Lip Basics: Use a rich lip balm overnight to keep your lips soft and in good condition. For peeling lips, gently apply a light scrub, followed with a moisturizing lip balm and avoid use of dry consistency lip colors until the lips are healed. Lip balm can also be used as a first layer underneath lip color if the lips have a tendency to be dry, as this will help the lip color product apply more smoothly and evenly. Avoid applying too much of an oily lip balm prior to lip color application, since the oiliness can cause lip color to ‘bleed’ or fade quickly.
Basic Color Principle to Use: Lighter colors (and shine) create fullness, while darker tones add depth and definition.
Lip Liner Pencils: Using a highly-pigmented lip liner pencil to outline the lips will help keep your lip color fresher longer. It will also provide a barrier to prevent any ‘bleeding’ of the lip color outside the lip line. For added staying power, use a light dusting of face powder just along the lip line before applying lip liner.
Choose a lip liner shade that most closely matches your lip gloss or lipstick. To apply, follow the natural lip line with the tip of the pencil. For extra long wear, try using a highly-pigmented lip pencil to color in your lips before you apply your lip gloss or lipstick.
Lip liner can enhance or correct the shape of the lips. For example, if one side of the lower or upper lip is slightly uneven, a lip liner can be used to correct it. Skillfully correcting the shape of the lips may require practice to achieve the most natural result.
The shape of the lips can also be enlarged slightly by drawing the line just outside the natural lip line – this technique should be done very carefully to avoid looking unnatural and overdone.
Lip liner pencils may also be used as a lip color by first outlining the lips with the tip of the pencil, then turning the tip on its side and ‘coloring in’ the lips, smudging the pencil across the lips. Top with a small amount of clear lip gloss or clear lip balm to finish.
For most precise application and control, keep lip liner pencils sharpened prior to use.
Lip Color: Soft, Natural,Bright, Matte, Glossy, Dark: All these styles of lip color can be fun to wear!There are many colors and formulations available – cream, shimmer, matte, sheer and gloss. Selecting a high-pigment lip color will not only give longer lasting results, it will also provide the most flexibility since the color becomes more intense as more is applied.
A traditional lipstick in a tube can be applied with an angle-tipped lip brush for a most precise and even application. This brush can also be used with a high-pigment lip glossproducts to control the amount of color pigment and to evenly apply shine.
Some high-pigment or matte lip glosses or lipsticks can have a drier consistency. Lightly apply a lip balm prior to using these lip products.
How To Create a Pouty Lip Look: Create a full lip using lip liner and lip color.
After outlining the lip line, use the pencil to ‘color in’ the outside corners of the lips prior to applying color. Coloring in the outside corners will provide depth, while your lip color or gloss will provide fullness.
To contour and add fullness to the lips, two colors can be blended; using the following principle: Lighter colors (and shine) create fullness, while darker tones add depth and definition.Shiny high-pigment lip glosses are excellent for creating the appearance of a fullness, while the lip liner will keep the gloss in place longer while adding depth and definition to the shine.
Another way to create fullness is by applying lip color first, then dabbing alighter toned gloss or color to the center of the lower lip and blend.
Other Helpful Guidelines: Using the color principles and tips outlined above, let’s explore how to best complement your lips:
For small or thin lips, avoid using very dark shades. Since darker tones create depth, these tones will cause the lips to appear thin. To help thin or small lips appear voluptuous, use light to medium lip color tones, finished with lip gloss to add shine. Also add fullness by using a slightly lighter ‘highlighting’ lip color (such as a beige-gold sheen) in the middle of the lips applied on top of the already-applied lip color. Blend softly with an angle-tipped lip brush.
For very large or very full lips, avoid using very pale or very bright shades. Very large lips are most flattered by medium to dark shades. If a lip gloss is preferred, use most of the shine in the middle of the lips and blend outward.
