How do I keep my lipstick on my lips?

September 25, 2007 5:01 PM

How do I keep my lipstick on my lips and not on my wine glass, my fork or someone I'm kissing? Any tips and/or recommendations for long-wearing lipsticks would be great. Thanks!
posted by tangelo to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (16 answers total)

I absolutely love the MAC Pro Longwear line. It's one of those lipsticks that comes in two parts: a color and a gloss. The lipstick I applied this morning at 8 am is still going strong, even after eating two and a half meals. Love this stuff.
posted by stonefruit at 5:09 PM on September 25, 2007

I wore MAC's Pro Longwear Lipcolor at my wedding, and it stayed on all night. The (clear) glossy topcoat would probably transfer a bit for the first hour or so you're wearing it, but the color stays put. I think you can also buy a non-glossy topcoat from them as well.

Another trick I've heard of is to line your entire lips (not just the edges) with lip liner in a shade similar to your lipstick, apply your lipstick, and then dust your lips with loose powder through a single ply of facial tissue to set the color. I haven't tried this, though.

If you can, avoid eating greasy/oily foods; oil seems to break through just about any colorfast lipstick.
posted by AV at 5:13 PM on September 25, 2007

Not a lipstick recommendation, but for drinking glasses: subtly lick the edge of the glass before you drink, so the lipstick is never coming into contact with dry glass. I'm not even joking. Try it sometime. :)
posted by Andrhia at 5:18 PM on September 25, 2007

Another trick I've heard of is to line your entire lips (not just the edges) with lip liner in a shade similar to your lipstick, apply your lipstick, and then dust your lips with loose powder through a single ply of facial tissue to set the color.

AV I've been using that tip for ~20 years now (think i picked it up in Vogue or somewhere) and it does work, especially for stronger coloured / darker lipsticks.

Nothing's going to catch ALL lipstick - you're always going to get some transfer from the really intense colours, even lip 'stains' that theoretically 'don't transfer'. And yes, anything oily will saturate / smear lipsticks and facilitate transfer.
posted by lonefrontranger at 5:20 PM on September 25, 2007

AV has it. Longwear lipstick is great, but you can get lipliner, then powder after, then apply lipstick on top, and your lipstick will remain forevah (until you wash it off) and will not leave your lips for hours and hours. It will have that appearance, too, that your lips are maybe just naturally that way, after a few hours.

I like this method better, because for less money you can get a lot of variation in color. I have about 5 different lip liner colors, and 6 or 7 lipsticks and yet more lip glosses, and I can combine 'em for all sorts of different shades. Colorstay lipstick is usually pretty expensive for just one tube.

Sephora has a lot of really cheaply priced but excellent lip liners in different colors. Their own brand of colorstay lipstick rules pretty hard, and is also pretty affordable.

Sigh. I love makeup so much.
posted by pazazygeek at 5:23 PM on September 25, 2007

I used to do the lipliner/powder thing, but it turned to nasty glue on my lips. Bleah.

I haven't tried the MAC stuff, but I swear by Revlon's Colorstay Overtime -- it's another color-plus-gloss kind, and it's probably less pricey than MAC. I have the Sheer Mocha, and I love it. It doesn't budge, and the gloss topcoat isn't too sticky. Love it.
posted by sarcasticah at 5:54 PM on September 25, 2007

i love maybelline superstay. invest in an extra tube of the gloss to keep with you, because it is a bit drying. but man, that stuff stays on until the next morning (if you need it to). you remove it with vaseline or an oil-based makeup remover.
posted by thinkingwoman at 6:05 PM on September 25, 2007

I'll cast my vote for another inexpensive line that I have worn successfully for years - Cover Girl Outlast

color and top coat system. #531 is my favorite
posted by peace_love_hope at 7:13 PM on September 25, 2007

I'll second the CoverGirl Outlast. I heart it.
posted by Addlepated at 7:50 PM on September 25, 2007

Mmm I thought it was Revlon but it may be Max Factor? (I don't want to find out because I will never get that shit off!)

Pretty sure it's Max Factor. Whatever it is the colours come in tubes with a wand. It's a snazzy shape and there is a white lip balm (you will be wanting that too) that although is a wind-up style it is the same snazzy shape.

It could be Revlon... One of the two.
posted by mu~ha~ha~ha~har at 8:04 PM on September 25, 2007

I second the vote for revlon colorstay overtime. It is the ONLY long lasting (all day) lip color that has lasted beyond the first bite of food for me. Love it, I never reapply all day. and can't beat the price.
posted by Lylo at 10:28 PM on September 25, 2007

I can't remember the brand, but Sally Beauty has this little tube of stuff with a roller... you roll on the liquid and it sets your lipstick. Always worked for me, although when you first put it on, it feels a little drying, and if your lips are chapped it can sting. It's a white tube with red lettering. If I find an old tube, I'll post the brand.
posted by IndigoRain at 10:31 PM on September 25, 2007

I love Maybelline Superstay as well. My problem with some other longwear lipsticks is they tend to be drying or feel like a coat of paint on your lips under the topcoat.

I'm looking at you Cover Girl Outlast, and Max Factor Lipfinity.

But the Maybelline one feels really smooth, and it also smells nice - slightly fruity, not overly chemical.

It always lasts through just about anything.
posted by cmgonzalez at 12:00 AM on September 26, 2007

Cover Girl Outlast here as well. In the frostier shades I don't bother with the topcoat, just a dab of cocoa butter lip balm ($.99 at the drugstore, yellow tube, swear by it) once or twice during the day.

Oh, and put some moisturizer on your lips at night. That long-lasting stuff'll dry you out bad by Friday if you don't.
posted by Lyn Never at 7:27 AM on September 26, 2007

I never liked the regular long-wearing 2-step lipsticks, because I tend to apply my lipsticks lightly so they are more sheer. You can't really apply those long wearing ones with a light touch - they just end up looking blotchy.

But Cover Girl now has the outlast thing for a shiny/sheer gloss, and I love it so much I want to marry it.
posted by misskaz at 10:01 AM on September 26, 2007

I was poking about ebay on an unrelated matter and there it was. It's Max Factor Lipfinity.
posted by mu~ha~ha~ha~har at 8:43 AM on September 27, 2007