Lip Tips

Prepping Lips

Sonia Kashuk

They smile. They speak. They kiss (as often as possible)! Our lips are one of the major ways we communicate with the world. Want proof of their importance? Just look in your own makeup bag. Most likely, lip products outnumber everything else 2 to 1.

Read on for instructions on creating various lip looks: shiny or matte, sheer or opaque, subtle or bold. You'll also learn the secret to long-wearing lip color. But first off, here's my No. 1 beauty tip for lips: live life with few frowns and lots of laughter.

Lips are the best place on your face to experiment with different looks. Even a flub won't disrupt the rest of your makeup. If something doesn't work, wipe it away with a bit of cleaner and start again.

Always keep conditioner on your lips, even when you're not wearing color. If they get dry or flaky, brush them with a soft toothbrush to remove excess skin (do this gently, in little circles). Lips should be as smooth as possible for the application of any color.

I begin every makeup application with a bit of lip balm or lip cream on the lips. It absorbs while I do concealer, foundation, and powder. When I move back to the lips, they're conditioned and ready for color.

No matter what lip look you're after, use a lip brush. It gives you 100 percent better control. A good brush will form a nice point, which makes it easy to get into the corners of your mouth, and it also helps draw a straight line.

In general, when you wear a strong lip color, it's best to keep the rest of the face soft. And vice versa. Choose one feature to be the focus. Strong mouth, soft eye. Strong eye, soft mouth. Here's a look I love: color on the lips and cheeks -- with nothing but foundation on the eyes!

The dryer the lip product, the longer the wear. Lip gloss = shortest wear. Matte color (especially pencils) = longest wear. A lot of looks use a combination of products. And sometimes one will wear off before the other. I'll tell you how to minimize that later!