Some women have the best lipsticks in the most beautiful shades but can’t apply them perfectly. A few complain that one side looks thicker than the other, making their lips appear lopsided. Others tend to overline the lips, giving them an unnatural appearance. If you, too, find applying lipstick a challenge, fret no more. In this article, we’ve put together four easy and handy lipstick application tips. Let’s get started.

1. Exfoliate and hydrate
One of the most vital lipstick application tips is to prep your lips before you start. Prepping ensures your lips don’t appear patchy, flaky, or uneven. So, how do you achieve this? Here’s the answer: exfoliate first and then moisturize. Exfoliating helps eliminate the dead skin or any other particulate matter on the surface, creating a smooth base.

When it’s time to moisturize, use a lip primer or lip balm. But before digging in with the lipsticks, allow the balm to sit for a few minutes. It will seep in the moisture, eliminating dry spots that might flake off the skin. Proper hydration creates a perfect canvas for the lipstick and ensures it stays on for longer.

2. Line the lips
Once you’re done prepping the lips, you’ll have to line them. This is necessary to give your lips a clear definition and shape. Also, when you have an outline ready, it’s easier to fill the lipstick in. But which color for the outline? There are three options to choose from:

• A lip liner with no color (suitable for pastel, light, or nude lip shades)
• A lip liner that closely matches your lip’s natural color
• A lip liner whose shade matches the lipstick’s color

3. Apply the lipstick
After you’re through with the above steps, you now need to pick up your lipstick. If you have dry skin, avoid matte lipsticks as they have a drying effect. Further, if you have thin lips, avoid dark colors as they give an appearance of even smaller lips.

To begin, take a little product onto the brush and apply it evenly to the lips. Ensure not to miss out on the inner corners, and use the product within the corners of your lined lips. Always start with a light coat, and then you can intensify as you like. In most cases, you should be good to go with a single coat.

4. Customize the shades
If a shade looks good in the tube but not so much on your lips, don’t stop using it. Mix it with another lipstick in your vanity, and create a new shade. If the result seems too bold, tone it down with a neutral gloss. Sometimes, you may find it hard to get the lipsticks you’re looking for in the market, and this can do the trick.

The next time you’re at the dressing table, try these lipstick application tips. It will give you a better finish, and you can step out in style!