How to Create a Pale Pouty Lip Sure to Get You Noticed

If you are anything like me and often get into a makeup slump and get bored with your look, the pale pouty lip is for you! In this how-to I will instruct you on how to use the correct lip products, colors, tools, and techniques to make the basic pouty lip. After you try it a few times you should be able to experiment with different techniques and colors to make your own looks.

This look is very sheek and does get you noticed, mostly because women often wear a lip stick that pops, meaning it's deep and dark, or bright red. These looks are sexy too but can become predictable and boring.

Products, Colors and Tools List

1. 1 tube of pale pink lipstick (I suggest a moisture based lipstick)
2. 1 tube of sheer (light/see through) pale pink lipgloss with fine sparkles
3. 1 medium to dark pink lip liner (automatic pencil)
4. 1 lip brush
5. 1 foundation brush (for liquid application)
5. 1 powder brush
6. Foundation (your shade)
7. Powder (your shade)

Step 1: Hide/blur your Natural Lip Line

So first you need to hide or blur your natural lip line. You should have your foundation on before you do your lips. Even if you use a mineral powder, or powder 2 way foundation, you should be using some kind of foundation brush, like a Kabuki brush (mineral and loose powder foundations), dry foundation brush (often is made of aythentic or faux fur or fibers) or a liquid foundation brush (usually made of taclon) a kind of rubbery fiber. So once you've applied your foundation brush, use the excess that's left on the brush to apply the foundation all over yourl ip, and make sure it's blended. I prefer liquid foundation for this it hides better. You will notice your lip will look very pale but don't worry you're not done. This should reasonably hide your natural lip line.

Step 2: Applying the Pouty Line

If you feel comfortable you may use a medium to dark lipstick with a lip liner brush to apply the line, however many people find this difficult to do, so I suggest using an automatic lip pencil. I would never suggest a big fat lip pencil that requires sharpening nor a skinny little scratchy pencil. Automatic pencils are soft and skinny so they make a good line. Your liner should be slightly darker than the lip color, but not so much you look like Pamela Anderson ok.

You may need to try a couple times but ultimatley you want to make your top lip look slightly heart shaped, or arched as in a cupid's bow. Never make it so small you look like a Q-pie doll, and never do round, this will look very bad. The goal is to either follow your natural line if you already have heart shaped, or cupid's bow shaped top lips, or create the illusion that you do, because you have hidden your real lip line in step 1. You have failed if your real lip line is clearly visible.

Step 3: Setting the Foundation Base and Lip Line

Take your powder brush and swirl some powder on it in a circular motion, tap the excess off and gently swirl the powder over your entire lip in a circular motion. The powder will help set the foundation and line in place for longer wear. An alternative method is to place a square of toilet paper on your lip and apply the powder onto the toilet paper on your lip, which will apply minute amounts of powder onto the lips through the pores of the paper.

Step 4: Applying the Lip Color

Now take a pale pink lipstick, and apply it with a lip brush, make surel that you blend it into the lip liner, but be careful not to apply it directly over the lip liner, it should be a blended line when you are done. Make sure also your pink is very pale, and doesn't lean towards the orangy coral spectrum of color, nor too much towards the fuschia, purple or red-pink spectrum of color they will ruin the effect. If you feel you have a lot of difficulty apply the color and not ruining the liner you drew on, you can alternatively do step 1, then step 3, then step 4, then step 2 (apply foundation, set foundation, apply lip color, apply liner.

Step 5: Applying the Sheer Sparkle Gloss

To add the sexy glamour to this look apply a pale pink sheer lip gloss with fine sparkles, or shimmer in it. It should be as fine as pixie dust and never ever, ever large chunks of confetti like sparkles. Glosses usualy have their own lip brush, but if not, you can use a lip brush. If your gloss comes in a plastic tube with a plastic dispenser, make sure to squeeze enough gloss out onto the despenser for both lips, then apply with only slight pressure. Do not smush your lip gloss, resist the urge to smush, it blends everything too much and reduces the gloss and shine ok.

This look is great for low light because the fine shimmer glimmers and catches the lights especially in a club or bar, but it is also a soft look that's appropriate for soft day-time makeup.

Complimentary Eye and Blush Shades

Because you are using a pale lip you can choose to pop your eyes (wear a highly pigmented, bright or dark shade), so you could use a vivid color or go with a more natural or pastel look with pastel blue, coral, pink, or light brown. This look is versatile so you can apply black mascara, and eyeliner on your upper lid and inner- lower eye lid, or go more pastel with the pastel blue shadow complimented by a soft pastel blue eye pencil applied to the top and outer-lower lash line, blended. You can also go more natural/ pale using a brown mascara, on top only, and no eyeliner, or a light brown eye liner on the inner-lower lid. You can go matte or shimmery but again never ever large confetti like sparkles.

I highly reccomend a soft light coral, or pink for the cheeks.

Alternatives for Dark Skin

Although the pale pink lip does work on dark skin, you may feel more comfortable using a more nude-brown lipstick color and a slightly darker shade of pink-fuschia gloss. Also you may wish to adjust the lightness-darkness of your blush and shadow to better match your skin. Like a medium rose for cheeks, and a grey for eyeshadow.

Keep experimenting this look leads to great creative ideas and helps you to change up your look. Regardless of the beauty industry's self proclaimed seasonal rules, this look looks great for many reasons all year long.