Dark lipstick colors are absolutely stunning. While they can be timeless and elegant, they can also be really edgy and moody. It’s all in how you wear it. However, the belief that wearing a dark lip color is easy to pull off — like any other lip shade — is completely wrong.
Does anyone else find that darker lip colors chip away really easy and require constant reapplying in order to maintain the bold color? Do you also find that if it’s a matte color (which it more than likely is) then it dries the hell out of your lips?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, I have some easy solutions that will make the world of a difference for your lips this winter season so you can rock the baddest, boldest, and bravest lip colors with ease.
1. Exfoliate with a lip scrub
Dark lipsticks will desperately cling to dry patches very noticeably. To avoid that, you need to use an exfoliant scrub on your lips. You can find these anywhere, whether it’s online or at a drugstore. Usually, I find a no-name brand that costs $4 at my local drugstore or I make one at home using Pinterest ideas. You can also simply use a toothbrush to do it. Regardless of which you choose, exfoliating is a must in order to avoid those awkward patches.
2. Use lip balm before applying
The key to using darker or matte shades, in general, is to moisturize your lips beforehand. I suggest when you wake up (if you’re applying it in the morning) to apply some lip balm to start your day off strong. After all, lips tend to be really dry in the morning. Reapply briefly before applying your lipstick and watch the magic happen. Bye, bye, dry and flaky lips!
3. Apply a lip liner
I know lip liners seem so 1990s, but they’re making a comeback for a very good reason. First, outline your lips like you see a Kardashian do. Then, use the lip liner to shade in the center of your top and bottom lip, and then apply your lipstick. The liner will stick longer than your lipstick and will help the color difference be less noticeable in case your lipstick smudges. This is an especially good hack for red lipsticks! (This is probably why Kylie Jenner’s Lip Kits are so popular since they make doing your lips so effortless.)
4. Don’t apply gloss after (all the time)
Yes, adding gloss at the end does add a nice effect and can help make the color pop. But a lot of times it also adds extra gunk to your lips that you don’t necessarily need. With dark colors, say a burgundy, the shade already pops enough and the formulas are traditionally heavier anyways. Adding gloss will only make more of a mess on your lips that you’ll constantly be picking at and worried about.
5. Suck your finger once you’ve applied
To avoid your lipstick leaving marks on your teeth, suck on one of your fingers after you blot. Any additional lipstick will come off on your finger and not anywhere else in your mouth. It may sound or look silly, but you’ll thank me for this tip later.
6. Bronze your cheeks
While this may not be a lip hack per se, it is a great tip on how to help make a darker lip look good on you. The point of a dark lip shade, or a bright one, is to pop on your face. By adding bronzer to your cheeks, it doesn’t make that color too bright — especially if you’re of a pale complexion.
Obviously you don’t have to do anything crazy or drastic the first time you wear a dark color. But these are good prep steps for when you are ready to or starting to implement them in your makeup routine. It’s so important not to let one bad experience with a shade or trend scare you from doing it again. I wish I had known these tips when I started experimenting with makeup!
Featured image from Allef Vinicius via Unsplash.
