As the cold weather grows harsher, many of us struggle with dry skin and cracked lips. It’s essential to keep your lips well-hydrated and moisturized during the winter months. This lack of moisture can also cause problems with lipstick application, making your lips appear “smaller,” “older” or more “aged.”
To tackle these issues, we turned to renowned makeup artists and skincare experts. They provided us with valuable insights into maintaining healthy lips and achieving a hydrated look with lipstick during this season. Additionally, they shared tips on avoiding common lipstick mistakes that can prematurely age your appearance.
3 Common Lipstick Errors That Can 'Add Years' To Your Look, According To Pro MUAs
1. Not Preparing Your Lips Before Applying Lipstick
Neglecting to moisturize, exfoliate, and nourish your lips on a daily basis can exacerbate dryness during the winter months, when cold weather and aging further contribute to this issue. Thus, it is essential to establish a thorough lip care regimen prior to any application of lip color or lipstick, as emphasized by Natasha Moor, Global AAPI makeup artist and founder of Natasha Moor Cosmetics.
She warns that you should never apply lip color to "dry or flaky" lips. To properly care for your pout, Moor says you should "try using products with hyaluronic acid for extra plumping moisture." (We'll get more into that below!)
2. Using A Matte Finish Lipstick
In a captivating YouTube video, makeup artist and content creator Gabriela Soares explained which lipstick formulas might make women over 40 look older and which ones are more flattering. She provided detailed insights into matte finishes, gloss finishes, cream formulations, and more, while demonstrating their effects.
She mentioned that if you're in search of a lipstick offering extended wear, a matte option is ideal. These lipsticks are intensely pigmented, giving the lips a completely flat look without any shine, although they do transfer a bit. However, the transfer is far less than that of a moisture-rich lipstick. So what are the drawbacks? Does it transfer?
"The most obvious downfall is that this texture can be uncomfortable for you because it's very drying," she said. Soares added: "It just doesn't have that moist, buttery feeling that most people crave on their lips." Another big downfall is that if "you have smaller lips, it can make slips look much smaller."
Soares also explained: "A moist appearance highlights that area and draw things forward, and a matte appearance creates like a contour effect and recedes things back, therefore making already small. I always talk about infusing radiance into every step of your routine matte lipsticks because they are drying. They do have a tendency of making lips and the skin around the lips appear older."
3. Wearing The Wrong Shade For Your Skin Tone
According to Moor, the selection of a lipstick shade that is either too dark or too bright for your skin tone can have the undesirable effect of making you appear older and accentuating any signs of aging in the area surrounding your mouth She says thsi is true "especially reds that might have looked great 10 years ago, but now their complexion has changed."
She adds: "for example, it might be ruddier, which a dark lipstick will emphasize." She goes on to say that a color that is too dark for your skin tone will often "ensure that your lips are the first thing other people notice about you."
3 Pro Tips for a Stunning Lip Look This Winter
1. Grab a Hydrating Lipstick
Rather than a dry, matte color, celebrity makeup artist and aficionado, Margina Dennis, recommends getting "a clear lip liner or one that matches" your desired hydrating lip color as this will "keep the color from feathering and look more natural."
As for super dark lipsticks that might be trendy this winter, Dennis notes that "as we get older, we lose the rosiness in our skin and lips, and a drab lip color will draw attention to it." Rather than deep reds and violet shades, she says to opt for blue-toned lip colors that "make the teeth look whiter" this season.
2. Match Your Lip Color to Your Skin Tone
Mandie Brice, professional makeup artist and beauty expert explains that the "best choice for a lip color" involves studying your skin tones to find a match. She says that most commonly, each of us falls under a general 'warm,' 'cool' or 'neutral' main tone.
"If you're a 'warm,' choose a warm-toned lip color. If you're 'cool' or 'neutral,' pick one of those respectively," she advises. "You can find your undertone easily by looking at the veins on the inside of your forearm," she notes. If they are blueish, she says that you have a "cooler undertone," and if they are "greenish, you can go for a warmer color." Another useful tip that she provides is if "silver jewelry looks better on you, you’re more suited to cooler tones," but if gold is better, "you have a warm undertone."
There’s also the possibility that you’re neutral, she points out, which is if "gold and silver are equally flattering." Sometimes, Brice says, lip colors will have a 'W,' 'C,' or 'N' in their color name. Ultimately, "identifying undertones is something that gets better with practice," Brice reassures.
3. Have a Daily Lip Care Routine
Removing dead skin every week is essential so that when you moisturize, your skin can fully absorb hydrating ingredients from your lip balm, Madeline Hall, certified makeup artist, hair stylist and cosmetologist says. "Regularly exfoliating your lips can help to remove dead skin cells and make your lips appear more youthful," she points out.
She adds that "you can use a lip scrub or a soft toothbrush to gently exfoliate your lips" to prevent more chapping and cracking. Brice agrees, and notes that "keeping your lips hydrated" with a natural lip balm, and exfoliated with a scrub makes them "plumper and more youthful-looking." Good to know!
