Step 1: Start with conditioned lips. The key to applying lip gloss (and lipstick too for that matter) is to start with smooth, conditioned lips. As a general rule, you should apply Vaseline, a lip balm or a moisturizing Chapstick to your lips before bedtime each night to help maintain soft, smooth lips. Protecting your lips by using products with SPF is key since sun exposure leads to dry, chapped lips.

Step 2: When your lips are conditioned and moisturized, if needed, use a toothbrush or a cotton swab to gently brush off any excess dry skin that can make your lips look rough. When you are more consistent with keeping your lips conditioned, you won’t need to do this step much at all. Your lips will stay smooth and soft if you continually protect and care for them.

photo credit: Jenah Crump Photography

Step 3: You may want to apply lip liner before you apply lip gloss. You can use lip liner first, or simply skip this step, depending on what kind of look you are going for. Lip liner will help keep a little color on your lips in between the times you touch up your gloss. It can also help add definition to your lips, help make them look a little fuller, or even out any flaws. When using a gloss on top, you should choose a soft, neutral shade or one that is very close to your natural lip color. You don’t want the liner to be obvious since your lip gloss will likely be somewhat sheer and will require reapplication from time to time. Next week we will be posting extensive details on how to apply lip liner for a wider range of lip makeup looks.

Step 4: Apply the gloss. Glide the color over your lips. Depending on the brand of lip gloss you’re using, the container will most likely either be a squeezable tube or a tube containing a brush or sponge tip attached to the container’s lid. If your gloss is in a squeezable tube, simply apply it by placing a bit of gloss on your forefinger and gently swiping the gloss across your lips. If your container has a brush or sponge tip, simply pull the lid out of the tube and sweep the brush or sponge tip across your lips. Be careful not to start with too much gloss. You can always add a little more, but if you start with too much at first, it can end up looking goopy and messy.

Step 5: Use a q-tip, cotton swab, or your finger to wipe off any gloss that may have gone outside the edge of your lip line.

Step 6: Lastly, be sure to bring your gloss with you in your bag. Gloss is one of our very favorite makeup products, but it does come off easier than other lip products and will need to be reapplied or touched up every so often. In our opinion, the extra lip gloss applications are worth it since lip gloss provides that shiny look that is unmatched by anything else. Enjoy!

Read some of our additional lip makeup tips.

• Apply Vaseline to your lips each night before bedtime. You may have another lip balm product you will want to use instead, but if not, good old Vaseline works wonders.
• Keep an extra toothbrush handy and use it to lightly brush the surface of your lips each day to remove dead or dry skin. You will want to do this just as your Vaseline or other moisturizer is wearing off so that the dry skin comes off smoothly and easily. If you wait until your lips are already dry, it won’t do much good!
• Always use a water-resistant lip balm with SPF protection (yes, even in the winter… and especially while skiing or snowboarding). The skin on your lips is ultra thin and delicate. Since you don’t need to “tan” your lips, too much sun exposure will cause your lips to burn, chap, or worse. This can make applying any type of lip color a nightmare. A protective lip balm will prevent damage and soften your lips all at the same time.
• Use a lip liner that is close to your natural lip color. You don’t want to use one that’s too dark – your lip liner is there to help keep your lip color in place and make it last longer, not to create a distracting line around your mouth.

photo credit: Phoney Nickle
• When applying lipstick, blot your lipstick with a tissue after applying each layer. This will give your base lip color extra staying power.
• February is a perfect time to try fun, flirty shades in pink, red or berry. Once you’ve finalized your clothing choices, choose a shade that compliments your coloring and goes well with your outfit.
• After applying your lipstick, finish off your look with a soft, shiny lipgloss. But be sure not to go overboard on the gloss – too much can take your lips from gorgeous to gooey. Also, by layering and blotting your lipstick as mentioned in the above step, you won’t have to touch up your lipstick during the evening, which usually requires precision – and a mirror. Glosses are lighter and easier to apply, so you can quickly and easily touch up the shine if needed.

These tips will give you a perfect pout and help your lip color last much longer – throughout your entire Valentine’s Day date, perhaps?

xoxo!

Skin cancer of the lips accounts for 10 percent of all skin cancer cases. Over 3,500 new cases of skin cancer of the lips are diagnosed each year. Whether you’re skiing and snowboarding this winter, laying out next summer, or just cruising around town anytime of year, here are a few things you can do to help you keep your lips protected:

Choose your lipgloss carefully – Because of it’s shiny, reflective nature, some dermatologists claim that applying lipgloss and then going in the sun is the equivalent of taking a magnifying glass and focusing the concentrated sun rays directly on your lips. Wow. I’m a lipgloss junkie and I’ve never realized how harmful some lip products could be. If you’re going to wear lipgloss, choose one that has a high level of SPF included in its formula.

Use a high SPF Chapstick or lip balm – If your absolute favorite lipgloss doesn’t have SPF in it, you MUST find a chapstick or baselayer lip balm that has it so that you can wear the protective product underneath. Look for an SPF level on the label, or for ingredients like titanium dioxide or zinc oxide (sunscreens that will provide the protection your lips need). We would recommend wearing a lip balm with at least SPF 30 underneath all your lip colors at all times. The bonus: these products will keep your lips extra moisturized too!

Opt for a lipstick instead – Since lipsticks have more pigment than lipglosses, using one will provide you with better sun protection. Matte lipsticks especially have an advantage over glosses because they are less reflective and have the most coverage of lipstick formulas.

The air is refreshingly crisp and autumn is in full swing. We can’t wait for you to try some of these top fall makeup trends. Deep, dark shades are all the rage for lips, eyes and nails. You will want to make sure and pair them with softer, more natural shades for your face and cheeks. We also recommend playing up just one or the other. Sophisticated, ladylike looks are a must-have this season.

DARK LIPS

Deep plums, berry shades, dark reds and bright reds are all great shades to rock this autumn. If using a lipstick, you’ll want to keep your lips supple by applying a moisturizing lip balm underneath. You should also use a more neutral lip liner to prevent the color from bleeding and to avoid making your darker lips look too harsh.
Keep in mind, if you have thin lips, you should skip this trend and opt for the darker eye and nail looks by pairing them with a more neutral lip. Dark lip shades will make thin lips look even thinner. Warm beige and light caramel shades are always a flattering fall classic.

Our favorite look: Dark berry shades

photo credit: mkream

DARK NAILS

When going dark, remember one thing: keep nails shorter and squared. A clean, shaped look will be the difference between sophisticated and scary. Save long or pointy nails for Halloween weekend.

Our favorite look: Chocolate brown shades

DARK EYES

Think either matte or metallic shades. Save glittery and shimmery shadows for your upcoming winter holiday parties. Plums, darker purples, and other jewel tones are in, as are classic blacks and dark browns. The smoky eye is always great for fall, or a slightly smudgy look will do the trick too.

Our favorite looks: Deep plum shadow in the crease or a deep, chocolate brown smoky eye

FRESH, CREAMY SKIN

Nothing stands out against dark makeup trends more than fresh, gorgeous skin. Warm, natural, creamy skin is an absolute MUST this season. Skip the pink shimmery summer blushes this time around and use warm, creamy/glowy products.