I think we all agree that a woman wearing red lips does not intend the cartoonish image of a red mouthed clown. We’ve seen when lip lining goes wrong. These fearsome tales of the fashionably perilous “ring around the mouth” are not pretty.
Lip liners are useful as they form a barrier along the lip line, keeping lipstick put and in place. They also allow lip definition, which helps make lips look fuller. When purchasing lip liners, stick to the basics: Red, pink and flesh colored liners work well with any lipstick you will be wearing.
1. Start with a clean and moisturized lip.
2. If you plan on wearing a red lip, this next step is the most important of make-up tips, so do not to skip this. Add a drop, or sweep, of foundation to lips to set the lipstick and prevent feathering out past the lip lines. This will help keep you from looking like you were bobbing for apples in Kool-Aid by lunch. For more natural looks, skip this step.
3. With pencil sharpened, follow your natural lip line along its outermost edge. Take care to avoid extending past your natural lip lines to avoid the “clown” look.
4. Fill in lips entirely with liner before applying lipstick for a longer lasting lip color and more dramatic looks. For a more natural look, skip this step.
5. Apply lipstick within the lip liner lines you have drawn, careful not to extend past the line.
6. Apply lip gloss over lips entirely, or only in the center for a “pouty” look.
Make-up tips which bring out the richness of darker complexions include going for shimmery coppers and golds. Light skin tones should avoid harsh burgundy and wines, opting for mauves and earth tones, like caramel. And please…blend!