Wear it Wednesday: Lip Liner

Today on Daily Beauty I'll be giving you some tips on wearing lip liner (thanks for the idea Caitlyn!).

Every time I go to apply my lip liner I find myself thinking of the movie Legally Blonde. "Elle, I'm having some real trouble with this whole lip liner thing..." Such a fun movie!

Lip liner, particularly darker shades, were huge when I was growing up in the early/mid 90s and I personally was never a fan of the look of sharp, dark edges with no lip liner in the center. With that first impression of what a lip liner looked like, it was a few years into my makeup exploration that I even bought one. I guess that I never found myself terribly impressed with lip liner and it's only in the past year or so that I've made a point to try quite a few brands and experiment with application.

One of the reasons I started looking towards lip liner is that as I approach 30, I find my lips have less natural definition and the lines are a bit softer when I'm wearing gloss (which I prefer hands down to lipstick). It is not necessarily an issue of bleeding, but things don't look as defined as I would like. So I thought that I would give the whole lip liner thing another go.

The first tip that I have is to skip applying foundation of concealer to your lips before lining your lips. I totally understand the theory behind doing this:  it makes your lips more of a blank canvas when it comes to what you place on top, however, there is a reason I suggest you start leaving your lips blank. If you purposefully apply foundation or concealer all over your lips once you apply your lip product, the foundation or concealer may start to migrate and make your way to the corner of your lips. And that white looking build-up in the corner of your lips? Probably not the look you were going for. It is normal for some foundation to make it's way to your lips when you apply foundation, my suggestion is to simply skip adding more product.

Next, for the majority of lip looks, I suggest picking a liner the shade of your lips or a tad lighter. With the end of the 90s came the end of visible lip liner being a desirable effect, so stick to natural looking shades for your complexion. 99% of the time I wear the NYX lip pencil in Pale Pink. I raved about it in my Favorite Friday post. For me this is the perfect everyday shade. It gives just a hint of natural pink color to my lips, but it does not interfere with other gloss colors I want to wear such a peachy or coral shades. It's the perfect "my lips but better" shade.

The actual application is easy, though it does depend on the pencil you use. Some pencils glide easily across the lips while other might tug a bit. I find the NYX pencil tugs a bit, but the line of automatic liners from NYX glides easily. The pencil you use is all about personal preference. Make sure to start with a sharp pencil, as this makes application easier. First, trace the edges of your lips. If you are using a pencil for the first time, or even using lip liner for the first time, start with a gentle hand. You can always go back with more pressure, but it's hard to remove the color if you apply too much! I use short, quick strokes like I was filling in my brows, all along the edges of my lips.

Next, I fill in my lips with liner. There's a reason. Lip primers are great, but a lip liner can do the same job for you. I simply fill in my lips with liner as well, again using short quick strokes instead of one swipe across the lip. This gives my lips a natural look and helps the gloss I apply to stay put longer.

Lastly, make sure the edges are not too sharp looking. You want defined, pouty lips, not the 90s lip look. If you find the look is a little too sharp or harsh, simply take a cotton bud (Q-tip) and very gently run it along the edges of your lips. This helps to soften the overall look, while keeping your lips well defined.

I hope this helps you! Lip liner really can be a great tool in your makeup arsenal! Have fun experimenting with different looks and products!