Knowing the Lip
Two landmarks guide every application. The vermilion border is the edge where lip meets skin. The Cupid's bow is the double curve at the center of the upper lip. Following the border precisely gives a polished result; staying just inside it gives a softer look; drawing fractionally outside it, a technique called overlining, can make thin lips appear fuller, though it shows clearly at close range if overdone.
Preparation
Lip color shows every flake. Smooth lips gently, with a soft damp cloth or a mild scrub, no more than a couple of times a week. Apply a light balm while you do the rest of your face, then blot away any excess before color, since a slick surface stops lipstick from gripping.
Liner
A pencil close to your lipstick or natural lip shade defines shape and prevents color from bleeding into fine lines around the mouth, known as feathering. Start at the Cupid's bow with small strokes, then work outward from the center of the lower lip. For longer wear, fill in the whole lip with liner before applying lipstick; it acts as a base that remains after the top layer fades.
Formulas and Finishes
Cream and satin lipsticks are comfortable and moderately long-lasting. Mattes give intense, flat color and longer wear but can feel dry. Liquid lipsticks set to a transfer-resistant film. Glosses give shine and fullness but little staying power. Stains and tints sink into the lip for a natural flush that outlasts meals.
The demand for staying power has a long history. In 1950 the American chemist Hazel Bishop introduced a long-lasting "no-smear" lipstick, and its marketing changed what shoppers expected. Revlon, founded in 1932 as a nail enamel company, answered with matched lip and nail colors, most famously the "Fire and Ice" campaign of 1952.
Choosing a Red
The classic advice is to match the red's undertone to your own. Blue-based reds, the cherry and berry family, tend to make teeth look whiter and flatter cool undertones. Orange-based reds, the tomato and coral family, warm up warm undertones. True reds, balanced between the two, suit most people. If you are unsure, try both against bare skin in daylight; one will look as though it belongs, and the other will seem to sit on top.
Blush and Bronzer
Smile to find the apples of the cheeks, then blend blush from there toward the temples. Placing it higher gives a lifted look; placing it low and forward reads as youthful and flushed. Bronzer imitates where sun naturally falls: the forehead near the hairline, the cheekbones, the bridge of the nose and the jaw. Choose a bronzer only one or two shades deeper than your skin, and a matte one for contouring, since shimmer reflects light and does the opposite.
Color Correction
Correction uses opposites on the color wheel to neutralize. Green offsets redness from blemishes or flushing. Peach and orange offset blue and purple shadows, such as dark under-eye circles; deeper oranges suit deeper skin tones. Lavender can brighten sallow, yellowish areas. Apply corrector sparingly, only where needed, and cover it with foundation or concealer.
Reference Notes
Making lipstick last
Prep, line and fill the whole lip, apply lipstick, blot with tissue, dust translucent powder through a single tissue ply, then apply a second layer.
Preventing feathering
Use a liner, a matte or long-wear formula, and avoid heavy balm beforehand. A little concealer traced around the lip edge sharpens the line.
Uneven natural lip tone
Dab a little concealer or foundation over the lips first, or use a liner to unify color before a sheer lipstick.
Dry, cracked lips
Skip mattes until lips recover. Use a nourishing balm overnight. Persistent cracking at the corners deserves a doctor's attention.