Celebrity hairstyles

A basic lip lesson

Line the lips, using your choice of pencil, keeping to the natural lip line.

(If you choose to reshape the mouth, a bit of concealer covering the natural lip line will help make the finished shape look more realistic.) Then, fill in the entire mouth with the pencil.

Next, take a lip brush and fill in the entire mouth up to the same edge as the lip pencil.

Finally, blot with the single ply of a tissue re-apply and blot again.

A three-dimensional mouth (like the one on Janet Jackson, next page ) is created by lining the lip with a pencil darken than the lip color. First, with the pencil, define the lip line and lightly fill in the rest of the mouth. Then, cover the entire mouth with the lighter lip color (creamy ones work best), up to the edge of the darker lipline, but staying a hair's breadth away. Next, take a lighter shade of gloss or lip color and apply it just to the center and inside of the lip (top and bottom). Finally, blot and re-apply.

Putting powder over the top of the first coat of lipstick, then re-applying will help it to last longer.

To blot lips more evenly, separate a 2-ply tissue and use one sheet at a time. Blot your lips, then re-apply lipstick, then blot again. This absorbs excess oil and leaves the pigment. Good for your own smudge-proof, long-lasting effect.

Play with the balance of your face by using dark colors on the eyes and light colors on the mouth or vice versa. See how it also changes the proportion of your features.

I personally prefer to line the lips with a neutral lip pencil, even if the lip color over that is a bright shade. This way the finished mouth looks more natural and if the color fades or is "chewed" off, the layer underneath is not a bright orange or red.

Quick tip: When going from your day look to evening, try simply recurling your lashes and adding a stronger lip color.

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