Lips: 5 Steps to the Perfect Pout

Dead skin and deep lines don’t make for a cute lip look, so the first step is to use a scrub like the Pure Color Envy Sugar Lip Scrub from ESTÉE LAUDER to reveal that baby-smooth base.

Post-scrub lips are the perfect canvas for absorbing serums, balms, masks and oils, so layer on whatever you need next. For serums, think like you do for your face and target your problem, whether it’s hydration, lines or volume. A product like Sugar Lip Serum Advanced Therapy from FRESH contains acmella flower extract to fight wrinkles and sugar to moisturise and soothe. If you have time, a lip mask like Meso Infusion Lip Mask and Plumping Duo from 111SKIN will give your lips a bee-stung boost. Otherwise, a balm or oil like LA MER’s The Lip Balm or HOURGLASS’s No. 28 Lip Treatment Oil is a necessity for keeping them soft.

You prime your face and eyes, so the lips shouldn’t be left naked. Not only does a lip primer help boost the longevity of your lip product, it’ll make the hue pop more too: try LANCÔME L’Absolu Rouge La Base or GUERLAIN KissKiss Liplift Smoothing Lipstick Primer. Another tip to make your chosen colour stand out better is to apply a light layer of concealer over your lips as a base.

While this step seems like a no-brainer for making sure your lipstick doesn’t bleed and your lip line is crisp, many people line their lips and stop there — the right way to do it is to fill in every bit of your lip too, so make sure you go for a liner that goes on smooth and doesn’t tug, like the felt-tipped Rouge DIOR Ink Lip Liner.

Finally, fill in your lips with your chosen product, be it a liquid formula, a gloss or your classic lipstick. If it’s a regular lipstick you’ve chosen, remember to blot once and reapply for the ultimate staying power.