Thanks to In Living Color’s Fly Girls, Brenda Walsh from 90210, and basically anyone who wore lipstick in the nineties, lip liner became the black sheep of beauty. “People hate how it looks because it’s so finished,” says makeup artist Daniel Martin. “They don’t know that you can go in and tweak it or that you can use it as a stain or to finish a lipstick application.” Especially for those of you who can’t keep lip color from bleeding outside of your mouth (grannies do know best) or staying put for at least a few hours, lip liner can be your workhorse. To help you understand how to apply the product, Martin shows us how to properly use lip liner through the power of GIFs.
Technique 1: Use lip liner to make your lip color last.
Step 1: Apply foundation or concealer to the lip first to help saturate the lip liner’s color.
Step 2: Completely fill in the mouth with lip liner to create a base for your lip color; this helps with color longevity.
Step 3: Lightly blend the outside edge of the mouth using a lip brush. This will prevent any kind of separation between the lipstick and liner once that’s applied.
Step 4: Apply lipstick. (Tip: If any lipstick escaped the natural lines of your mouth, erase it with a brush that’s been dabbed in concealer.)
Products used: Nars Lipliner in Jungle Red and MAC Matte lipstick in Russian Red.
Technique 2: Use lip liner as border control for creamy lipsticks.
Step 1: Lay down the lip color first, straight from the tube or with a brush.
Step 2: Trace the outer edge of your natural lip line with the pencil to create a border that won’t let the lipstick bleed out. (Tip: Choose a lip liner that’s brighter than the lipstick for a punchier finish. If you go deeper you’ll get that ring around the mouth.)
Step 3: Blend in the liner and lipstick together with a brush for a natural, “lived in” finish.
Products used: MAC Chromagraphic Pencil in Process Magenta and Tom Ford lipstick in Aphrodisiac.
