When you think of makeup, you think of lipstick—lipstick and blush, probably. Lipstick is a cornerstone of everyone’s beauty routine and an essential to every beauty bag. It’s one of the few products that can finish a look, or be a look all on its own. With so many lip products available, finding the right product for you can be a challenge, but finding the perfect shade and formula is always, always worth the leg work. Let me help!

What Is Lipstick?

Truthfully? It’s anything you want it to be! Its literal purpose is to apply color to and accentuate your lips. With traditional lipsticks, supple texture and a bit of shine were added, too. These days, lip color comes in so many formulas that you’re not bound to any one thing.
For example: some people have very lightly pigmented lips, so adding a bit of color, natural or dramatic, can simply help their face look healthier and more vibrant without having to apply a ton of makeup. Matching a lipstick to a gown or even a t-shirt can bring the color up to your face and tie and outfit together. Basically it’s there to define your mouth and give your face a little more structure.

Different Types of Formulas

Traditional lipstick is made with waxes, oils, and pigments and in the form of a stick that is housed in a tube that twists up to apply and back down to travel safely. Stick lipsticks have the widest range of finishes, from high gloss to matte, and typically have the largest variety of shades compared to other formulas, depending on the brand.
Liquid Lipsticks are the newest and fastest growing formula. Though the each formula differs, liquids are typically known for full opacity and all day wear. They apply, as the name indicates, as a liquid, but unlike traditional lipsticks, they fully dry down on the lip to a velvety finish that doesn’t budge. Their packaging is similar to that of a lip gloss, as they are in a tube and applied with a wand with a doe foot applicator on the tip. If you want a bulletproof lip, a liquid is the way to go. Because they dry down and wear well for so long, some formulas can tend to be a little drying.
Lip Stains were a precursor to liquid lipsticks, as they, too, are a liquid. The difference is that a stain is heavily pigmented but sheer, so your lips will be tinted, but still show through the product. Think a popsicle stain. They are very thin so they feel light on the lips, and the color clings for hours until it wears off. Stains are great for casual wear that you don’t have to constantly check up on or reapply. Also, many lip stains double as cheek tints (that being said, you can also use lipstick as a cream blush.)
There are new innovations in lip products every day, so you’ll hear about lip crayons and lip pencils, which usually fall in the lipstick category, and lip creams, which tend to be a liquid tint with less stay power than a traditional liquid lipstick.

Everything You Need to Know for Perfect Application Every Time

These are a few steps before you actually apply the lip color to your lips that will make it look perfect and help extend wear. If you want to just pop on the lip color and be out the door, you can do that, too! These will just help the color last all night. If you’re opting for a lip stain, you can skip all of this since stains are all about enhancing the color of your lips without making them look too painted on.
First , if you’re wearing base of any sort, bring a little bit of your foundation or concealer down over your lip line to block it out. This is beneficial for a few reasons. First, everyone’s lips are different, Some people have a very defined lip line, others have redness that extends over the lips. Personally, the sides of my lips are a little red, and if I don’t block that out, it can look like my lip color is blotchy, or bleeding out from where I applied. I’m always so much happier with my lipstick when I take ten seconds to block out my natural lip color.
Next, lip liner. If you’re wearing a traditional lipstick, using a lip liner of the same or a similar color underneath with help the color last longer and stop it from migrating over your lip line. Liners are more dense and dry than lipsticks, so they cling to the lip longer and are more immovable.
There are a few ways to apply lip liner. You can trace around the perimeter of your lips, which works to define the shape and prevent your lipstick from feathering or bleeding. You can also use the liner to fill in your lips entirely before applying the lipstick. This may seem like you’re doubling down on lip color, but it will help keep your lip color in place all night and prevent it from getting wearing unevenly, becoming patchy, or rubbing away completely. It also helps to intensify the your lip color.
Liners are good under liquid lipsticks, too. Though liquids have more stay power than traditional lipsticks, they sometimes crack or flake around your lips after hours of wear, depending on the formula, especially around the lip line. Lining the lips first will help keep your line precise throughout wear. And if you eat a meal in your lipstick, nine times out of ten the food will rub the lipstick off, but not the liner, so running to the bathroom and reapplying is a breeze since you’re basically just coloring inside the lines.

Finishes

Matte lipsticks reflect less light (that is, they’re not glossy). They give the lip a luxurious, velvety finish, which helps the color appear more rich and vibrant. Matte lipsticks typically last longer since they are less emollient, making them harder to rub off. The downside is that some matte formulas can be a bit drying, or at least feel drying during wear.
Satin lipsticks can also be referred to as demi-matte, or the middle ground between a matte and glossy finish. They have a soft shine that helps lips appear softer and a bit more plump. Satins tend to be the best of both worlds as they are comfortable on the lip, they usually have a bit more moisture to them, and feel better for longer.
Glossy lipsticks pack a high-shine finish that can be just as glamorous as a matte lip. They are usually the most comfortable and moisturizing on the lip, though because of that high moisture content, can be the easiest to rub off.
Sheer lipsticks give your lips a wash of color, while still letting your actual lips show through. These differ from a lip stain because sheer lipsticks still provide a moisturizing barrier and feel plush and comfortable on the lips, whereas stains simply stain the lip.

A Word on Wear

I know that everyone looks for product that is a comfortable, moisturizing and long wearing, but the truth is, those two things don’t always go together. A lot of the critiques about long-wearing lipsticks is that they’re drying; that’s unfortunately part of what makes them stay. Whether it’s a traditional lipstick or a liquid, if you want long-lasting color, you’re going to have to sacrifice a little bit of moisture to get it.
If you do want a more moisturizing product, a glossy or high shine finish will be the way to go, with the understanding that they don’t have the best staying power. Hydrating and glossy lipsticks are comfortable, but because of the high moisture content, it’s going to be easier for them to slip off. That’s why a liner is always a good idea. Because the product is more dry, it will create a nice base so that even if your lip color does slide off, you won’t be left with bare, patchy lips until you reapply.
Eating is a sure fire way to make your lip color rub off, no matter what formula or finish you choose. Obviously, you have to eat, so just carry your lip color with you if you’re concerned with maintaining your makeup and reapply after the meal! Oily or greasy foods remove lipsticks the fastest, as oil breaks down makeup, so if you’re in the middle of like, I don’t know, an important job interview over lunch (do those happen?) and really want to keep things in place for as long as possible, just keep that in mind. Go for sushi! Sushi is a great lipstick meal.
And that’s basically it. It seems like there’s a lot to know, but trust me, it’s easy. Once you get a feel for what you like, you’ll be able to find the perfect lipstick in no time!
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