RUBY REVEALS | LONG-LASTING LIPS

Remember that your lips are constantly on the move, and unless you intend to sit perfectly still without drinking, eating or talking all night, you will have to keep an eye on your lipstick and likely touch it up once or twice. The key is to give it as much staying power as possible, to reduce your time in front of the mirror. 

Texture

Different products have different staying power - a lipgloss is never going to last as long as a matte lipstick. Whilst there are things we can do to improve staying power, the texture you choose will have some bearing on how long your colour will last. Lip gloss needs regular reapplying, whereas something matte will probably only need one touch-up. 

Base

Similar to your skin, for long-lasting lip product you want a nice, smooth base to apply on top of. Make sure your lips are hydrated, as lipstick (especially matte) will cling on to any cracks/dry skin, drying them out further. Blot away any excess lip balm / moisturiser with a single ply of tissue.

After going in with your Lipstick, use a lip liner to seal the edges of the lip and stops the colour from bleeding. 

Application

Make sure to apply your lip stick in even layers; you don't want it to wear off in patches. Apply one layer, and then blot away any excess using a layer of tissue. Add more colour and blot again, finishing with a final layer of colour. The trick is to build lots of thin, even layers, instead of one thick, gloopy one.

Some people apply lip colour directly from the tube, whereas others feel they get more control with a lip brush. When using a lip brush, start by using the flat side of your brush to draw a straight line along the centre of your bottom lip line. Moving on to the top lip, line the cupid's bow one side at a time, then working the brush in towards the middle of the lip. I often go back over the edges with my lip liner once I’ve applied lip colour, as I find it helps to soften the edges. 

You may have noticed from social media, when applying lip colour I always follow up by using my ring finger to blur the edges and smooth the finish. It is a simple trick but gives a beautiful finish.