A few months ago, I was at a hair salon, being blonded. During that sit-around-and-read- W-while-drinking-Keurig-coffee time that takes up most of the appointment, a woman approached me. She was tall and had this intense and studied manner about her, and she asked me how I got my lipstick to look the way it did. It took a moment for me to recall that I was even wearing lipstick– MAC Ruby Woo on top of MAC Prep + Prime Lip. It had already been through a teeth-brushing, a bag-tearing-open effort, a dry mouth (I was nervous about the 40-volume decision), and now my second Keurig brew. She responded that she also owned Ruby Woo (naturally) but couldn’t get hers to look like mine; that “a lot of women spend a lot of time to get their lipstick to look like mine.”
Well, that time would be wasted. Now, a tutorial on how to achieve what I refer to affectionately as “the Rough Lip':
First, you’ll want to prime your lips—if not with Prep + Prime, then at least with some Lip Smacker (especially if it’s Strawberry-Banana Starburst). For color, apply your favorite matte red along the line where your lips meet, up the peaks of your upper lip and down the curve of your lower. Again, I refer you to Ruby Woo, which is great for deepening to red or smearing to pink—plus, it smells like frosting. Also consider Nars Lipstick in Fire Down Belowfor a great deep matte brick, without which no woman is complete.
With your ring finger, that helpful weakling, smear the color in the center of your lips out toward the edges. Use other parts of the hand to clean up, no cotton pads here. Distribute, but don't evenly apply, color—keep it perfectly imperfect. Now smack together, blot with a cotton pad, and set—no delicate tissue-gumming. The look is imprecise, casual, and lived-in. The distressed denim of lipstick. Part grunge, part '50s elegance—Hitchcock Heroin(e) Chic.
For a more advanced approach, consider a little layering. When I do a rough lip, I always add an accent color right in the center, for the sake of depth. Sometimes Nars Lip Pencil in Cruella (keeping it red), sometimes Bite Lip Pencil in Cranberry (taking it pink), sometimes Chanel Rouge Coco in Rivoli (steeping in wine).
This also allows for a little high/low lip play. Sure, you’ve got your investment statement lipsticks, but how boring is it to be limited to the Bloggers’ Specials? The same way you might dress up your prized Celine coat with Zeline everything else, hit your fancy lipstick with a soupçon of drugstore accent for experimenting on the cheap. Exempli gratia: I have Nars Jungle Red, but last season it seemed like everyone was raving about Heat Wave and J.Crew-style orange lips. So I bought a Wet N’ Wild (yes, I did) lipstick in a shade questionably described as Purty Persimmon and ran that color over Jungle Red, then smudged it with my finger until it blurred. After wearing this combination for a week, I decided I didn’t even need Heat Wave after all—lesson learned, money saved.
If you’re into a darker, Lorde lip, go for a gothy-popsicle look: Use any higher-end red with Wet N’ Wild Wild Cherry Picking, employing the technique above. Now you’re so chic it’s terrifying. It's your favorite lipstick, and, for two dollars, made completely new again—in a way that’s still thoroughly lived-in. Isn’t that having it all?
—Trace Barnhill
Photos by Trace Barnhill.
Great lips can really set off your style, but what's the best way to choose and apply lipstick or gloss? There are definitely a few do's and don't's when it comes to getting great looking lips. Ahead, watch celebrity makeup artist Matin's lipstick tutorial, plus 15 pro application tips to incorporate into your lipstick routine.
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Click Play to Watch MUA Matin's Essential Lipstick Tricks
Meet the Expert
Matin is a celebrity makeup artist and non-toxic beauty advocate, with clients among the likes of Angelina Jolie, Rebel Wilson, Awkwafina, and more.
Choose a Focal Point
The best approach to makeup is to play up your best feature, so choose between your eyes or your mouth. Concentrating on one of these prominent features will create a necessary focal point.
To get nude lips, cover your lips with concealer or foundation before applying gloss. This renders lips practically colorless and looks great with smokey eyes.
Plump Up Your Lips
You don't have to get fillers to achieve a plumper look. For a fuller appearance, apply liner just outside your natural lip line, then dab a bit of gloss in the middle of your bottom lip and press your lips together.
The Best Way to Apply Lipstick?
There are no real rules for applying lipstick. Some people use special lipstick brushes, while others own one and never use it. Some people use their middle finger and apply it straight from the tube. Choose what's right for you. As long as the color gets on the lips, you're good.
Use Liner as a Base
Lipstick will last longer if you first fill in your lips with the liner. If you're using light lipstick, try a nude liner, and then slick your lipstick on top. For a bolder look, use a darker or more colorful liner shade. Lip gloss is infamous for wearing off fast. However, if you fill your lips with a liner, you give the gloss something to stick to.
Try a Long-Lasting Lip Stain
If lipstick and glosses feathering throughout the day is your concern, lip stains eliminate this problem. There are many great drugstore lip stains you can try out inexpensively, but a favorite (and pricier) lip stain for many is Chanel's Rouge Double Intensite. Once you apply it, it stays put for hours, and it's formulated with a bit of gloss to keep your lips feeling hydrated.
Line Before or After?
Some people prefer to apply liner first, arguing that you won't be able to see the natural line of your lips if you apply lipstick first. However, others find their lips look more natural when they line the lips after applying lipstick. Experiment with these two approaches to see which you like best.
Don't Throw Out a Bad Shade
Think twice before you toss that lipstick color you really don't like. As many beauty editors will tell you, it's possible to create a great lip color by blending lipsticks you don't like. Try it next time, and you may be surprised at the results. Is your lipstick too bright? You can take the color down a few notches by coloring your lips with a darker liner before applying any bright shade.
Keep Lipstick Off Your Teeth
There's a genius trick to avoiding lipstick on your teeth. After applying lipstick, pop your index finger into your mouth, then pull it out. The excess lipstick will come off on your finger rather than your teeth.
Lipstick Can Act as a Blush
When you need a little color, carrying a lipstick color can be a lifesaver. You can swipe a liquid or solid lip color on your pout or cheeks as a swipe of blush. Just dab a few dots on the apples of your cheeks and blend. It helps to have moisturized skin first so the lipstick blends seamlessly.
Camouflage Yellowed Teeth
To downplay a yellow cast on your teeth, try lipsticks with a blue undertone. According to Lazarus, a New York City makeup artist, shades that work include plums, pinks, wines, and violets.
Don't Throw Out a Broken Lipstick
If your lipstick breaks off, there's no need to throw it in the trash, and it's incredibly easy to "heal" it instead. Pick up the broken portion using a tissue, then slowly wave a lit match under it. When it's melted, put it back on the base, swivel it down, and put it in the fridge—uncovered—for 30 minutes. Fixing broken makeup has never been easier.
Use Every Last Drop
When you near the end of your favorite lipstick, you might notice a bit of lipstick in the tube. That's still perfectly usable, and you have to get creative to make it work. Scrape out the last bits of the lipstick with a cotton swab or a stick and mix it with Vaseline or a lip gloss in a lipstick palette. Use a lip brush to apply.