it easier to do that with a liner in color, and then fill in almost, but not quite to the edge with the color (absolutely preventing any bleeding as the lipstick is nowhere near my skin).

Since I pretty much only need about three colors of lipstick (blue-red, orange-red, and burgundy), I tend to find a shade of those three colors that I like, and stick to it until they discontinue it (which they always do, damn them:rage: ). So a matching pencil is not that much expense. Plus, the pencils can be cheaper than the lipstick - I can usually find an inexpensive on that will match my expensive lipstick.

Some need powder, some do not, the MAC Ruby Woo is a current favorite for my blue-red needs as I don't have to powder it at all.

When I do need to powder, I keep a red rabbit's foot on my dressing table that I use for applying the powder to the first coat of lipstick. It then picks up enough redness that I can use it as a blush brush afterwards, saving one piece of makeup that I don't have to buy. Like any brush, I wash it occasionally with shampoo.

The puckered finger in the mouth thing has never worked for me! I find it takes off lipstick where I want it to be. And my teeth stick out anyway, so they still pick it up. I find that if I just wipe the the lipstick that did hit my teeth off, then moisten my lips a bit, it stops.

 

[Lady Day]

I use a liner slightly darker than my lip stick, mainly because my natural lip line is darker than my skin tone.

Works for me

LD

 

[texasgirl]

I think everyone is different. I only wear the red for when I do vintage, not everyday. I use a Rimmel lip liner in Red Diva. Then I just apply the Mac Russian Red directly from the tube. Lasts forever and I never have any bleeding or anything on my teeth. I've never tried using the powder. Oh, and I always blot with a tissue

 

[i_am_the_scruff]

When I wear my red lipstick (I only have the one), I sometimes will put some foundation or something on my lips first but not all the time. I line my lips in a colour that matches my lipstick, I have Russian red lipstick and I used to have Macs brick red liner but I lost it and instead of spending another £9 buying a new one from mac I just got one for about £3 or so from Rimmel and it's just as good.

I apply the lipstick with a brush, blot and then apply again. Sometimes I don't blot though. Afterwards I use lipcoat to keep it on.

I found that before I started using lipcoat the russian red used to come off alot.

If i'm wearing another colour lipstick, I just apply with the lipstick itself and sometimes use a liner if I already have one that matches. Red is the only colour that I made sure I had a matching liner for.

 

[LizzieMaine]

No liner for me -- but I do a careful outline from the stick before filling in the color. I don't normally wear foundation, but I do apply a good layer of moisturizer as a base for powder before doing my lips. One blotting on tissue, one quick last flick with the powder brush, and I'm out the door. (This is how my grandmother taught me to do it, and I've done it that way ever since...)

 

[Real Swell Gal]

I'm usually wearing Max Factor Pan Cake when I use my reds so I swipe the sponge over my lips while I apply my pan cake foundation.
I use a darker shade of liner then my lip color no matter what color I'm wearing. If it's pink then my liner is a mauve color and if it's red it's kind of a dark cherry red. Anyway you get the picture. I usually look better in frosts or when I wear red I prefer a matte.