How to Get the True Shade Out of Your Lipstick

Get the most out of your lipstick color by making sure your lips are healthy.

Many women have had the experience of buying a lipstick and then not liking the color or having it fade within just a few minutes of applying it. Knowing your skin tone and buying a good lipstick will help you get the true shade out of your lipstick. Keep your lips moisturized and healthy for a smooth base for your lipstick. While a lip pencil is not absolutely necessary, it will keep your lipstick from bleeding into any fine lines around your mouth.

Things You'll Need

• Concealer
• Lip balm
• Lip liner pencil (optional)
• Lipstick
• Finishing powder

Instructions

1. Apply concealer as a base for your lipstick. This will help the true color of your lipstick shine through. Your own lip color can change your lipstick shade and concealer will counteract that effect. Concealer helps your lipstick last longer as well.

2. Apply your lipstick. Stay within the lines of your lip liner. This will help stain your lips to improve staying power. Blot your lips.

3. Reapply the lipstick.

4. Set the topcoat with finishing powder to keep your lipstick from fading.

Tips & Warnings

• Choose the right shade, warm or cool, for the most flattering effect for your skin tone. Warm colors include anything with a yellow undertone, such as amber, orange, bronze, peach or coral. Cool tones such as pink, lilac, plum, mulberry or strawberry, have blue undertones.

• Reds can have either yellow or blue undertones, so you will be able to find the right shade to complement your features.

• Lip balms and lip glosses offer moisturizing but fade more quickly than lipstick and do not give the level of pigmentation that lipstick offers.

References

• TAAZ: Concealer 101 - How to wear concealer
• Free Beauty Tips: Lip Color Tips & Tricks - Choosing & Applying Lipstick, Gloss & Liner Products
• SaffronRouge: Makeup - Lips