Why your lipstick doesn’t apply like the makeup gurus and how to fix that
This post may contain affiliate links, which means we will receive a little commission if you purchase through our link at no extra cost to you. Please read the full disclosure here
Do you often look at makeup tutorials on YouTube trying to achieve a certain look and find that at the end of it, your lips just look off?
You used the same exact products the makeup guru used but yours just looks very amateurish and that is definitely not the look you are going for.
If this is you right now, I am so glad you are reading this post. This used to be me so many times in the past and my frustration with how my lipstick turned out pushed me to find answers and experiment until I finally found a solution.
The lipstick in your makeup is like a cherry on top. If done well it balances the entire look making it look balanced and more appealing. And if it isn’t applied properly it throws everything off balance and lipstick tends to be a focal point of makeup as it draws a lot of attention to it.
Here are some reasons why your lipstick doesn’t apply properly and how to fix it
1. You don’t exfoliate your lips properly before application
You’ve probably heard of the importance of exfoliating your lips often but this can not be more important than when you are applying lipstick on your lips.
Lipstick accentuates the texture of your lips. It fits into every crack and dead loose skin and it just looks rough and quite unappealing.
It is super important to gently exfoliate your lips before you apply your lip makeup.
you can buy lip scrubs in drug stores or make one yourself. One DIY recipe that is loved by a lot of people is the sugar scrub. You can add some sugar in one of your favourite oils or you can use honey instead. Gently rub it on your lips and then wipe it off.
I personally prefer using coffee grounds instead of sugar. Whichever works for you is fine.
Your lipstick would apply very smoothly on your lips and your lips would look even plumper.
Some really good scrubs are the Handmade Heroes 100% Natural Lip Scrub, e.l.f. Lip Exfoliator, Revlon Lip Scrub Balm, this exfoliating Lip Scrub Brush, and the Tatcha Kissu Lip Mask.
2. You don’t moisturize your lips enough
Have you noticed instances where you applied lipstick and after a couple of hours your lips are so dry and your lipstick creases at the margin where both your lips touch?
This happened because your lips weren’t properly moisturized before application.
A good indication that your lips are properly moisturized is that they feel softer and plumper. You can use some lip oils, lip balms, or lip treatments to make sure your lips are adequately moisturized.
Some great options are your regular Carmex lip balm, this LANEIGE Lip Glowy Balm, the NOONI Korean Lip Oil, the Honest Beauty Tinted Lip Balm, and this e.l.f. Squeeze Me Lip Balm.
3. You don’t prime your lips
This is a step that most people skip out on. A lip primer is a base that helps your lipstick to sit properly on your lips.
For instance, if you apply matte lipstick and you don’t apply the right lip primer it can come off looking too dry on your lips. If you have more of a glossy finish lipstick and don’t prime your lips properly it can cause the lipstick to smudge and smear around and even come off your lips altogether.
A good example of a lip primer is the Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Primer.
4. You don’t line your lips
There are times when a particular lipstick is so perfect for you that a simple application just looks perfect but that doesn’t occur very often.
Depending on your complexion and undertone, different products look different on you and lipstick isn’t very different either.
Lining your lips helps to provide a perfect transition between your lips and the lipstick. It provides dimensions to your lip makeup and prevents it from looking flat.
It helps balance the different shades of lipstick to your natural lip color.
You can also use a lip liner to make a lipstick color bolder or milder depending on the look you’re going for.
Lip liners also help you achieve versatility with your makeup. You can mix and match different lip liners with different lipsticks to achieve a different look each time.
5. You are using the wrong shade
Sometimes your lipstick looks off simply because the shade is not right for you.
Maybe it’s too bright, too dull, maybe the undertone clashes with yours.
If the shade isn’t right for you it’s usually very obvious that something is off in your makeup.
Now if it is a lipstick you already bought and don’t want to get rid of it, you can play around with balancing it with a lip liner like I just mentioned. You can also try pairing it with another lipstick to give it a richer look.
And if you are just at the store and are just trying it out I’d say just pick a different one that better suits your skin tone.
Conclusion
There you have it! These are my tips on why your lipstick doesn’t apply properly and how to fix it.
Some of these might be things you’ve probably heard before but I really wanted to emphasize how important they are to the overall look of your lip makeup.
We wear makeup to accentuate our beauty and to help us look our best and I can relate to the frustration of it not coming out how you would like it to.
