Everything To Know About Finding the Perfect Lip Liner

Maybe you're a lip gloss or lipstick lover and you think lip liner isn't a necessary tool for your everyday make-up kit.

However, if you're looking to take your lip game to the next level, a good liner can help. Be warned though, once you start using lip liner, you won’t want to be without it.

What's the purpose of lip liner?

Well, there's three main ones:

1. It helps define your lip shape. Emphasise that Cupid's bow or draw a straighter line to give them a much more definite edge.

2. Corrects and enhances your natural lip shape by making them appear more even and symmetrical and plump by lining the outer edge of your natural lip line slightly beyond.

3. Lastly, it's there for the long-haul. Using lip liner as a base will make your colour stay 10 times as long and will wear off more evenly when it eventually does.

What colour should your lip liner be?

For a neutral/nude shade - just a tiny bit darker than your natural lip colour with almost every lip colour you wear.

But, the process for finding your perfect nude tone is a bit like finding the right foundation shade. First, look at the depth of colour in your natural lip (how dark are they?) and then also the tone (what colour are they?). Natural lips vary greatly in depth of colour and this will depend on your skin, eye, and hair colour.

Some lips are pale pink, some more ruby and others brownish. Once you have the tone and depth of colour, you can find your match or go one shade darker. This will be your perfect nude to wear with most colours.

However, if you are wearing bright shades such as intense reds, orange, or fuchsia and very dark shades, use a lip liner shade that matches the bright or deep colour to keep the intensity because using a soft, neutral shade will wash out the brighter or deeper colour.

The exception is if you are wearing bright shades such as intense reds, orange, or fuchsia and very dark shades because that soft, neutral shade will wash out the brighter or deeper colour. In those situations, use a lip liner shade that matches the bright or deep colour to keep the intensity. If you fancy having some fun, make your own colours using different liners under different lip shades to create some signature looks!

Should my lip liner show?

No, your lip liner should not show! To avoid this makeup mishap, use the liner to not only define your lips but colour them in entirely.

The reason for this is because lip liner has stronger pigment than your lip colour, so the colour will wear faster and leave the liner exposed. The only exception to this everyday rule is if you were wanting to create an ombre lip which is a graduation of colour from lighter to darker. Once again, no harsh lines allowed. This technique can start with the darker shade in the centre fading outwards or more commonly the darker shade on the outer shading lighter inwards.

Is lip liner on-trend?

Always.

Lip liner should be part of everyone's make-up collection because of the amazing impact it provides. It's such an easy step to add to your routine and a trick that professional makeup artists will always use.

Even on a no-makeup day, outlining your lips and shading them in with your perfect nude liner will define that key feature on your face – your lips and your smile.

Issada has a great range of mineral-based lip liners and lip crayons in a spectrum of fabulous shades. So go on - start lining and defining today.