How to lip liner

Applying lip liner correctly can be a challenge for even the most experienced makeup user. Done correctly it can increase the wear of your lipstick, prevent color feathering, prevent color bleeding provide more definition to your lips and enhance or hide lip features. If you don't have an exfoliating balm or scrub you can exfoliate your lips by applying a moisturizing lip balm and then gently scrubbing them with a clean toothbrush. Before applying anything else to your lips apply a light moisturizing balm. Make sure the balm isn’t too waxy you want it to sink into your lips not sit on top of them. Some experts recommend waiting 30minutes to apply anything else to your lips after putting on a moisturizer. A primer isn’t 200% necessary but some makeup artists do recommend it as it can help smooth your lips and hold both the liner and lipstick on your lips longer. If you intend to wear lipstick you can apply a lip liner to your entire lips and this will also help hold the lipstick in place. Consealer or foundation can be used in place of primer. These are good options if you’re planning to change the shape of your lips. Choose your lip liner color based on what you intend to do with it. If you’re planning to wear red lipstick go for a red liner if you’re planning to keep your lips looking natural go for a nude or soft pink liner. Many artists recommend sticking to your natural lip line as overdrawn lips can look unnatural.  A common thing to do is to start at the center-top and center bottom of your lips and then work outward. Another common lining method is to start at the center drawing an “x” at your cupid’s bow, and then outline the corners and bottom of your mouth before lining the rest of your lips.^[5] Unless you're filling your lips in with lipstick this isn’t a good option. As you trace your natural lip line is extra careful to ensure that you’ve applied liner to any creases or cracks in your lips this will help prevent your lipstick from bleeding. Moving in light short strokes will give you a more precise line than trying to trace over your line in one smooth movement. If the liner tugs at your lips at all, it’s too hard. Try warming the tip up by rolling it between your thumb and index finger or drawing on the back of your hand; you can also see if sharpening it helps. What you do after lining your lips depends on whether you plan to keep your lips looking natural or to wear lipstick. If want a natural look you’ll blend the liner into your lips and follow it up with gloss. If you want to wear lipstick you’ll fill in your lips with liner before applying the lipstick. If you’re not wearing lipstick and simply want to use liner to define your lips use a nude liner and then a brush to gently buff the line out into the center of your lips. You would then finish the look off with a clear gloss. You can clean up the line with a bit of moisturizer or makeup remover on the edge of a cotton swab or Kleenex. This is particularly helpful if you’re wearing a dramatic color that has left small stains around the edges of your lips it also helps prevent your lip color from bleeding out to the skin around your lips. It’s really common to apply one layer of lipstick blot it and then apply another layer. To blot your lips, open them stick some tissue or blotting paper between them and then close them gently in an “mmm” position. Makeup artists often set lipstick by laying a thin layer of tissue over the lips and then dabbing a translucent powder over the tissue so that a small amount of powder gets on to the lips and helps hold the