The Best Way to Apply Lipstick

That little touch of lipstick can make the difference between a face that fades away and a face that glows. Lipstick is such a quick, easy and inexpensive way to add a little color to your face, but too often women skip it or don't apply it correctly. So, take a few moments to put your lipstick on correctly, and get glowing.

You want to start with lips that are soft and smooth. If your lips are flakey, the lipstick will only highlight that. So about once a week, smooth a layer of Vaseline on your lips and gently exfoliate them with a warm, moist washcloth. You may need to do this more frequently in colder months. End the exfoliation with a good lip balm.

Before you put on lipstick, smooth a light coat of a lip balm over lips. Then line your lips with a lip pencil in a neutral color, rather than one that matches your lipstick. Try to follow the natural lip line as closely as possible. Use short strokes rather than trying to line the entire lip with one stroke. Start from the center of each lip. Once you've completed the lining, fill in both lips with the lip pencil. Doing this helps lipstick stay put, and it also erases that easy-to-see line.

Next, apply your lipstick. But use a lip brush instead of applying the lipstick directly to your lips. This takes a few more seconds, but you get a lot more control with a brush. For more intense color, apply a second or even third color. Then blot your lips with tissue. Now, add a clear gloss on top. This high shine will make your lips look fuller.

Some women like to save time by closing their mouth and applying the lipstick to both lips at the same time. Avoid this technique. It's difficult to get the color on correctly this way.

If you don't like the look of color on your lips, you still need to apply a gloss. It really finishes off your face and helps protect your lips from the sun. Choose one that has SPF of 15 or higher. The skin on your fingertip is a good place to test a lipstick color, because that skin is the closest to your lip color. And here's a little trick to avoid getting lipstick on your teeth. After applying color, put your finger in your mouth, purse your lips around it and pull your finger out. This will get any excess lipstick and keep it off your teeth.