How do I make my lipstick last longer?

This is one of the most frequent questions (or complaints) that I hear from women that I work with. Most of the lip products that claim to have staying power tend to be more of a matte formula and dry out the lips. The result is that you have to touch up your lips anyway to keep them looking fresh. Try a couple of the tips below to help colour stay put (and stay great!) throughout the day:

(Pre-prep for the lips: Keep your lips soft and supple by moisturizing at least twice per day - once in the morning after you wash your face but before you apply your make-up, then again at night before bedtime. Try Kiehl's No. 1 Lip Balm.)

1. Prep the lips by using excess cream concealer/foundation and lightly pat it onto the lips. This gives the lipstick colour a base to hold onto.


2. Using a sharpened lip pencil, line the lips following the natural shape of the lips, lining only slightly inside or slightly outside the natural lip line. Now, blend the lipliner inward, using a brush. This will again act as a reinforcement for the lip colour being applied atop of it and prevent feathering/bleeding of the lip colour. Use a lipliner that either closely matches the lip colour you will be applying, or opt for a neutral toned lipliner to keep your colour in check.

3. Apply lipstick. I prefer to use a lip brush, as I find applying the lipstick tube directly on the lips leaves an excessive amount. A lip brush will give you greater control with the amount of product that gets applied. Remember, less is more and you can always start off lightly and then apply another layer as you desire! Take a one ply tissue and blot with the tissue in between the lips. Reapply the lip colour with a brush.

What type of lipstick do I choose?
Choose lipsticks that are 'satin' or 'creme' finishes to give lips a kissable look. You likely will have to touch it up at least once throughout the day, but at least it will not leave your lips raw when you try to remove it, as matte and other long-lasting lip products tend to do.

4. For some added glam, punch up the lips with a layer of gloss atop the lip colour. Choose glosses that have a bit of stick to them for some added staying power. Avoid glosses that are too sticky, as they tend to be a nuisance when your hair blows in the wind (and when you go to kiss that special someone).

Now, pucker up and you're set to go!

Here are some brands to try:
Lipstick
Make-up Forever - Try the Lacquered Lips collection. It lives up to its name.
MAC - An industry staple with undeniable colour and texture selection.
Clinique Colour Surge Butter Shine Lipstick - Just like the name...it's like butta, baby!

Lip Gloss
Lancome Juicy Tubes - A fan favourite with every colour of the rainbow (and flavour of a candy store!).
NARS - Orgasm. A follow-up to the popular blush of the same name - need I say more?

Price: under $10 Where to Find: any local drugstore
I had the opportunity to try out this lipstick with one of my bridal make-ups recently, and honestly, I am not the biggest fan of the product. I love the idea of make-up being long lasting (who doesn't?), but when it doesn't look good, then what's the point?

Outlast comes with two tubes that are used in conjunction. One tube holds the long-lasting lip colour; the other tube holds a clear lip moisturizer. You take the colour tube and using the wand applicator, you apply it similar to a lip gloss. It goes on and dries very much like a paint - once it's dry, you can't blend it or move it. Once this colour layer is dry, you take the moisturizer tube and apply it atop to give the lips some shine and much needed moisture. This moisturizer tube is also used to touch the lips up throughout the day (as you should not have to reapply the tube of colour! Hence the name outlast).

CG's Outlast will only work best for lips that have been exfoliated and über-moisturized. Otherwise, buyer beware - the formula will settle into all the fine lines of the lips and exaggerate any dry areas of the lips. The colour may be long lasting, but in doing so, a downside is that it is also a pain to take off. I had to use an oil-based make-up remover and some lip balm to wear the Outlast colour down, as the formula simply wasn't flattering my bride's lips. Once removed, you could see how the formula had made her lips raw and how some of the colour still wouldn't come off!

Who wouldn't love the promise of 16 hour make-up? We all would - if only it also promised to look good and (relatively) fresh for the claimed duration. The colour of CG's Oulast does indeed 'outlast', but the unflattering formula likely will not outlast our desire to touch up the lips anyway throughout the day.

photos courtesy of CG Outlast