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How do you apply your lipstick?


How do you apply your lipstick? Share!

9/10 times I apply straight out of the tube. I started with the bottom lip, center to each edge, then I start from the cupid’s bow and move towards the edge.

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36 Comments

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Rosie Avatar

Most of the time, from the tube. Matte lipsticks get the lip brush as going straight from the tube puts it on too thickly for that formula that it usually pills.

I start on my top first, from the middle (cupids’ bow) to the edge. I press my lips a little. After, I do the bottom, softly from the left edge to pressing a little harder towards the middle and than the same technique from right edge to the middle.

Trudy Avatar

That sounds like a good idea I must try.. I don’t like when matte lipstick goes ontoo thick. Do you find that product gets wasted when applied w a brush?

Rosie Avatar

I use a retractable lip brush so popping it into my bag is mess free.

There usually is a bit left over on the lip brush, enough to put on whatever colour you had on before a very light wash of it. You could use that as a base layer and than continue to brush more on so you don’t waste it – that is if you don’t change your lip colour often [MAC Lady Danger, a red-orange, has a monopoly on my lip brush right now]. I don’t worry about waste because I’ve never really finished a lipstick (not before it goes crayon-smelly anyways).

KaseyCannuck Avatar

Top lip centre to each edge, bottom lip I start on one side and go straight across to the other. For bold colours I dab it on to create a stained look.

Mimi Avatar

Melanie, I love your makeup look in your photo. Perfect skin, soft eyes, colorful cheeks and lips with life in them instead of this nude, drained corpse look that so many women wear. It’s not flattering on the vast majority of women. Your look is one of health and feminine beauty.

Brenda Avatar

Usually straight from the tube as well, although I have to admit, using a lip liner and lipbrush gives a MUCH better result (personally). It seems to even out my lips and fill them in better than just using the bullet (I don’t overdraw, it just allows more precision).

Samira Avatar

From the tube unless I’m doing a real lip “look” (which is rare) and even then sometimes from the tube. Sheer formulas and light colors always from the tube. I have a thing with lipstick too – I generally don’t like it super opaque (or even if I like the color, I don’t like the look of the lipstick on my lips – I like the finish to look as natural and “lip texture” as possible even if it’s a strong, obviously-not-natural color, so a full on creme is a finish I’m not usually satisfied with – same goes for super glossy glosses). So if it’s a consistency anywhere north of sheer (creme-plus) I tend to “pat” it onto my lips rather than swipe, for more of a stained look. Or at least blot it way down. Only occasionally do I try to do a full on color of a full on opaque lipstick. Then I might use a brush.

I re-read that am not sure any of it makes sense, but that’s my lipstick philosophy 🙂

Carla Avatar

Since I’m always in a hurry, and am not afraid of full-on color, I apply it straight out of the tube!
I start on the left outer corner of my bottom lip, and “draw” all the way across, trying very hard (but not always succeeding!) to follow the natural contours of my lip.
Then I do my upper lip, beginning at the left peak of the “cupid’s bow,” and drawing to outer corner. Then I repeat on the right side.
Then I line carefully, with a liner that matches or at least harmonizes with the lipstick color. If my choice is an absolutely screamin’ bright, like the MAC Show Orchid I wore yesterday, I’ll blot lightly before applying gloss.

Gemma Oxford Avatar

I shape the cupid’s bow first of all, then along the bottom. I always struggle with staying within the lipline at the edges on my bottom lip, so could do with another technique!

Deborah Avatar

“Straight from the tube. I started with the bottom lip, center to each edge, then I start from the cupid’s bow and move towards the edge.” Me too!

Nikki J. Avatar

I always apply lipstick from the tube. I apply it to the bottom lip first, starting in the center and working outward to the corners of my lips. Then, I press my lips together to transfer color onto my top lip. To finish off, I use the lipstick bullet to fill in the missed space on my upper and press my lips once more.

Miss_Silk Avatar

I like to keep the lipstick bullet kind of…pointed so I can apply my cupid’s bow more accurately. So I start with my top lip first then my bottom lip…since I want to keep the bullet pointed, I avoid applying on the bottom lip first because I don’t want to open my mouth wide just to apply on the bottom first then the top. For me this just keeps the lipstick inner case clean. So yeah, Top lip then Bottom lip. ^^

Trudy Avatar

I start w Mac prep & prime and let it set for at least 1 minute then I apply (usually) straight from the tube, starting with each side of my cupids bow, gently teasing the product towards the corners. Next I start w my bottom left side of my lower lip and gently tease the product towards the center. I repeat on the opposite side. I then cleanup and make sure they are perfec. I wrap my finger in tissue and put it in my mouth, removing all product that mAy deposit on my teeth or the corners of my mouth.

Mimi Avatar

I always make sure that my lips are somewhat moisturized first so there are no flakes or roughness on the lower lip and I don’t like too heavy of an application. I use Cle de Peau lip balm in the stick first. This preps the lips without over moisturizing them or making them too slippery. Usually I am too lazy to use a lip brush but I do like the finish and longer wearability when I do. I start at the left top lip and go over to the right and repeat for 2 or three layers. Then, I press my lips together to get a perfect outline on the lower lip. I then fill in the lower lip and maybe go over the upper, if needed. I have a bit of a thin upper lip so next I take a chubby lip crayon like Sisley’s or Bobbi Brown’s and I start at the right corner of my upper lip and draw up to the Cupid’s bow, then left corner up, then instead of dipping down into the bow I just draw straight across. This makes my upper lip look fuller and I doubt that anyone looks at me so closely as to tell that I didn’t dip down into the bottom of the bow. If I want, I then apply a lighter or shimmery gloss to the center of the lips only. It really makes them look fuller.

AbigailOD Avatar

Straight from tube also, but from corner to corner for bottom, and corner to center, each side, for the top lip. I used to apply everything with a brush, but not much anymore now.

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