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How do you prep your lips before lipstick?


How do you prep your lips before lipstick? Do you do anything? Nothing? Share your routine!

When I’m not wearing lipstick/lipgloss, then I’m wearing lip balm (Jack Black, more often than not). I exfoliate every 2-3 days as necessary… I say as necessary, because if I do lip swatches one day, then I’m essentially exfoliating during that process.

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Hend Avatar

I exfoliate almost every single day , my lips are very dry
after that I apply a generous coat of lip balm ( I use Kiehl’s )
then a light coat of a moisturizing concealer ( Diorskin Nude Hydrating Concealer is amazing for that !)
and my lips are ready for the lipstick !

Tita Avatar

I also have really dry lips! Is it really a good idea to exfoliate so often?

Im asking because no matter how much I care for my lips by applying lip conditioner they always tend to crack and get flaky.

Kat Avatar

I wear chapstick all the time, my favourite is the Blistex Silk’n’Shine SPF 15 one. I should rpobably exfoliate my lips too, haha, but I’m lazy.

MoLo Avatar

Exfoliate if necessary (with just warm water and a face towel), EA 8 hour cream, line, and then lipstick. If I’m just doing a lipgloss then I usually skip the prep. I haven’t tried lip primer yet, is it really necessary?

Ash Avatar

I scrub my lips with a washcloth when I wash my face every night, and the only time they go without constant reapplication of lipbalm/lipgloss/lipstick is when I’m sleeping. Strangely enough, I still have a problem with dry lips, so I’m anxious to hear everyone else’s ideas!

Alexis Avatar

I usually just apply my Vaseline Lip Therapy and let that soak in. I sometimes exfoliate not always. Then I just go for it. I rarely use lipliner I think it dries out lips too much. I don’t see how people can use concealer and powder their lips before applying lipstick. I would hate how it feels.

Khadija Avatar

it’s not the best feeling but if you have darer skin/really pigmented lips and you are trying to wear a nude or light color it’s quite necessary to neutralize your lips so the color shows up/ is true to the tube….

gigi Avatar

Vaseline!
Either that or lip balm by softlips or blistex.

I’m not huge on lipstick or gloSs unless I’m going out, so I always use lipbalm in the morning and at night.

Kaylee Avatar

Homemade lip exfoliating scrub every other day (I do this when I’m washing/exfoliating my face in the AM).
After applying toner & moisturizer to my face I rub in Korres Lip Butter (not too much). By the time my makeup is done, the lip butter has melted & absorbed into my lips. I blot off any excess & go.

tg Avatar

I use a little Fresh sugar exfoliant for the lips (forgot the name) and most days just wear lip balm. I still struggle with dry lips despite that, so I try to use mostly moisturizing lipsticks or a gloss.

Chester Avatar

I put on a thin coat of lip balm before I start applying makeup (I do eyes first, then face, cheeks, and lips come last). By the time I do the lips they are moisturized and soft and I apply lip products.

Jaime Avatar

I use a lip scrub every couple of days, and lip balm almost all the time (by itself, under lipstick and lip gloss, etc). If I’m putting on any lipstick that’s not nude, I use MAC Prep and Prime lip underneath it.

heidi Avatar

I just put on chapstick with spf at the beginning of my makeup routine and do my lips last to give it time to set. Then I blot before applying lipstick

Dianna Avatar

A few minutes before applying lipstick (say, while doing the rest of make-up), I usually apply some chapstick (Desert Essence or Kiehl’s lip balm # 1 are my favs). I usually dab them after that if necessary to apply lipstick on clean lips.
I also do exfoliation twice a week in the shower and always wear lip balm going to bed.

Soley Avatar

If you have very pink lips and you want to wear a nude lip, do u suggest patting concealer onto your lips, or will that make them look to dead?

Anne-Marie Avatar

I use Laura Geller lip primer, lip liner, lipstick & gloss in the morning. At night I moisturize with whatever’s handy(Burts Bees, Sugar, Josie Maran Argon Oil Balm) & exfoliate my lips. I do have a question though…. Whenever I wear red lipstick (Mac Russian Red) it always bleeds after 1/2 hour. Any suggestions anyone? I thought using a primer would stop that from happening! Maybe I don’t have a good enough primer…. HELP PLEASE!!!

shannon Avatar

i have the same problem… i just dont wear dark lipstick because of it… but i have found that when i use a lip stain that never happens!! of course you have to have a balm on hand because stains tend to be a bit drying, but they last forever and dont budge! lately ive been loving the revlon just bitten lipstain and balm 🙂 they are amazing! and only like 7 bucks and cruelty free!! peerrrrrfect!!

Soo Avatar

I usually use vaseline to keep my lips hydrated if I’m not wearing lipstick or lip gloss. I try to exfoliate a couple times a week too (been using the Fresh sugar lip scrub.)

have a question though, about how many lip swatches can you do a day, Christine? from least to most? do you do them all at once right after another or spread them out throughout the day? I ask because I find that I can’t do very many because my lips feel worn out after a few swatches even though I used hydrating makeup remover wipes. I think it’s mainly because I have sensitive skin though.

AS Avatar

Mary Kay lip primer around the edges of lips if it is a dark and bleeding lipgloss or lipstick shade. That stuff works incredibly well, is and is weightless and without any sheen, unlike Urban Decay lip primer. It also can prevent staining. With drying lipsticks and in the winter I put lip balm with SPF on first, whatever I have on hand. I did just buy a tube of Jack Black on Christine’s recommendation but haven’t tried it yet.

Jennifer S Avatar

The only thing I do is right after the shower I put on some rose bud salve and the rub it off with a damp towel 5 minutes later. Works for me 🙂

the_izzle Avatar

My lips are overly sensitive so my preparation for makeup begin the night before with exfoliation and the lathering on of lip balm. Then when I shower in the morning, I exfoliate again and cover my lip with a thin layer of balm until I am ready to apply lipstick.

Kellyk Avatar

well, i don’t really wear lipstick but gloss. i use th lip scrub frrom Lush. It is ok and will last forever. I like to apply alot of salve afterwards.

Denise Avatar

Every night after my facial serums and moisturizers I put Vaseline on my lips and I wear lipstick everyday, occasionally a lip gloss.I rarely need to exfoliate, my lips are soft.

Niki Avatar

I exfoliate my lips at lease once day, if not twice a day, and I apply either a lip baum or a lip gloss (which I use as a lip baum) afterwards and I have never had dry or chapped lips (and I live in an cold climate). Before I apply my makeup, I apply a thin coat of Blistex Silk & Shine SPF15 and kiss off any product on the back of my hand access prior to lipstick and/or lip gloss application.

ak Avatar

I thought I was the only one kissing the back of my hand to get off the excess balm?! HA HA HAAAAAAAA I always feel like such an idiot doing it!

ak Avatar

When I plan to put on lipstick, I always put lip balm on because I have permanently chapped lips especially in the winter and even if I stop wearing any makeup at all for a while.

But yeah I’ll put on Blistex or something like it, then my MAC Prep + Prime Lip because it really DOES work Hallelujah! It keeps the lip pencil, lipstick and even most of the gloss on! I can’t believe my eyes! And then my lipstick.

summerblue Avatar

During the winter months when the heat is turned on, I have to use a humidifier in the house (bedroom & main living area), otherwise, my lips crack & bleed & my skin gets dry patches. Having humidity in the air alleviates both of these problems.

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