Ways to apply lipstick like an expert

Before you unleash an arsenal of products to scare your lippy into place, makeup artist Isabella Schimid says her golden rule is to keep it simple. “The more stuff you start to put on, the more it will move!” Instead, she prefers the prep to do the heavy lifting, before applying her favourite shade and ending with some lip balm.

Prime & moisturise

While most of the year your lips may not require much effort before a sweep of lipstick, chapped lips demand extra TLC. “If you do have lips that start to peel and flake, then you need to buff or exfoliate,” Schimid says. You don’t need to go overboard, once a week or whenever they need it, will do.

Outline it

With lips prepped, it’s all about creating an outline. While you can use an invisible lip liner, that works with any colour, or one matched to your lipstick, Schimid’s number one trick is to work with a pore minimiser. “What it does is create a fine film over the lines. You put it right along the lip line, all the way around, and it fills it in and almost firms it up a little bit. I find that applying that alone is much better than lip liner.”

The right type

Not all lipsticks are created equal when it comes to fighting feathering. “Anything creamy, greasy, oily, glossy, you have to avoid because that’s going to sweep into the lines.” Instead opt for a matte lipstick.

Finishing touch

“You don’t want your lips to be dry,” Schimid says. “As you mature you need lots of hydration and moisture to make you look more youthful. I would go for a lip balm rather than a gloss and I’d put that on at the end, right over the top.”

Elevate your look with some of our favourite lipsticks: