4 tricks to help you *nail* a matte lip
We’ve seen a lot of makeup trends come and go, but one that seems to be sticking around (*grateful emoji hands*) is the matte lip finish. Whether worn in nude, an everyday soft pink, or an intense plum or red, a matte lipstick can elevate any beauty look.
For some, making the switch from your regular gloss, shine, or sheer-finish lip colour can seem daunting. Which is why we’ve taken the liberty of showing you just how easy it is to pull off a matte lip look (you just need some handy prep and application tips and tricks up your sleeve).
Toolkit
The obvious thing you’ll need is a matte lipstick. We used Nude by Nature Creamy Matte Lipstick and picked the shade Cerise to show you how good the colour pay-off is (there are 10 shades in the range).
Then, to ensure a perfect finish, you’ll also need a lip scrub (we’ve got BYBI Beauty’s Lip Buffer) and a lip primer (we’ve used the Creamy Matte Lipstick’s partner-in-crime, Nude by Nature’s Perfecting Lip Primer). And to finish things off, make sure you have a highlighter on hand (we prefer a liquid for this, so we’ve used Nude by Nature Soft Focus Illuminator).
1
Give your lips a good scrub
While a smooth canvas is ideal for any lip look, it’s even more important when it comes to a matte lip as the texture can highlight any chapped areas or dryness.
Using gentle circular motions, gently buff the BYBI Beauty Lip Buffer scrub over wet lips to exfoliate away any dry bits. Once you’re done, make sure to thoroughly rinse your lips.
And voila! Smooth, flake-free lips.
2
Prime your lips
You know how you use a primer on your face to ensure your makeup looks smooth and stays put all day long? Apply the same logic if you want your matte lipstick to go the distance. Swipe the Nude by Nature Perfecting Lip Primer across your top and bottom lips (and slightly beyond the lip contour) to smooth and condition them, and help create an even base for your lipstick application.
The Perfecting Lip Primer contains super nourishing ingredients like Australian Kakadu plum, vitamin E, shea butter and kukui nut oil to ensure lips get maximum moisture, while clever optical blurring spheres not only deliver a flawless finish, but they help minimise feathering (which is why you apply it that little bit outside your lip contour).
3
Apply your lipstick in steps
Here’s a little tip if anything beyond a shade of nude feels too hard to get right: Don’t feel like you need to swipe across your entire top and bottom lip in one go. Break up the application.
Start by creating an ‘X’ shape at your Cupid’s bow. Then swipe the bullet from the centre of your top lip down to the right lip corner, then from the centre down to the left corner. Finish with a swipe across your bottom lip (you can break this up, too, if you need – just go from corner to centre as it’s easier to go wider with the application than it is to go narrower).
The great thing about the Nude by Nature Creamy Matte Lipstick is that – unlike a lot of matte lipsticks on the market – it glides beautifully, so application is SO easy. No catching or dragging. And the colour pay-off is instant.
Beyond offering super-pigmented colour and a velvet finish, your lips will feel comfortable and nourished all day (that’s thanks to the nourishing ingredients of vitamin E, mango seed butter, castor oil and moisturising HA microspheres) and won’t have that dull, chalky finish.
4
Highlight to finish
Highlighter? For your face? To finish a lip look?
YES!
Obscure, we know, but if you go all out matte with your makeup, the overall aesthetic can look a little dull. So give your skin a natural glow by applying a liquid highlighter to your cheekbones and temples. We used our fingers to press in the Nude by Nature Soft Focus Illuminator to give skin a lit-from-within finish.
Love the idea of using more beauty products with natural ingredients? Here are three natural beauty products that will make the switch a breeze.
Main and inset image credit: Sevak Babakhani
Hair & makeup credit: Isabella Schimid
Carli was BEAUTYcrew’s Editor from launch in 2016 until May 2020. You can find her words right here on BEAUTYcrew, and previously on beautyheaven.
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