The *Exact* Order To Apply Lip Products for Lasting Hydration & Color

Of all makeup woes, nothing is more frustrating than lipstick creases. I say this as someone whose winged liner somehow always turns out looking like an EKG reading: Liner (especially of the liquid variety) is notoriously tricky to master, but lipstick carries this air of effortlessness—which makes cakey, creasy applications all the more aggravating. 

Make no mistake: Achieving long-lasting lip color is not a swipe-and-go endeavor. It requires thoughtful application of multiple products. Yes, multiple—allow me to introduce you to the art of layering your lippies. 

In general, the order goes: scrub, balm, liner, color, gloss. But let's take a deeper dive: 

Not only does exfoliation help buff away dry flakes (which can leave an uneven surface for lip color), but it also helps smooth out creases. "Exfoliating your lips can be helpful if you're starting to see some lip lines," board-certified dermatologist Loretta Ciraldo, M.D., FAAD, says about exfoliating the area. A bit of scrubbing will help your subsequent products glide on with ease. Not to mention, exfoliating your pout also stimulates circulation and blood flow, which spurs the production of collagen and keeps them looking full.

Check out our favorite lip scrubs here, or feel free to use a damp reusable cotton round for the job. "They're very soft but give a nice little scrub that helps keep my lips very soft and smooth without the grittiness of exfoliating products," says makeup artist Jenny Patinkin. 

Next, find a lip liner that's the same shade (or the closest you can find) as your lipstick, trace the lips to secure a helpful border, then fill in the entire surface area with the liner. "This creates a base color so that when any lipstick or gloss applied on top of it wears away, you still have a nice color and shape left," says Patinkin. 

Finally, it's time for color! To keep your lippie in place, Nechelle Turner, global makeup artist for Jane Iredale—The Skincare Makeup, recommends applying multiple layers of color. "Apply lipstick, blot with a tissue, and reapply lipstick," she once told mbg. By blotting that first layer, you're really pressing the formula into the waxy liner base so it stays put. Then your last layer is for the lush finish.  

Follow up with a gloss, if you so choose. A touch of shimmer on the center of your lip can really accentuate plushness, as it highlights the area. As celebrity makeup artist A.J. Crimson tells mbg about accentuating your lip shape: "Anytime you add something reflective to the lip, it's going to add more of that pop and poutiness." 

Are there days when I swipe on a tinted lip balm and call it a day? Of course. But if you're craving a bold, fierce lip, make sure you know your layering order; it can truly make or break the wearability and color payoff.