The best way to apply lipstick

Knowing what lip colour to choose is only one part of the perfect beauty look. Knowing how to put on lipstick is the other. To get a neat, flattering, long-lasting lip application follow the steps below.

Apply a base

Like any other make-up, even the lips need a base. Use a brush to apply some concealer around the lips. This will prevent the lipstick from bleeding over the edges. Keep the application sheer and light.

Define the lips

Use a nude lip pencil or a colour that exactly matches your selected shade to line and fill the fuller parts of the lips. Start from the centre, draw an outline, then colour your entire lips with the pencil. This is a foolproof trick to maintain longevity of the bright colour.

applying lip liner

Add colour

By now you should already have a well-defined shape of your lips. The next step is to layer them with a creamy lips colour. Get lots of product on the lip brush and, once again, start from the centre of the lips and sweep the product in an outward motion. Stay within the lines.

Blot for even coverage

After applying the first layer, gently blot with a tissue to maintain an even coverage. You don’t want your lips to feel heavy with a product-overdose.

The final layer

Add another layer of lipstick (using a brush) for a long-lasting opaque look. Voila!

deep pink lipstick

Variation: a retro spin

For a retro, matte finish, wear a coloured liner on its own, or top with lip gloss for added shine.

Variation: a sultry pout

For the sultry pout, apply a dot of clear gloss to the centre of your top and bottom lip.

Makeup to go with bold lip colours

Once you’ve mastered the lip, the important question is, what to do with the rest of the face? Glad you asked because let’s not forget, lips are only one aspect of the face.

The safest way to stick with the bold lip is… just do the bold lip. No smoky eyes, no rosy blushes and no bronzed goddess looks. You’re making a statement and don’t want any other feature overshadowing the vibrancy of the trend. Some tips;

Keep the skin fresh and dewy; liquid foundation or a tinted moisturiser is the best.

For a night-time look, apply liquid illuminator on the brow bones (underneath the eyebrows) and dab your fingers down in a C-motion towards the cheekbones. Your skin will get a radiant, glowy finish without overdoing it.

Apply two coats of mascara on the top and bottom lashes.

If you’re daring enough, or a Tom Ford fan, then don the smoky eyes for a glamorising effect.

The one part of you can play with is your hair. A sleek ponytail, soft curls, side-swept fishtail, topknot; there are no rules. Have fun with it!<

Irrespective of what spring/summer or fall/winter trend you’re adopting in your wardrobe this year, this cheeky and alluring make-up trend is sure to make you and your lips smile.

Find out more

Want to know more?

For more information and inspiration around spring 2012’s fashion trends follow that link.

For more features on spring 2012’s beauty looks and how to achieve them, keep an eye on our beauty trends guide. If you don’t want to miss out, be sure to subscribe to Fashionising.com’s newsletter or RSS feed, or follow us on Facebook.