12 Lipstick tricks every woman should know

A slick of your fave lipstick can make you feel like a million bucks, so here are 12 hacks that’ll make you feel like a million and one.
 

#1 PREP YOUR LIPS PROPERLY

Lipstick will stay on longer (and look better) if your lips are properly prepped. Buff away any dead skin with a damp washcloth, an old toothbrush, a clean mascara wand or spoolie, or a lip scrub (like Lush Lip Scrub.)
 

#2 MAKE IT LAST

Three tricks for longer-lasting lipstick:
1) Use a brush (try: Real Techniques Retractable Lip Brush) to really press the pigment into your lips.
2) Dab after applying each layer of lippie. Just be sure to dab your lips, rather than putting  a tissue in between them and pressing shut. This may cause your lipstick to wear off unevenly.
3) Once you’ve applied your lip colour, take a tissue (just one sheet) and hold it over your mouth. Then, lightly dust some translucent powder over the top to lock in the colour.

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Kathleen Kamphausen

#3 KEEP YOUR TEETH PIGMENT-FREE

This is an oldie, but a goodie: after you’ve applied your lipstick, stick your finger into your mouth, wrap your lips around it, and pull it out. Then go about your day without worrying if you have lippie on those pearly whites.

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#4 USE CONCEALER TO CLEAN UP

Instead of trying to wipe any uneven lines with your finger, use a concealer brush with a touch of concealer to even up the lines.
 

#5 KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FINISHES

Matte – long-lasting, but can be drying
Cream – moisturising, but may not last as long
Sheer – not as pigmented, can leave a bit of a glossy finish
 

#6 NEUTRALISE YOUR LIP COLOUR

Hate it when the lipstick looks different on your lips than on the bullet? It could be because of the natural pink or red in your lips. Neutralise the colour of your lips with concealer or a nude lip liner and then apply your lipstick for a true-to-bullet result.
 

#7 RECREATE YOUR LIP SHAPE

Kathleen Kamphausen

Pull a Kylie Jenner and make your lips look bigger and more defined with a few beauty tools. Cover your lips in concealer, and then use your lip liner to line just outside your natural lip line. Fill your lips in, then finish with lipstick or a lip stain.

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#8 FAKE A PLUMP POUT

Apply a touch of clear gloss  to the middle of your top and bottom lips to make your pout look plumper. You can also use a little highlighter on your cupid’s bow to enhance your lips.
 

#9 FIND YOUR PERFECT NUDE

When picking an everyday nude lipstick, opt for a colour that’s a shade or two darker than your skin tone. If your skin is quite fair, go for a nude with a hint of pink, as this will prevent the colour from making you look washed out. If you have medium skin, look for nudes with a hint of orange, and if your skin is olive or dark, choose beige and brown-based nudes.

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#10 FIND YOUR PERFECT RED

If you’re fair, use a blue-based red (like Designer Brands Eternal Colour Lipstick in Red Robin), and if you have medium skin, look for reds with a touch of orange (like L’Oréal Paris Infallible 2-Step Longwear Lipstick in Red Infallible). If you have dark skin, you can pretty much pick any red, but why not opt for a red with wine or burgundy tones (like Revlon Ultra HD Lipstick in Iris).
 

#11 IF IT’S BROKE, FIX IT

Kathleen Kamphausen

Don’t chuck out a lipstick with a broken bullet. Instead, use a lighter to melt the broken bullet back together. First, hold the lighter at each end of the break (so the two bits will hold together better when reattached), and then hold the lighter where to two parts meet to fuse them back together.
 

#12 LIPSTICK TO-GO

Wearing lippie means committing to touch-ups, so load your retractable lip brush with the colour and pop it in your purse.

Do you have lipstick tricks to share? Which one of these hacks will you try next time you apply lippie?