Beauty / Lifestyle

Common Lipstick Mistakes You Need To Stop Making

Lipstick is most girls’ favourite makeup product, no one actually sits down and teaches the best way to apply it. You are probably still using lipstick in the same way that you always have, and you might be making some mistakes that no one has ever told you about before.

Beautiful lipstick can change your whole look and make you feel more confident too, so read these ten common mistakes that people make with lipstick and see if any of them apply to you.

Not exfoliating: If you don’t take care of your lips, then they can easily become dry and chapped. It’s really important to exfoliate and moisturise your lips regularly to avoid flakes of dead skin appearing on your lips. If you don’t exfoliate, lipstick doesn’t hide the flakes of skin, it actually makes them even more noticeable. The simplest way to exfoliate your lips is by gently rubbing them with a mixture of sugar granules added to olive oil.

Not using a primer: Most girls use a primer before applying a foundation on their face, but many ladies fail to use a primer on their lips. The key to great lips is to start with smooth lips. This means exfoliating regularly, as we have already mentioned, keeping your lips hydrated with the regular use of a lip balm and using a primer, before you apply your lipstick. A primer will provide a smooth base for the lipstick to adhere to and it will also help stop the lipstick bleeding.

Starting from the wrong point: Another common mistake that people make is that they start applying their lipstick form the wrong starting place. Yes, there is a right and a wrong way to apply lipstick! The recommended place to start is in the middle of your lips. This makes it easier to apply the lipstick more evenly and it will help stop you going outside the lip line.

Using the wrong lipstick shade for your shape of lips: As a general rule, dark lipstick will make your lips look thinner and light lipstick will make them look larger. If you have thin lips, you should use a lighter shade to avoid making your lips look even thinner. If you have fuller lips, then the opposite will be true and darker shades will probably suit you better than light ones.

Not setting your lipstick: Another useful tip on how to apply lipstick and make it last longer is to set it, so that it doesn’t come off on cups and glasses when you have a drink, or just wear off through the course of the day. All you need to do, to get long lasting lipstick, is to blot your lips with a tissue and then apply a light dusting of translucent powder.

 

Applying lipstick outside the lip line: If you have thin lips, then you might be tempted to try and create the illusion of larger lips by extending your lipstick beyond the lip line. This can look really unnatural and unattractive, so if you want fuller looking lips, try using a lip plumper or you could apply a lighter shade of lipstick to the center of your lips and this will give the impression that your lips are larger.

Letting lipstick get on your teeth: Bits of lipstick on the teeth really look uncool, but it is a problem that can be easily avoided. To avoid this makeup mistake, always blot your lipstick with a tissue to remove any excess product and then put your finger in your mouth, shape your mouth into an “O” around it and then, remove your finger slowly. Any lipstick that was in danger of getting onto your teeth will now be on your finger instead.

Being too timid with lipstick: Don’t be intimated by lipstick and don’t be afraid to experiment a little. Many women just stick to one shade and are nervous about trying darker shades or bright colours, because they think they might stand out too much. It’s really worth experimenting with bolder lipstick sometimes. Just because it looks a bit different, that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t look great.

Not taking into account skin tone: You have to take into account your natural skin tone when choosing a lipstick shade. Anyone can look fantastic with red lipstick, but other colours do need to be matched to your skin. If you have a lighter complexion, then brighter shades of pink and corals will work well. If you have darker skin, then opt for plums and browns.

Too much glitter: Sorry ladies, but leave the glitter for the teens! A slight shimmer will look fine, but too much glitter really doesn’t look right on, shall we say, the slightly more mature and sophisticated lady.