Personally, we love the cooler months at SkinBase, they bring cosy nights, chunky knits and the promise of many a festive occasion (well they used to!). Regardless of what we can’t do this year, now is the time to start considering your skin, and your makeup for the months ahead. Autumn/winter is the best for playing around with your makeup – including the addition of a colour-popping statement lip, or a well-defined glossy pout.
Here we look at five simple tips to making sure your pout is on point…
Start early.
Regardless if you steer clear of a statement lipstick or gloss on a daily basis, you should be consistently looking after your lips so they are moisturised, hydrated and crack-free for when you do reach for the colour. Dry lips do not make for a good lipstick base, colour tends to spread unevenly and will wear off quickly.
Lips first.
When you sit down to start applying your makeup, most makeup artists agree that you should finish with the lips in order to balance out your look. That said, you should ALWAYS treat them first with a moisturiser – so when you eventually come to add your liner and colour they are already prepped and primed. Just like skin – your lips need a good base.
Liner.
We’ve heard the for and against argument for liner so many times, but we still think to get perfectly symmetrical lips with a little added definition (who doesn’t want that?) lip liner remains a key step. Neutral or colourful, use your liner from the centre of your lips and trace outwards.
Fill it in.
You can also use your lip liner to fill in the rest of your lips – often (as long as the lip liner is fairly hydrating and similar to the colour you’ll be applying next) it can make your colour last a heck of a lot longer. Remember, the more matt the texture of your lipstick – the longer it will last. That said, matt lipsticks are especially drying, so the hydration stage is even more important!
Blot.
Don’t skip this step, regardless of how great you think your lipstick looks. Too much product and you’ll be left with the colour everywhere. So use a tissue and place it between your lips to soak up any excess and help your colour set. Then, apply another layer.
Sharpen those edges.
Ever see those beautiful models whose lips look incredibly sharp and defined? That’s because they often take just a few moments at the end of their lipstick application to use a Q-tip dipped in makeup remover to remove any excess product that might have seeped out, followed by a precision brush and a little of your concealer to create the perfect sharp edge.
Powder.
Not an essential final step, but one some beauty experts swear by. For maximum staying power, use a brush and apply transparent powder over your lips.
And… pout.
Enjoy!
SkinBase x
image:istock.com/Holubenko Nataliia
