Long Lasting and Lingering Lipstick

Photo: Creatas Images/Creatas/Getty Images

No matter how perfect your makeup looks when you leave the house, it won't look nearly the same in the harsh light of the office bathroom. While lipstick manufacturers offer formulas to help maintain the perfect pout well past lunchtime, these products do have their downsides -- dry lips, gunky residue and stained sweaters. But take heart. There are ways to keep you lips looking luscious throughout the day.

Apply Here

Before sitting down at the vanity table, don’t forget that even lips need a little exfoliation.
“Create a real even playing field on your lips,” says TV and film makeup artist Kelcey Fry. “I mix in a little bottle of ahoba oil or maybe shea butter with some fine sugar and maybe add in some sesame seed oil; something that isn’t toxic. Rub it in right after you get out of the shower and then moisturize your lips and let it sit for a while.”
For best results, Fry suggests rubbing in the mixture with a soft baby toothbrush. But make sure your lips are perfectly dry before applying lipstick, otherwise it won’t take.
It’s best to be as exact as possible when applying long-lasting products because they, well, last so long, says Bella Sugar senior editor Annie Tomlin.
“If it’s a really bright or dark shade, I always recommend applying it with a lip brush to get that precision. Especially if you’re dealing with a long-lasting formula, you really want that look perfect all day long,” said Tomlin. And if you're worrying about feathering, simply add in a lip liner -- which doesn’t have to be the same brand as the lipstick.
After perfecting your pout, “Don’t eat or drink or smoke. Give yourself about a half an hour to let it really set,” said Tomlin. Think of this as this as time saved by not having to blot, scrub or soak away stains from your favorite sweater -- or worse, having to haul it to the dry cleaner and then face the dry-cleaning bill.

Skin Deep: Finding the Right Color

Despite what the temperature might suggest, this season is on fire -- or at least it is at the makeup counter.
L.A.-based bridal makeup artist Mariah Nicole Buian says the hottest shade right now is red. “Think, Dolce & Gabbana's new line of moisturizing lipsticks,” she said, referring to the bold colors in the luxury brand’s Classic Cream Lipsticks, which are advertised as being both long-lasting and softening.
But what shade or red is right for your complexion?
“Blue-reds are perfect for cool skin tones, while warm skin tones do well with orange-reds or brown-reds,” said Buian.
But don’t worry if any one shade isn't the perfect fit. TV and film makeup artist Kelcey Fry says that facial complexions -- like the personalities beneath them -- are distinctive to the individual. She suggests blending colors to find the look that best represents you. She especially likes the long-lasting and bold color combos found in lines like Julie Hewett’s Noir Collection of lipsticks and Stila’s lip stains.

Staying Power

Even long-lasting lipsticks aren’t immune to the afternoon doldrums; sometimes, you have to do some sprucing up throughout the day. Tomlin recommends long-lasting lipsticks that come with balms, like CoverGirl Outlast Double LipShine, so you can continually reapply the balm to add moisture.
Don't fret if your favorite long-lasting lipstick doesn't come with a moisturizing topcoat. Applying just about any balm should do. Tomlin says she likes Kiehl’s Lip Balm No. 1 or Softlips -- two reasonably priced products that won't set you back too far if you misplace them.
There are also long-lasting, dynamic colors in MAC's Pro Longwear LipColour collection, which L.A.-based bridal and celebrity makeup artist Mariah Nicole Buian swears by for weddings. "It lasts till dinner because only oil can remove it," she says. Because these lipsticks are rich and creamy, they’re also great for cold weather and a good option for women with dry lips, she added.
But what if the paint itself wears thin? Tomlin says that you should only apply the product where it’s needed; a whole new layer will lead to an uneven look.
Ladies who can't handle the dryness of a full-on long-lasting lipstick might do better lining the shape of their lips and then filling them in with a thick lip pencil before adding gloss, said Fry.
Got gunk? Fry says she’ll swipe a cotton swab along the inside edges of her actresses’ mouths to remove any extra makeup that landed there and then reapply. Occasionally, she’ll have to redo the lips completely, like when they film kissing scenes, or when they go from a day scene to a night scene. In those instances, when precision counts, she recommends Shiseido’s Pureness Refreshing Cleansing Sheets or Koh Gen Do Cleansing Spa Water -- great products to have handy if you want to change your lip color when going out after work.

Remains of the Day

Eventually the hour will strike when you actually want makeup to come off your face. To take the day away, Fry said she prefers Shu Uemura cleansing oils, which remove eye and all facial makeup.
“Especially in wintertime, they’re great because these cleansing oils break down the makeup for cleansing, but they also hydrate the skin,” said Fry, who stressed that, despite what the name suggests, these products are not problematic for oily skin. “These cleansing oils are made with really water-soluble oils. As long as you cleanse and break it down properly, you’re not going to be leaving this film of oil [on your skin].”
Also, be careful not to rub too hard when taking off product. Tomlin, who suggests eye makeup remover to take off long-lasting lipstick, said to think of it like removing nail polish and “gently press it in for a few seconds so that the remover can actually move.”
As an added precaution, Tomlin recommends adding a little Vaseline on your lips before bedtime. This takes off any excess product and keeps your lips soft until the whole rotation begins again tomorrow.