5 things to know before rocking a statement lip

I’ll settle for a slick of lip balm 7 days a week, but should a fancy occasion slot itself into my social calendar, nothing cuts the mustard quite like a bold lipstick. Reds, berries, or deep rich browns, on my not-wearing-nude days, it’s nice to up the intensity. A statement colour means all eyes looking right at the lips, so to perk up my pout and ensure tip-top coverage, there’s a few simple steps I follow to keep my colour intact. Scrub, moisturise, apply and blot – easy peasy.

By Rachel Spedding

• 1 Sort your shades

  Heading to the makeup counter can prove a little overwhelming – yes, 8 shades of red is the norm (and yes, I want them all), but there’s sure to be someone available to offer advice on finding the right hue for you. Since packaging can never be trusted to show the true colour of a product, try asking to test a shade straight on your lips, or get swatching on your fingertips (yep, really: the skin texture is closest to your lips), then hold up to your pout to see if it suits. If your skin is warm in tone, red-orange shades are a safe bet, if it’s a little cooler, try blue-purple undertones.
• 2 Scrub ‘em down

  Who knew that the solution to a flake-free grin was hiding in the kitchen cupboard? A lip scrub is the secret weapon to a perfect bold lip, prepping the skin to handle high-impact colour. Exfoliating, pre-application, will up the staying power of your lipstick, and make for a more comfortable wear. Mix a tablespoon of sugar with a little oil, or honey, and scrub over your lips with pressure. Wipe away (or just lick it off), and embrace that feeling of super softness.
• 3 Bring back the moisture

  Now to restore the hydration. Post-scrub, lather your lips in a generous dollop of your go-to lip balm to keep the flakes away, and to allow for easier application of your statement colour. Leave it to settle on your pout for a while – finish your cuppa while it works its magic – then remove with a tissue to prep your base for the main event.
• 4 Get defining

  The fourth bold lip commandment has to be a slick of lipliner. This baby will create the shape of your pout, and prevent lipstick from bleeding. It’s probably the trickiest part, but worth spending the time. Pay a little extra attention to your cupid’s bow (that dipped part in the middle), and go overdrawn if you’re a fan of an extra plump pucker.
• 5 Load up the lippy

  Okay, we’re going in. When applying your lipstick, full impact colour is the objective – we’ve nailed the lipliner, so the shape’s already sorted. Make sure to reach the edges of your lip line, and check those teeth for any smudges on your pearly whites. A quick dab is always a good idea (arms down, we mean blot with a tissue), then top up with a little extra colour for a lip look that will last.

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