Long lasting lipstick: Getting lipstick to stay on

If you feel naked without lipstick and can’t leave the house without sporting your favorite color or choosing whatever shade suits your moods, you are all too familiar with the challenge of how to get lipstick to stay on throughout the day.

Every bite, every sip and every smile can wear away your lip color. We can help! Read on for tips from Artistry™ experts on lip care, how to apply lipstick to make it last, and how to remove lipstick at the end of the day.

First, let’s start with some basic lip care to ensure your perfect pucker is always ready for your color of choice.

Keep lips hydrated

Your lips love water, so drink it up all day long. Seriously, we can’t overemphasize the need for water. Make sure you’re drinking plenty and using a humidifier in your home, especially during the winter months or if you live in an arid climate.

Rick DiCecca, creative director of makeup design for the Artistry beauty brand, suggests using an intense lip balm like Artistry Studio™ Pampered Pout Lip Balm + Overnight Mask. “It provides moisture when you apply it before going to bed or whenever you need it throughout the day,” he said.

Make sure your lips are smooth

You need to exfoliate your lips just like the rest of your skin to remove dull, dry cells and prime them for the perfect color.

“Rather than using a typical skin care exfoliant that could dry out or damage the sensitive skin on your lips, choose one designed specifically for them,” DiCecca said.

The Polished Pout Lip Exfoliator + Conditioner by Artistry Studio has sugar crystals to gently scrub away dead skin and conditioners to help diminish the look of lip lines. It’s the perfect prep step!

How to reduce lip lines

Speaking of lip lines, have you noticed fine lines forming above your lips? Over time, most of us do. They’re caused by sun exposure, age and smoking. (Another good reason to quit!) Apply a product with retinol on the area around the lips to help smooth those lines. Artistry Intensive Skincare Anti-Wrinkle Firming Serum is a good one to try.

Protect your lips from the sun

Your lips are susceptible to the sun’s harmful rays just like the rest of your skin, so make sure you’re protecting them with SPF. Large, floppy sun hats can also help – plus, they can add a fun fashion statement to your look.

Choose your lipstick color

Now that your lips are perfectly prepped, you’re ready to select your color. You can choose whatever color makes you feel good. Lipstick doesn’t have to match anything else in your cosmetics collection.

In fact, some of the best lip looks feature a bold color contrasted against a simple outfit or little black dress. Brighter can be better! Can’t decide? DiCecca offers these expert tips for choosing your perfect shade.

Apply lip liner for lasting effects

One strategy to support long lasting lipstick is to line the outside of the lips, then fill in the entire lip area with liner before adding your gloss or lip color, DiCecca said.

If you’d rather stick with a traditional line, choose a shade that’s complementary to your lipstick. Line across top lip, then move to lower lip, making sure to connect top to bottom. Fill in any missed areas.

Now that you’ve defined the line, don’t forget to blend it – this is an often overlooked step that can keep you reapplying lipstick to avoid the liner outlasting your lip color.

Not a fan of liner? DiCecca recommends a thin layer of the longwearing Artistry Exact Fit™ Perfecting Concealer, which stays on for at least 8 hours.

“Apply a small amount to the lips, just enough for a thin layer. Set it with a light dusting of powder and then apply your lipstick,” he said. “The longwearing properties of the concealer will help your lipstick’s staying power. It’s perfect for those special occasions or ‘red carpet’ moments!”

Time for color: How to apply lipstick

At last, it’s time for your color of the day. Beginning with the top lip, start at the center and apply your perfect shade of lipstick evenly, moving toward the corners and following the natural shape of your lip. Repeat the steps on the bottom.

If you use all-day product like Artistry Go Vibrant™ Matte Lipstick, you can be confident in eight hours of intense color with one stroke. If you feel your color needs a second coat, gently blot the first coat with a layer of tissue and apply a second coat.

“If you wish, you can use a lip brush to apply your color. It allows for a more precise application and can keep you from applying color too far inside the lip where it likely will transfer to your teeth,” DiCecca said.

Finishing touches: Powder and gloss

If you feel like you need an extra step of staying power, lightly dust your lips with pressed or loose powder to set the color. Finish it off with a third coat of your color or a layer of gloss in a complementary color.

“You get a gorgeous pop of color with just the right amount of shine when layering lipstick and gloss,” DiCecca said.

How to remove lipstick

Voila! You achieved perfect, long lasting color to see you through your day. But now it’s night and you want to go to bed. Sleeping with makeup on is not recommended, so what’s the best way to remove that long lasting lipstick?

The Artistry Beauty Squad gives you step-by-step directions here. All you need are cotton pads and Artistry Skin Nutrition™ Micellar Makeup Remover + Cleanser. Soak two cotton pads with the micellar makeup remover and hold them against your lips for 30 seconds.

“That gives the micellar water enough time to gently break apart the pigment,” said Esme Enriquez, a member of the Artistry Beauty Squad. “After 30 seconds, sweep those same cotton pads across your lips to remove the lipstick, turning them over to use the other side until all the color is gone.”

You can also apply the Micellar Makeup Remover + Cleanser onto ready-to-use makeup removing wipes instead of cotton pads to boost their power. Either way, holding the micellar-soaked pads or wipes against your lips for 30 seconds makes removing your lipstick a breeze.

Now, remember what we said at the beginning about taking care of your lips? After you complete your skin care routine but before you crawl into bed, make sure to apply your favorite lip balm or lip mask to ensure your lips get the moisture they need to look great the next day!