First ensure your lips are super soft by gently exfoliate with a lip scrub, or a wet toothbrush, to remove dry, flaky skin. Next, condition your lips with a thin layer of non-oily lip balm.

To define, brighten and even out the skin tone around your lips, apply a thin layer of concealer around the outer lip line using a concealer brush.

Fill in lips with an opaque lipstick or lip stain of your choice. To ensure the perfect shape and clean edges, use a lip brush. Work from the centre of your lips out to the edges. Let the formula set for a couple of minutes.

While our favourite base colour for the merry season is candy cane red, feel free to switch it up with any shade of your choice.

Next, pick a heavier, sticky-textured high-shine clear gloss. Apply from the middle of your lips outwards. Stop just before the lip line to allow room for the gloss to spread out naturally without slipping past the lip line.

To keep your lip colour and gloss in place, take a loose translucent powder and apply to the corner of your lips (the most smudge-prone area) using a small powder brush.