Bold Lips: The Lip Makeup Trend You'll Love

Red never goes out of fashion and this is the premise behind "bold lips", a type of lip make-up in contrast to what other neutral trends suggest. Take note, we'll show you how to apply it.

A variation on the traditional way to make up your lips is the one proposed by the bold lips makeup trend. The technique adds at least a couple of products to conventional lipstick to achieve an attractive effect.

The highlight of this makeup trend is the use of red, orange, and fuchsia palettes. The style has had thousands of views on social networks; just search the hashtag #boldlips to find hundreds of tutorials and recommendations of the best brands.

Its followers like the volume and intensity of bold lips when it’s carried out well. If you want to join this trend, read on and find out all about it.

What are bold lips and what is their impact?

Bold lips are a way of applying lipstick in which only vibrant colors are used, preferably red, to make them the focus of your makeup. It’s a technique that suits all complexions, and either thick lips or thin lips.

Decorative lip cosmetics – especially in strong tones – promote your appearance, as they make your mouth look more attractive, shiny, and with well-defined borders.

In the particular case of red pigments, an experiment reported by the magazine i-Perception revealed that they help to lighten the appearance of the skin and that the illusory effect achieved with the paints enhances facial contrast. In itself, it increases the perception of femininity, youth, and health.

Steps to apply the bold lips technique

The “bold lips” technique is simple to apply. You need a lip liner, a lipstick in a strong tone, and makeup concealer. Now follow the steps below.

1. Moisturize

Not only those who suffer from dry lips need to moisturize them; for the bold lips finish to be smooth, you should apply lip balm. This is the first step and it softens chapped skin. In this way, the lipstick won’t be uneven. Once the lip balm is applied, wait until it’s absorbed by the lips before proceeding.

2. Outline

Continue with the outline starting from the center of the Cupid’s bow and marking all the way to the corners of the mouth. Do the same on the lower lip. The color of the liner can be the same color as the lipstick, darker, similar to the color of your lips, or transparent.

3. Apply lipstick

In the same way you applied the eyeliner, do the same with the lipstick; start from the middle of the Cupid’s bow and from the middle of the lower lip. Of course, you can put it straight on with the lipstick brush, your fingers, or another type of brush. The key is to drag it, as this allows you to cover the entire framed area.

4. Fill it in

If you notice any uneven areas, apply a second layer, preferably with your finger. The number of coats depends on how intense you want it to look.

5. Blot it

To remove the excess, “bite” a napkin or tissue with your lips and press with light blotting movements. This suggestion is designed to remove the excess, fix the pigment and keep the lipstick from staining your teeth.

6. Concealer

Put concealer on and smudge on the lip edges; this is a way to perfect the final look.

Other ways to achieve a good finish with bold lips

• Translucent powder is used to set bold lips. Just put some on a brush, shake off the excess, and sprinkle over the lipstick.
• A trick to prolong the duration of the lipstick is to put a thin layer of primer or foundation, as this substance prevents the paint from running and evens out the surface of the lips. Do this with your fingertips or a sponge. Wait a couple of minutes before starting to apply the lipstick.

Tips to make this bold lips technique look perfect

If your purpose with bold lips is volume, use a liner similar to the shade of the lipstick and highlight the outer part. If you want thinner lips, then draw the line on the inner side of the lip line. Putting concealer on the edges contributes to a better line and intensifies the coloring.

As a last tip, make sure that the effect isn’t spoilt by areas you’ve missed. To make sure this doesn’t happen, as you put the lipstick on, smile. This is one way to ensure that the pigment has covered all the wrinkles and doesn’t look uneven.