A slick of lipstick is an important finishing touch in your beauty routine. There’s nothing more frustrating or embarrassing than when it bleeds outside the lines. We’ve all experienced that moment when your once flawless lipstick application starts smudging and feathering into the fine lines around your mouth. Here are 15 surprising causes of lipstick bleeding—and how to help it stay put.
1. Bleeding is Messy and Embarrassing
Bleeding lipstick is never a good look. This happens when your lipstick spreads (or feathers) beyond the natural outline of your lips, creating a smudged, uneven, messy appearance. Not only does this make your lips look less defined, but it can seep into the fine lines or wrinkles around your mouth, making them more noticeable. Eating, drinking, or doing any of these things can mess your lips up.
2. Skipping Lip Liner
Lip liner isn’t just a nostalgic nod to the 90s; it’s your best defense against lipstick bleeding. By creating a defined boundary, it helps keep your lipstick from straying into the fine lines around your mouth. To help keep everything in place, always apply lip liner that matches your lipstick or your natural lip color and draw just outside the natural line of your mouth.
3. Applying Too Much Lip Balm
We all adore a great lip balm that hydrates your pout and makes it look and feel smooth and supple. However, overdoing the balm before your lipstick is a no-no, as it can create a slippery surface, making it difficult for your lipstick to stay in place. Apply a thin layer of lip balm, let it absorb, and then blot off any excess before applying your lipstick.
3. Overly Glossy Formulas
Glossy and creamy lipsticks offer stunning hydration and a beautiful finish but beware. Their soft, emollient-rich formulas can make them more susceptible to bleeding, especially if your lips or the surrounding skin is oily. If you love a glossy finish, consider layering them over matte lipstick or lip liner to create a more stable base.
4. Not Exfoliating Your Lips
Dry, flaky lips create an uneven surface, which can stop your lipstick from going on properly and cause it to settle into cracks and creases. This can result in bleeding and feathering, making your makeup look less polished. Exfoliate your lips regularly with a gentle scrub or a soft toothbrush to create a smooth canvas for your lipstick.
5. Skin Aging is Lip Aging
As we age, the skin around our lips becomes thinner and drier and forms fine lines and wrinkles around the mouth. This creates an uneven surface and crevices that lipstick can easily settle into and then spread. Use a lip primer or a lip liner to fill in fine lines and create a smoother surface for your lipstick. And steer clear of heavy matte lipsticks as these can be drying and exaggerate aging signs.
6. Skipping Lip Primer
Lip primer might seem like an extra step, but it’s well worth it. Creating a smooth, even base helps your lipstick go on better and stay in place all day, preventing any unwanted smudging or fading. Apply a lip primer before your lipstick to help lock to prevent it from feathering and bleeding.
7. Using an Old Lipstick
Lipsticks don’t have an infinite lifespan. Over time, they can lose their consistency and break, which increases the likelihood of smearing and bleeding. Make sure to check the expiration date on your lipstick and toss any that are past their prime.
8. Not Setting Your Lipstick
You set your makeup, so don’t forget to extend it to your lips. Setting your lipstick can be really effective in preventing bleeding, especially with bold colors or creamy formulas. Without setting, your lipstick is more likely to move around as you talk, eat, and drink. After applying your lipstick, blot with a tissue, then lightly dust your lips with translucent powder to lock things in.
9. Over-Moisturizing Your Lips
Keeping your lips hydrated is essential, but overdoing it can make them too slick, causing your lipstick to slip right off. Overly moisturized lips don’t provide the grip needed to hold onto your lipstick, which can lead to feathering. Hydrate your lips as part of your skincare routine, but allow time for the product to absorb before applying your lipstick.
10. Using the Wrong Lip Brush
Application matters. If your lip brush is too soft or flimsy, it may not apply your lipstick with the precision required to prevent bleeding. A lack of precision can lead to uneven edges that are more prone to bleeding. Opt for a firm, fine-tipped lip brush for more controlled application and sharper lines.
11. Talking Right After Application
Give your lipstick a moment to settle in before heading out. When you eat, drink, or talk right after application, it can increase the likelihood of your lipstick smudging and bleeding.
12. Dark Matte Lipsticks
Darker lipsticks are often more pigmented, which means any bleeding or feathering can become more apparent. These rich shades can be particularly unforgiving if they start to migrate outside the lip line. Pair dark lipsticks with a lip liner and primer to keep the color in place and prevent it from bleeding.
13. Heat Warning
You might want to reconsider your lipstick shade in summer. Warm weather and humidity can literally melt your lipstick and send it sliding. Go for lighter shades or a tinted balm because heat and sweat are the perfect recipe for bleeding.
14. Kiss it Off
Lipstick can be a messy business. And while it can be alluring to others, it doesn’t really bode well for intimacy. Nothing will smudge a lipstick faster than puckering up. Not only will your kiss ruin your lipstick, but it could also transfer onto your beloved, which is embarrassing for both of you.
15. Lack of H20
In addition to keeping your pout well-hydrated with lip balms, don’t forget your internal moisturizer. You need to drink 2.7 liters of water per day to keep your skin and body hydrated and to help flush out toxins. If you don’t, your lips will become dry and chaffed fast, and we all know this causes your lipstick to bleed just as fast.