Lip makeup was the defining trend of 2017. In 2018, we can expect that lip colors will continue to top the charts given the constant launching of lip makeup and lip color guides from high-end to masstige brands. Here’s a list of lip makeup tips that will help you master the perfect pout and achieve the perfect lip makeup.
Lip Color is a Woman’s Armor
While eyeshadow palettes made waves in 2015, and 2016 was the year of strobing and contouring, it looks like 2017 and 2018 were and will be dominated by lip makeup. And why not? That one final swipe of lipstick before going out is considered a woman’s version of going into battle. Getting your lips rouged, tinted and lined is like sharpening the proverbial sword.
Women are always ready to go into battle!
Image from 3 CONCEPT EYES
When it comes to finishes, lip colors have come a long way from a tube of wax. Moisturizing ingredients such as plant oils and shea butter are now included to keep lips looking and feeling soft. Other ingredients like collagen, botanical extracts, vitamins and other nutrients are also combined with the latest cosmetic technologies to keep colors vivid, long-wearing and practically smudge-proof and kiss-proof for hours.
Your Lip Color Guide
Matte, creamy, glossy or stains — which one should you pick? Check out the short guide below on the most popular and bestselling types of lip makeup at YesStyle, plus quick tips on how to get that perfect pout!
Matte
Matte lips reigned supreme in 2017, just like they did back in the 90s. In particular, the liquid types proved to be the most popular as beauty brands churned out set after set and lip kit after lip kit. Matte textures are all about bold, full coverage, giving your lips a smooth, velvety or suede-like finish. 3 CONCEPT EYES’ Mood Recipe Matte Lip Color is a YesStyle customer favorite owing to its smooth application and earth tones that complement many skin tones. Most matte lipsticks have long-wearing formulations and use stronger pigments to maintain that coverage, which can be drying over time. Many brands now include moisturizing versions that add subtle shine and keep lips flake-free.
How to wear it: Make sure to exfoliate using a lip scrub, and wear lip balm before applying lip color. To highlight your lips, use a matte lip liner in the same shade or at least one shade darker than your matte lip color to outline the edges of your lips and blend. To create the look of a narrower pout, use a lip concealer first to camouflage the outer areas of your lips. Use a matte lip pencil to trace the pout and fill in with lip color.
Creamy
The most common lipstick texture, creamy lip formulas were used by film icons like Marilyn Monroe and Ava Gardner and are associated with sexiness and classic Hollywood glamour. Creamy lipsticks straddle the line between glossy and matte and offer a buildable finish with high color payoff, making it an easy choice for everyday wear. The rich texture allows it to pull off a wide range of shades from the lightest to deepest. Also, creamy lipsticks only require a few retouches throughout the day. Skinfood’s Fresh Fruit Lip & Cheek Trio offers a compact set of three complementary shades in a creamy finish for a seamless look on your lips and cheeks.
How to wear it: Prevent the lipstick from bleeding to the outer edges by using a lip liner in a color similar to your creamy lipstick. Don’t forget to blot with a tissue or very fine setting powder!
Tints and Stains
Next to matte lip makeup, lip tints and lip stains are also a fan favorite owing to its light, fast-drying finish. Tints and stains combine the look of a creamy lipstick with the long-wearing formulation of most matte lip colors. Available in watery gel or creamy textures, lip tints and lip stains offer a buildable finish, giving a subtle wash of color to complement your lips’ natural color with one swipe, or make it more opaque with extra layers. The very popular Korean gradient lip trend primarily uses lip tints and lip stains to create that just-bitten look, or one that looks as if you just sucked a cherry-flavored lollipop. For a cute yet sophisticated twist, get the Labiotte Chateau Labiotte Wine Lip Tints, which are Korean wine lip tints that look like tiny wine bottles and are formulated with sepivinol derived from French wine to give lips lasting moisture and nutrients. If you want to give your lips a doubly edgy look, look to the bestselling Laneige Two Tone Tint Lip Bar. It’s an innovative tinted lip balm that gives you the choice of wearing two complementary or contrasting shades at once for dramatic ombré lips.
How to wear it: Exfoliate lips using a lip scrub and apply a moisturizing lip balm afterwards. For gradient lips, use the applicator of your lip stain or lip tint to coat the inner area of the lips first and spread outwards.
Glossy and Satiny
Glossy lips that look natural or with a hint of color are perfect if you’re in the mood for a low-maintenance look or an I-woke-up-like-this style. Sheer and glossy lip colors primarily offer superb hydration with just a tinge of color and shine. It might remind you of your high school days but glossy lips are making a comeback, especially if you want your pout to look extra plump and eminently kissable. Modern formulations even offer shimmery or downright sparkling finishes, perfect for a night out or to go with a no-makeup makeup look. Skinfood’s Plum Mellow Glow Lip Lacquer comes in plummy, yummy shades with an irresistible sheen.
How to wear it: Make sure to use a lip scrub first to remove any dead skin and give your glossy lip color a sleek and smooth canvas to glide on!
Lip Care Tips
Caring for your lips requires the right kind of products as well as time to keep them healthy, moisturized and soft. Having a regular lip care routine similar to your day and night skin care regimen is as essential as finding the perfect lip makeup shade or finish.
To keep your lips hydrated and flake-free, even without lip makeup, we recommend the following lip care products and steps.
1) Lip Scrubs
Lips are prone to dryness like the rest of your skin. Smooth and soft lips are necessary if you want to wear lip makeup, especially matte and creamy finishes, lip tints and lip stains as these have a tendency to settle into the natural lines of the lips. Using a lip scrub maintains the look of smooth lips and reduces lip lines. You can use a chemical lip scrub like RiRe’s Bubble Lip Mask which uses bubbles to exfoliate, and Vitamin C extracts to brighten. For manual exfoliation, Skinfood’s Avocado and Sugar Lip Scrub uses sugar grains enriched with avocado, jojoba seed and lime oils plus shea butter to remove dead skin and reveal softer, smoother lips.
2) Lip Masks
Once your lips are back to their natural baby softness, make sure to hydrate with a lip mask or lip patch to lock in moisture and nutrients. Laneige’s Lip Sleeping Mask is a YesStyle bestseller for proven overnight pampering of your lips with its patented Berry Complex formulated with Vitamin C and antioxidant-rich berry ingredients. You can wake up in the morning with a smoother, sexier looking canvas for your lip makeup!
3) Lip Balms
An everyday essential, lip balms give your pout a regular dose of moisture, which is needed even if you’re not wearing any makeup at all. Lip balms are usually formulated with hydrating ingredients like beeswax, collagen, plant oils or seed butters to hydrate and seal in moisture. Nowadays, many lip balms also offer sun protection because, yes, lips can also suffer UV damage, resulting in collagen loss and more lines. Korean brand peripera’s Milk Moist Lip Balm includes protein-rich milk extracts, vitamin complex and yummy strawberry or peach flavors to keep your lips feeling and looking smackingly good.