The Ultimate Guide to Lipstick

All You Need to Know to Choose and Wear It Right

One of the first types of makeup was lipstick, and it is the ultimate in enhancing the good looks of your lips whether you opt for a subtle shade or over-the-top dramatic look. And yet, for as easy as it might sound to choose a color and apply it, there is a lot you can do wrong when it comes to lipstick. This guide is going to help you know all you need to know about the different types of lipsticks, the best options for you, and even how to apply it in a way that ensures the longest wear and best look.

Let’s start with what is easily the most confounding thing about lipsticks – the many different types of lipsticks available.

What Are All the Different Types of Lipsticks

You might think of lipsticks in terms of colors, such as frosted or shimmer. You might not think of them that way at all and consider them in terms of satin or glossy types. In general, it is best to think of lipsticks in a huge array of types and styles if you are to choose the right options for your look.

Consider the following as the most basic list of lipstick types:

Matte – As the name implies, this is a lipstick that finishes with a rather flat look and is ideal when you are opting for a dark and dramatic shade. These are often some of the most richly pigmented lipsticks (think burgundy, deep red, and so on). However, they are also made with more wax and less oil, which is why they never glimmer or shine. They can look awful if you choose the wrong shade or apply them to lips that have not been properly prepared, and are best for those times when you don’t want to worry about touching up your makeup, such as a formal event or night out.

Cream – These are halfway between the matte lipsticks and the popular lip glosses. They come in a wide range of colors, like glosses and have a smoother application due to more oil than wax when compared to matte lipsticks. They have a pop of shine, but are also some of the more longer-wearing and rarely require touch ups. Be aware that your lips must also be properly prepared prior to application for the best look (meaning exfoliated, primed and hydrated).

Satin or Sheer– These are the lipsticks that give a hint of color and a bit more shine than a cream formula. They do need a lot of touch ups throughout the day or night, but they go on easy, have a huge range of color options, blend well with other lip colors and look great

Shimmer – These apply like a cream lipstick but with a bit more glide and a lot more shine. They are made with shimmer pigments (colors with microscopic bits of glitter added) to give your lips a fuller and plumper look, but without any sort of drying. They go on easily and are ideal for nights out and formal events.

Glossy – Ideal for those with thin lips, these easy to wear lipsticks come in a wide range of colors and enhance the appearance of any smile. They are often worn in nude, sheer or flesh tones and come with a tremendous amount of shine that really draws attention to the mouth

Moisturizing – Don’t overlook the benefits of these lipsticks because they can really help to speed up your beauty regimen. They are made with additives such as glycerin, aloe and vitamin E that deeply moisturize the skin of the lips while also supplying a wide range of colors. They usually give a glossy or shiny finish and may even feature glimmer hues

Frost – Different from the glimmer lipsticks, these reflect light and are often found in much paler hues. They may match the skin color of the lips or bring a bit of fullness by highlighting the mouth. They can be heavier in their formulation and even a bit drying, so if you intend to use them try to find a moisturizing formula or do some pre-application moisturizing

Lip Liner – These are often used to define the shape of the lips or for a bit of visual trickery. For instance, some users will outline a space outside of a thinner lip line and fill it in with the liner or with a lip color, visually increasing the size of one or both lips. You can also use the lip liner as a strong color and simply fill in the lip and top with a color or gloss coat

Related: Get That Shimmery Shine with MINI Mint Lip Glosses

Tinted Lip Balm/Gloss – Lip balms are traditionally used to heal, moisten and/or seal the lips. However, when a bit of color is added to them, they look wonderful with a natural makeup application, summery look, or even to give color while protecting your lips from winter weather and dry conditions

Stain – Whether brushed on or applied via a magic marker-like apparatus, these offer some of the most dramatic hues. They are long lasting and can be prone to drying out the skin of the lips. Exfoliating and moisturizing are key to success with these newer types of lipstick

Plumper – Less a lipstick and more of a unique tool in a makeup kit, these are made to actually cause lips to swell slightly. They create a sense of light heat and typically use natural ingredients like menthol or spices that lightly irritate the skin. They should be tested before use, and never worn if kisses will be given since the plumping ingredients may transfer to a recipient who will feel the same reaction! However, for a bit of fun and as a safer alternative to cosmetic treatments, they are a great investment

After reading this, you might be asking “what about liquid lipsticks”? They are definitely something to also keep in mind, but you need to know a bit more about them than the summaries we offered about other types of lipsticks above.

Is Liquid Better Than Other Lipstick Types?

An article in Cosmopolitan said that liquid lipsticks are the “bronde” of makeup, referencing the fabulous trend for dyeing brown hair with a top coating of gorgeous blonde. They also noted that liquid lipsticks are really emerging as a stand out in the world of makeup.

