There’s a big difference between what you look like as you elegantly sip your first drink at 9pm and what shape you’re in under the fluorescent lighting of the nearest chipper at 3am.
Either you’ve thrown caution to the wind and haven’t bothered re-applying the slap all night or you’ve been layering it on in a dimly lit loo and end up resembling a clown. Either way, red lipstick is a killer on a night out and if you don’t apply it correctly to begin with you’ll drive yourself demented trying to keep it in place as the night progresses.
And it’s not just nights out that are the enemy! Slurping your morning latte from a plastic lid and sipping water from a bottle means you probably have to reapply your lipstick at least ten times a day in the office to the point of questioning “why am I even bothering?”
But the good news is that we’re not going to try and convince you to buy a rake load of pricey new products that all promise to keep your lipstick in place for hours because in reality, it’s not really what lipstick you use but the way in which you apply it and how well you’ve prepped your lips to begin with.
Prep and Polish:
We’re all obsessed with exfoliating, moisturising and priming our faces but lips are often over-looked and get a battering in harsh winter weather. The first step to a perfect pout is creating the perfect canvass so removing chapped and dry skin is essential.
This lip scrub will leave your lips feeling super smooth and soft and it smells delish to boot! Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub, €6.75
Brush up on your skills:
It’s easy to apply a matte lipstick straight from the tube but if you’re using a glossy red or you don’t have a steady hand, a lip brush is a must. A narrow brush tip will help you follow the natural line of your lips allowing you to gradually fill in colour so you’re less likely to make a mistake or over-apply. No matter how much you’re tempted to give your lips a boost by going over the natural line or creating a pointy cupids bow we beg you to resist! It looks fake and will cause the lipstick to bleed into your skin around your mouth which just looks messy.
Blot:
You might think that one coat of lippie is enough but the key to keeping lipstick in place is to blot the first coat to seal in the colour. Simply take a piece of tissue and instead of placing it in between your lips, pat it lightly against your lips instead. This blots the outer edges more evenly and ensures that you won’t end up with a ringed liner effect after a few hours.
Go back for seconds:
Once lips have been blotted, re-apply a second coat of lipstick which will seal in the colour and give lips a rich glossy finish. Or, if you want to add some extra sheen, use a red balm or gloss as a top coat.
This snazzy compact has tiny LED lights inside, perfect for touch ups in the back of a taxi! Model Mirror With LED Lights, €27.78, ASOS
Et voilà – the perfect red pout in minutes. You will need to reapply so we recommend you carry a cute compact mirror that you can whip out every couple of hours for touch ups to ensure your lips stay looking perfect all day or night.
