You know the drill: you dedicate a big chunk of your morning makeup routine to getting your lips just right. You painstakingly follow the advice of all the fashion magazines and make use of the latest and most popular products. You prime, you plump, you line, you gloss. And within an hour of leaving the house, your lip colour has done a disappearing act.

Does this scenario sound familiar? If so, don’t despair. You don’t have to call in the authorities to get to the bottom of the case of the vanishing lipstick. According to the top beauty gurus, the problem probably lies in your lip colour application technique.

Let’s face it – your lips are not the best canvas for holding on to colour. They’re moist and soft, and they’re front and centre in a variety of lip colour-endangering activities like drinking, eating, talking, and kissing. If you don’t use an application technique that’s specifically designed to help your lipstick last, you’ll be stuck with pale, washed-out lips.

Want to boost your lip colour’s staying power? These hints from top beauty experts can help your lipstick last all day long.

Read the label. Today’s cosmetic formulas are a far cry from the more rudimentary ones that existed even a decade ago, scientifically speaking. Most of the long-wearing lip colours you can find these days have been engineered to last for up to 12 hours at a stretch without drying up. If you prefer a glossy finish, try one of the new two-part formulas that have flooded the market in recent years.

Prime time. The real secret to long-wearing lip colour lies in a strong foundation. Experts recommend priming your lips, either with a specially designed lip primer product or with a light, even coat of foundation or liquid base. This layer will “grab” your lip colour and help it last for hours longer than it would on its own.

Line up. Lip liner is another way that you can extend the staying power of your lip colour. After you’ve applied a coat of primer, line your lips slightly outside of your natural lip line. Then, fill in the rest of your lips with the liner. This will add depth, dimension, and unbeatably longevity to your lipstick. Choose a colour that’s close to your natural lip shade for best results.

Powder puff. After you apply a coat of your favourite lip colour, dust on a very light layer of face powder and then add a second coat of lipstick on top. The layer of powder between the two coats will “set” the colour and significantly extend the wear of your lip product.

Apply dry. If you’re the type who prefers a wet look, begin by patting your lips dry. Although it may sound counterintuitive, this step is necessary to extend the life of what is usually the shortest-wearing type of lip product. It is very difficult for gloss to “cling” to moist lips, so applying it to a drier surface will help you squeeze every last bit of wear out of your favourite gloss.

Ready to stock your makeup kit with the tools you need for long-lasting lip colour? Browse our selection of name-brand lip products at discount prices here.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 14th, 2008 at 12:49 pm and is filed under Makeup Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.