Lips As Red As The Rose.

So now that I have permanent teeth that look all awesome, I like to show them off by framing them with lipstick! I love playing around with different shades but my favorites are plum and classic red. Today I will be giving you the steps to the perfect red lip. 

Step 1: Prep your lips. If you have dead skin hanging out on your lips, use a scrub or some baking soda on them and slough it all off.

Step 2: Moisturize and foundation. Slather chapstick on. After a few minutes of letting it "soak it," you have a couple options of what to do next. If you have done your whole foundation routine already, go to the next step. If not, you can just put foundation/concealer around your mouth to make the color pop more. Plus, you want a nice clean line. Make sure you blend well so that you don't have an awkward line around your mouth. It should look a little something like this. I set mine with powder as well. You can see that I got a little foundation on my lips too. It is fine because it will just help the pigment stick.  

Step 3: Outline with lip liner. Get the entire perimeter of your mouth. If you don't have a cupid's bow (the little dip in the center of the top lip,) and you want one, draw one on. Remember that foundation that you put on earlier? It will help camouflage a straight upper lip. If you are using a different color lipstick, you can either use that color lip liner or a nude liner. I always use nude liner for any other color but red. Just make sure you use a liner so your lipstick doesn't bleed. 

Step 4: Fill in your lips with the same liner you used in the last step. This helps keep the lip stick on longer. You don't need to fill in if you have a nude liner. (I mean, you can but it won't do much.) Do fill in for any other color. Now, you can also use different color liners under other lipsticks to make a cool combo. Experiment a little! Find your signature shade. :)

 

 Step 5: Fill in with lipstick. You can either apply with a brush or the actual stick itself. Applying with a brush gives you more control but a stick works just fine if it is a newer stick with a nice edge.

 Step 6: Clean up your mouth. Wipe any mistakes up with a q-tip. Then take your finger and close  your mouth around it.This will get the excess on your finger instead of your teeth. You can dab with a tissue on your entire mouth and apply another coat of lipstick or you can leave it be.

Go enjoy your new pout! Work that lipstick! You can apply gloss over it for a shiny look but I think matte red is super sexy. Let me know how it worked out!

Love, Mika.