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

Do your makeup! We love brushed-up brows, lush lashes, and rosy blush to complement a bold lip. A cat eye also anchors a defined pout well. Your lipstick can be the last step before you head out the door.

Grab a liner in the same shade as your lipstick and sharpen it as much as possible. Trace your lips from the center out using the pointy part for definition. Then, fill in your pout as if you were applying lipstick using the flat side — it will give you more coverage.

"The reason you do this is because lip liners tend to be longer wearing than lipsticks," Niko explained. "They tend to be drier and more matte to give you more grip on the lip."

Pull out a loose powder with a bit of color. "I just like the pigment, it's more opaque," Niko noted. "Translucent powder tends to be more reflective and slippery." Here, he used Nars Soft Velvet Loose Powder for its silky yet matte finish.

Apply the powder all over your lip with a fluffy brush — like the kind you would use for bronzer. "Dip it into the loose powder, dust it, and then just tap it to cover the entire lip," he explained. "You want a light veil of product that's not overly saturated. The reason to use a loose powder over the lip liner is because once you set it, it's going to stay."

Go over your powdered mouth with the lipstick (Niko used Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dragon Girl). He advised to start from the Cupid's bow and then work your way to the outer corners of the top lip. For the bottom, swipe left to right, right to left. You can also lightly line your lips again with the edge of the tube and fill in the rest if you're worried about feathering.

Powder your lips yet again to set the lipstick.

To truly make your lipstick stay, repeat everything again: the liner, the powder, and the lipstick. So you would do the entire sequence two times. "The reason you want to do it twice is just reinforcing it and really setting it in to get longevity," Niko said. "So yes, layers!"

"When you're choosing the lipstick, anything from a matte to a creamy texture is OK," Niko advised. "Anything too hydrating or too moisturizing is going to be too glossy."

"I use this technique backstage with models [at Fashion Week], especially when it calls for a bold lip, and it tends to get crazy and they might not have a chance to touch their lips up," Niko said. "I found this technique really stays on."

To prove how well this technique works, we had our model test it out by taking a sip of Champagne. As you can see, no pout stain is visible on the glass.

You can have your coffee and wear your lipstick, too! No telltale red residue was left behind.

Feel free to smooch your lover — since your kisses will be clear. Makeup magic!

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