If you like a low-maintenance beauty routine, you may have long ago dismissed lip liner as superfluous: Can’t lipstick do the same job?
Not so. Lipliner is something of a secret weapon for making sure your lipstick, gloss and even tinted balm perform as well — and as long — as they should.
The tiny but punch-packing tool helps keep lipstick from migrating or feathering at the edge of your lips, helps keep lipstick locked in place and prevents your lips from drying out. And it takes about one more minute in your routine.
“Using a lip pencil will always help lipstick stay on better,” makeup artist Kathy Jeung told HuffPost in previous coverage.
And don’t worry, using lip liner does not mean you’ll end up with an exaggerated over-lined look. You can customize your liner to exactly the look you want.
For example, applying liner after your lipstick creates a subtler look, according to makeup artists, while using liner after your lipstick creates a more intense effect. And, if you use a lip liner that matches your lipstick, it’ll blend in while prolonging your look’s wear.
For extra subtlety, tweak the long-beloved tissue blotting method (using a tissue to remove excess lipstick) by making a “carpenter’s pencil” out of your lip liner. “Wrap the tip of the pencil in a tissue and squeeze the pencil into a flat tip,” Mac Cosmetics senior artist Keri Blair previously explained to HuffPost. “This gives you the best tool to hug the corners of your mouth.”
Read on for makeup artists’ favorite lip liners plus a few other non-liner products to ensure that your lipstick goes on perfectly.
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Rihanna's Fenty Beauty is notorious for its industry-defining makeup; its lip liners are no exception.
The creamy, waterproof pencils are designed to last up to eight hours, providing true-cast shades for every lip tone without appearing ashy.
Don't shoot the messenger, but Kylie Cosmetics' lip liners are some of the best I've ever used. They're exceptionally creamy, so they don't skip or tug on lips, and impressively long-lasting. I think they'd make a foolproof starter liner — that you may just fall in love with.
Pictured on the left is Iced Latte, a warm brown, and on the right, and Forever and Always, a neutral warm pink.
Jeung recommended this Maybelline lip crayon in former HuffPost coverage. It works as a lipstick and a liner in one, letting you outline, shape and fill lips at once.
"Depending on how lightly or heavily you apply them, you can get a sheer look or one with more coverage,” Jeung explained of the crayons.
They're available in many other shades at Amazon, Walmart and Target. (They also come with a handy built-in sharpener!)
In former HuffPost coverage, makeup artist Melanie Inglessis recommended the Chantecaille Definer lip liner in Nuance, a creamy, matte shade.
She also recommended not sharpening your liner's tip too much. "I like the pencil to be a little dull so that it doesn’t create too severe of a line and becomes blended inside the lips," she said.
You can check out more of Chantecaille's liner shades at Nordstrom.
Gisel Calvillo, senior artist at Mac Cosmetics, noted in previous HuffPost coverage that nude pencils help subtly define lips.
She recommended Mac's creamy lip pencils in Subculture, a beige brown (pictured left), and Stripdown, a neutral pink (pictured right).
"Both colors apply a natural tone and add the illusion of fuller lips," she said. "Try to draw the line softly right on the border of your lips. This will help add volume."
Gisel Calvillo, senior artist at Mac Cosmetics, noted in previous HuffPost coverage that nude pencils help subtly define lips. Based on Calvillo's recommendation of nude liners, we think Mented's liner collection is a fantastic option for folks with melanated skin.
The brand's Nude lip liner shade, a deep tan (right), is creamy, long-lasting and highly pigmented for an excellent natural shade. Mented's Bare lip liner shade, a dark chocolate brown (left), is another great pick.
I love these liners myself, including their four other shades. Plus, each liner matches with one of Mented's lipsticks, which carry the same gorgeous pigmentation and make a full lip easy. (You can find the matching semi-matte lipsticks on Amazon here and here).
Tower 28's OneLiner adds creamy, matte definition to lips — plus can be used on eyes and cheeks for all-in-one color.
The three-in-one liner is highly-pigmented yet nourishing, thanks to an infusion of shea butter and marula oil, so it won't strip skin.
You can grab it in six shades.
Another solid option for all skin types? Clear lip liner, which was previously recommended to HuffPost by makeup artist Kari Bauce.
"If you don't like the look or idea of liner, but still want your lipstick/gloss to stay in place, opt for a clear, mattifying pencil that will keep your makeup in place without adding extra color," she said.
It applies translucent so it's about as mistake-proof and unobtrusive as it gets. Folks across the internet especially like this Rimmel Moisture Renew transparent liner for a budget-friendly, high-performing option.
We also think Urban Decay's clear Ozone lip liner is a great translucent option.
It's formulated with jojoba oil and vitamin E for a creamy finish that'll add moisture to lips, and it'll work overtime to prevent feathering and smudging, since it's designed to last for hours on end (up to 24!).
Urban Decay also offers up to 17 other shades of this lip liner if you're interested in a pigmented version.
Thicker-barreled than traditional lip liners, Urban Decay's clear multipurpose primer pencil does everything slimmer pencils do in fewer swipes and easier maneuvering.
It helps prevent feathering and bleeding outside of lip lines, prolongs lip color, plus fills in fine lines. You can also use it to sharpen your lip lines after you finish applying or to clean up any little blemishes from the rest of your routine, like leftover mascara on your lids.
Since the pencil is larger in diameter, reviewers note you will need a larger sharpener. Urban Decay's Grindhouse Double Barrel pencil sharpener is made for this purpose, and is available at Sephora or Ulta for $12.
Looking for more non-liner products that will help your lipstick look perfect? Keep reading.
An exfoliating lip scrub will help any flakey skin, especially important because "long-wear lip color tends to collect in drier areas," makeup artist Diane da Silva previously told HuffPost. “Exfoliating lips just before application ensures a smoother application that looks fresher, longer.”
Makeup artist Jamie Greenberg recommended the Pout Hero exfoliating lip scrub in former HuffPost coverage. "Be sure to apply it daily to keep your lips and the skin around them exfoliated," she noted.
You can exfoliate daily and follow by lip balm (I swear by Eco Lips Mongo Kiss balms for quick-absorbing moisture), or apply an exfoliating product at nighttime.
Another exfoliation option is buffing lips with a damp washcloth, according to cosmetic chemist Michelle Wong, who runs the site Lab Muffin.
"When preparing to apply a long-lasting lip product, be sure to leave a hydrating lip balm on for at least a few minutes, then blot off before applying the lipstick," makeup artist Jamie Dorman previously told HuffPost.
"I like LYS Beauty’s Speak Love Glossy Lip Treatment Oil for that step," she said.
Greenberg recommended the Clarins Smooth Perfecting primer as another option for prepping lips.
"This product works wonders, and a tiny bit goes a long way. It's important not to put on too much," she previously told HuffPost.
For best results, apply the primer on your lip line and surrounding skin, across lips and in the outer corners of your mouth, previously suggested Jeanine Lobell, a makeup artist and founder of Neen Cosmetics.
As a final step, “Dab the entire lip area with a bit of translucent powder and you should be ready to go,” Greenberg noted.
Based on Greenberg's suggestion, we think Tower 28's pressed clear setting powder is a great choice. It's talc-free — which is unbelievably rare in powder — and designed to set makeup and prevent shine in a lightweight, never-cakey formula. It's also available in three other (non-translucent) shades.