Are they a suitable replacement for any of the common lipstick types? Not really. Here’s what to know:

• They are usually applied with a wand-like applicator that comes with/in the packaging
• They are glossy but they are as pigment-rich as traditional lipsticks
• They are so deeply hued that a single coat is all that is needed. In fact, a single swipe does the trick, but gives an opaque finish rather than a full-bodied stain
• They are designed to be “buildable”, hence the comparison to “bronde” hair styles
• You can use them as a base or as a top coat
• They last all day or night and rarely dry
• They look best if applied with a lip liner or even a brush as they can feather
• The color does not transfer and makes it a long-wearing alternative
• They will need to be removed with an actual makeup remover and even some exfoliation – so be careful with them!

Related: What’s All the Hype With Liquid Lipstick?

So, if you are experimenting with color, need a long-lasting and rich hue but don’t want a deeply dramatic color, this may be a good option. Yet, if you are not confident that it is the right hue and you don’t want to worry about removing it, you will want to use a gentle hand with them.

And with mention of careful application methods, let’s turn our attention to the best ways to actually apply lipsticks, no matter what type you use.

Top Tips for World-Class Lipstick Applications

Lipstick makes that perfect finishing touch to almost any makeup application, and yet it can all go wrong with one swipe of a brush or tube. Whether it is realizing that lipstick is on your teeth, feathering around your mouth or wiping away too easily, we have lots of great tips from experts:

• Start with a good canvas by exfoliating and hydrating the lips before all applications. You can use a simple sugar scrub with your fingertip or a soft toothbrush, rinse the lips and then use a hydrating balm before doing the lip treatment. Also, invest in a good primer since you might have seasonally dry lips and primer helps keep lipstick in place longer without cracking or transferring
• Follow this amazing bit of lipstick wisdom and “Make a magnet for your lipstick by wearing lip liner underneath. Don’t just rim your pout with it but fill in your lips entirely; it will grip your lippy in place.”

• If you are not going for the darker hues or more dramatic looks, try using a brush for optimal control and long wear. A brush gathers more of the pigment and allows you to fill in all of the folds of the lip.
• Blotting with a tissue and then simply sticking your index finger into your mouth, like a lollipop and wrapping your lips around it as you pull it out removes anything that might transfer to your teeth!
• Set with a powder if you are worried that your lipstick might travel or transfer. A translucent powder will not dry and will instead lock the color in place. Don’t just slap it on with a brush, though. Instead, use a blotting paper or tissue and your powder brush. Gently set the paper on the lips and tap the powder in place for the best finish.
• Apply a second coat. If you have lined, applied and blotted and set with powder, you can make your good-looking lips a certainty by applying another coat of color right from the tube. Be sure you don’t apply it too heavily as it can ruin all of your work, but a light hand can really deliver the best outcome.

Related: Should You Wear Makeup to the Gym?

• Make a blunder? Worried about feathering? If you have used a lip liner, you can still face these issues. That is why we recommend that you finish up your application with the use of concealer. This helps you tone down any areas where you may have painted outside of the lines or where any sort of bleeding or feathering is a risk.
• If you are not comfortable investing in a lip primer or your budget just cannot take another pre-application product, you can also use your everyday foundation instead. This will bond with the lipstick, give it an all-day level of performance and look great. However, the exfoliating and moisturizing steps cannot be skipped if you go this route
• Chapped lips? This can be a time to give full attention to the pre-application process and use the exfoliation and a deep moisturizer. Classic Chapstick actually works well for this, but even with exfoliating and moisturizing, seriously chapped lips run the risk of drying and peeling. That means a sheer or opaque gloss or a creamy formula with more oil than wax is your best bet. When dealing with seriously dry lips, try to keep coverage minimal and allow skin to heal fully.

With those easy hacks, you can start to really optimize your lip looks and use almost any kind of formula in your daily makeup regimen. Remember that the types of lipsticks stay the same, but that seasonal colors change and even the ways that makeup is applied for that season.

As an example, for your winter look you are likely to wear different hues and a different type of lipstick than you might during the summer. You can still use all of the tips we’ve supplied to get long-lasting applications and select the right products for your makeup kit, but remember that you always want to go with an application that works for the season, too. Wearing a light and shimmery gloss on summer vacation is definitely fun, but so too is that matte, dramatic burgundy that is perfect for December and with these tips you can now get all of those looks and have them stay in place and look great all day or all night.

Related: How to Choose the Best Lip Color

More Great Resources on Types of Lipsticks:

HAVE YOU TRIED ALL OF THESE LIPSTICK TEXTURES YET?

The Simple 4-Step Trick to Make Your Lipstick Last No Matter What

10 Things You Should Know About Liquid Lipstick