This Lipstick Hack Will Give You Smudge-Proof Lips For Hours

Source: Ryan Emberley/Getty Images

Lipstick that lasts from noon to night sometimes feels like a makeup myth. No matter how long-lasting a product claims to be, inevitably you’ll need to touch up throughout the day – whether that’s post-lunch or pre-cocktails. This means we’re constantly on the lookout for hacks and pro tips to lock our lipstick in place.

So when we discovered a hack that involved zero lipstick but gave long-lasting lip color we were shook; and apparently, it’s been a makeup artist’s secret weapon for years. We first heard it from celeb MUA Mario Dedivanovic who works with A-listers like Kim K, Ariana Grande, and Priyanka Chopra, but we quickly discovered many more MUAs who backed the hack. Intrigued? Here’s everything you need to know about the celeb-approved lipstick hack.

The Lipstick Hack Step-By-Step

The key product for this lipstick hack is a powdered eyeshadow. Confused? The eyeshadow is the coloring, and the setting agent – just think of it as a colored setting powder. The other essential product is lip balm, which acts as the glue that allows your lip color to stay in place. Here’s our step-by-step guide:

STEP 1. Prep The Lip: First, you need to create a perfectly clean canvas for your pressed powder; the softer the lip, the more seamless the final look will be. We start by exfoliating the lip with a scrub like the Lush Lip Scrub in Mint Julips, $11, to buff away any dead skin. Then hydrate the lip using a nourishing lip balm – it should be transparent otherwise it will affect the final color.

STEP 2. Blot: Okay so this step is super important otherwise the color won’t have the same staying power. Gently blot your lip balm with a tissue to remove any excess product. Your lips should feel moisturized but not wet.

STEP 3. Apply The Eyeshadow: Using a densely packed flat brush, pack a powdered eyeshadow of your choice onto the lip and blend the color. The more eyeshadow you apply, the longer it’ll stay so don’t be afraid to layer up.

For more intense color: Some makeup artists recommend applying a lipstick after your balm to give a more intense color, then they continue to set the lipstick with a similar shade of eyeshadow or pressed pigments. For pink or peach tones, blush shadows work really well.

via Giphy

Option 2: Bake Your Lips

You can also set your lipstick with a translucent powder. We set our Cinco De Mayo Matte Power Bullet, $25, with Huda Beauty Easy Bake Powder, $34, and it stayed in place, even after eating an apple – it transferred a little, but overall stayed intact. Simply apply your chosen lipstick and then again, using a densely packed flat brush pack the translucent powder onto your lips, leave it to set for 3-5 minutes, and then dust off the remaining powder. Once that is complete, go in for one final layer of color by dabbing the lip with lipstick. You do soften the color of the lipstick slightly, but it works really well.

Pressed Powder Lip Products

Source: Chanel, ByTerry

There are actually products specifically designed for this technique; the Chanel Poudre à Lèvres Exclusive Creation Lip Balm and Powder Duo, $38, includes a velvet lip balm with two red pressed pigments, which you use together. By Terry also have a powdered lip product; the Lip Powder Essence, $33, that transforms into a liquid when it meets the skin.

Let us know if you’ve tried this hack in the comments below.