If you think lip liner is old-fashioned and outdated, think again. The truth is, lip liner can be a great addition to your makeup routine. If you are not using lip liner right now, add it to your shopping list—it’ll be your secret weapon to make your lips bolder and more attractive.
The Benefits of Using Lip Liner
If you’re wondering, why use lip liner? Well, the benefits are endless.
The number one benefit is that lip liner helps your lips look bigger and fuller. As we age, our lips lose plumpness and elasticity. Our lip line becomes weakened and the color of our lips begins to fade. Lip liner combats this easily and non-invasively.
Next, did you know that you can actually change the shape of your lips? Lip liner is very strongly pigmented, which means that it draws lines right on your skin without any transparency. You can literally draw right on the skin above or below your actual lip lines so that your lips appears larger than they really are.
If you don’t want your lips to appear larger all over, you can still change the shape of them. Make them appear fuller in the middle and thinner on the sides, eliminate your cupid’s bow, or make it more prominent. Lip liner is the key when creating a cute, kissable pout.
Finally, lip liner is excellent for prolonging the wear of any type of lip color you use. Whether you like and use lip gloss, lip balm or lipstick, using lip liner before you apply your other type of lip color can help it stay on all day and all night. Your lip color is going to be longer lasting this way.
How to Choose the Right Lip Liner
Lip liner comes in a pencil form, and most are pretty similar to each other. The main difference between most different types of lip liners is that some are actually like pencils and can be sharpened with a makeup pencil sharpener, and others are like a stick that you push up when you need more of it.
The pencils tends to be better because you can sharpen it to a point every time. That way, you’ll have a nicely defined line around your lips. But when you’re in a pinch or don’t have a makeup pencil sharpener, the twist-up type works great as well.
With all that being said, you’re going to be able to find hundreds of different shapes and colors of lip liner, and this is where the real choices take place.
If you’re wearing a bold lip color like red or berry, choose a matching lip liner to wear underneath. If you only want to buy one, make it one that matches your natural lip color. Then you can pair it with any lipstick you choose!
How to Apply Lip Liner
You need a steady hand to apply lip liner. If you want to keep your lips the same shape and just help define them, choose a neutral color. Spread your lips out like you are smiling and slowly and gently trace the lines of your lips with your lip liner pencil. This is just an outline.
If you want to make your lips look more bold, trace slightly outside the lines of your lips, and consider a stronger color.
