Lip Liner Basics

Lip liner is one of those beauty products that we always seem to have lying around or taking up prime real estate inside our makeup bags. We know that it works great as a barrier to keep lipstick from bleeding and that it can even be worn on its own as a lip color.

But now I’m here to teach HOW to use that lip liner to enhance your pouts so that you can add it to part of our daily routine. Not only do lined lips have staying power, but lining the lips will also help to prevent your lipstick from bleeding.

Lip Basics

I wanted to start by sharing this diagram with some lip terms so that you know what in the world I am talking about throughout this article.

First Things First

Of course, you should consider properly prepping your lips. Try saying that fast, lol! Check out my article 5 Steps to The Perfect Pout.

Now that we have that out of the way, I HAVE to ask…When is the last time that you replaced your sharpener? It is SO important to make sure that your sharpener is sharp by replacing it regularly. Trust me, you are going to want your lip crayon to be well sharpened in order to clearly define and draw smooth, even lines around your mouth. Besides, when your liner is dull, it’s closer to the wood of the pencil, and if any pieces are sticking up from the wood they might scratch your lips plus sharpening your lip pencil before each use will remove bacteria.

Choose your lip liner color

Before you can choose your lip liner color, you need to decide what results you are trying to achieve. Do you want a fuller lip? Are you going for a bold look? How about natural?

If you want to make your lips appear fuller while still looking natural, use a slightly darker lip liner to define the cupid’s bow and the middle of your lower lip. Then, blend it with a lighter shade liner lipstick.

Here are some examples:

If you’re planning to wear red lipstick, go for a red liner that matches your red lipstick.

My pick: Retro Red

If you’re planning to keep your lips looking natural, opt for a nude or soft pink liner.

My pick: Dusty Rose

If you don’t like the look or idea of liner, but still want your lipstick/gloss to stay in place, opt for a lip liner that matches your natural lip color that will keep your makeup in place without adding extra color. This will work with any shade, though it may mute some bolder colors a little bit.

My pick: Neutral

Shape your lips

The most common method of applying lip liner is to line your lips keeping to the natural lip line. But we can also use it to reshape our lips into the perfect pout. To reshape the mouth, apply a small amount of foundation or concealer to cover the natural lip line, which will help make the finished shape look more realistic. If you’re not sure how tho achieve the perfect shape for your lips, check out my recent article here.

Don’t just line the outside, make sure to fill in the outer edges and corners or even the entire mouth with the pencil.

See the difference?

Next, use a lip brush to fill in the entire mouth with lipstick up to the same edge as the lip pencil. Make sure to blend it altogether. And by using a lip brush, you will ensure a nice blended, smooth application.

Like a pro

Just starting out with this whole lip liner thing? I know, it’s more difficult than you’d think, and honey, we’ve ALL been there.

Here’s a trick that the pro’s use 😉 Build a guideline starting at your cupid’s bow. Apply a little ‘X’ on the Cupid’s bow and then a centimeter line in the center of bottom lip line. It creates a good map for the rest of your lip. Take your time, and do it in stages. Then fill in the rest just like above. You’ve got this sister!

Mega staying power

Looking to have your lipstick stay all night? First blot with a single-ply piece of tissue. Then apply a second layer of lipstick for longer-lasting results.

My picks

I’m sure you’re wondering WHY I pick the products I do? I couldn’t end this article without telling you my reasons. Look, I’m sure we’ve all had those liners (both lip and eye) that were so hard that it dragged your skin, and were hard to apply. It can’t be just me!!

Motives Lip Crayon

The Motives Lip Crayons are infused with antioxidants that pamper lips for a healthy-looking pout while maintaining an all-day stay, so you’re ready for anything. They are basically a lip pencil that effortlessly glides on as a precise line for controlled application. And I LOVE to fill in my entire lip with them and they are creamy enough to do just that!

Here are some more benefits:

• Glides on easily for precision application 
• Creamy and smooth texture applies gently, unlike most lip pencils
• Long-lasting color
• Amazing staying power
• Non-comedogenic and hypoallergenic
*There are many colors to choose from too!

And I’m not the only one that has fallen in love with them. Check out what NEW BEAUTY had to say 🙂

And just like that, you now know how to line your smackers!!

Do you have any tips that I missed? I would love to hear them. Just put them in the comments 🙂