… and when we get to the end of the story, and pull the mask off the villain, we all find out it’s… YOU.

This is Day 1 of my Lipstick Frustrations series. I’m Jay Harper, your host and guide today, and I make lipstick for a living. Solving the mystery of the disappearing lipstick evades some, and that’s ok.

The Chief Complaint:
"My Lipstick Never Lasts. I Put It On, And An Hour Later, It's Gone!"

You've been been lead to believe that this has something to do with the lipstick formula. Big Cosmo has identified that lots of women share this very common problem, but instead of teaching you something new, they sell you something new.

(Long wear lipstick formulas use plasticizers, glues, and chemical stains to stick to your skin - bad part: that stuff damages collagen, and ages skin faster.)

Here's The Truth About Where Your Lipstick Goes.

It boils down to simple preparation.  Along with a few critical, but overlooked application techniques. Without the 6 techniques in this lesson, any lipstick could be difficult to manage, causing you more frustration than perfection.

These 6 techniques in today's lesson will teach you:

1. How To Make Lipstick Last Longer
2. How To Keep Colors On Target
3. How To Create Smooth, Flawless Finishes
4. How to Keep Lipsticks From Creeping and Sliding[gap height="30px"]

Here's three things you need to understand first.

#1

Lipstick = Lip + Stick. Not Stick, like from a tree, but stick as in "sticks to." Lipstick is mostly comprised of waxes and binders that give it its texture and "stickiness."

#2

Your lips shed. At any given time, your lips are covered with thousands of loose skin cells ready to fall off at the slightest touch. Without hydration, the problem is worse. And if you have an auto-immune disease (like Celiac Disease) - your body doesn't absorb digested nutrients meant to hydrate your skin - making your lips even drier.

When lipstick disappears quickly, it is partly due to those skin cells shedding (along with your lipstick).

When you leave a lip print on a glass, it is because the lipstick adhered to the glass better than your skin, and the loose skin cells that the lipstick was adhered to comes right off with it.

Let me say that again... when you leave a massive lisptick print on a glass, it's BECAUSE the lipstick stuck TO THE GLASS, better than it stuck TO YOU.

The lipstick did exactly what it was supposed to do... be sticky... I'll cover exactly how to reverse that in need to know #3.

How cool would it be if you removed those cells yourself before applying lipstick? It's a good idea. More on that later.

#3

Your lips are a canvas. Think about it like a painters canvas.  I'll put this in story form.

Laura is a painter.  And she has a canvas that's 30 years old.  It's spent some time in the weather, but it's in pretty good condition for being 30 years old. It's a little dry, when she rubs the surface, it dusts on her fingers.

Before Laura paints on the canvas, she pours some coffee or diet coke on it. Then she rubs the coffee in with a greasy breakfast sandwich, or even a banana.

Laura paints the dry, coffee'd, banana covered canvas. She uses too much paint, and immediately takes it out into the weather before its set, possibly rolling a coffee mug over it.

How well is that paint going to adhere?

Ok, let's re-tell this story.

Same painters canvas. But this time, before Laura paints it, she gives it a light sanding to remove the powdery, dusty surface. Then she ensures it is properly hydrated. She cleans it, making sure it is free of all oils, grease, food and crumbs. Then she carefully dries it.

Now she paints it, using just the right amount of paint.  She sets the paint and allows it setup prior to showing off her masterpiece.

Is this going to do better? YES, it is. So here's what you're going to do about it.

The following techniques are often overlooked.

The secrets to long lasting, flawless lipstick are exfoliation, hydration, clean lips, and application technique. Let's discuss these 6 important DO's in depth.

DO THIS #1: EXFOLIATE
In order to get the most out of your lip color, you need to create a perfect canvas for application.

If your lips are dry, cracked or peeling, the color is going to bleed into those areas, creating a "splotchy" and unflattering effect. This is the extreme at one end. At the other end, you might think your lips are just fine, the truth is however, that they are covered with cells and skin flakes ready to come off.

This is where forced exfoliation comes in. There are many techniques to doing this, and we suggest you add one of these to your daily routine.

• Soft Toothbrush and Balm - Use a soft toothbrush with a dab of Rallye Balm™ and gently scrub your lips.
• Dedicated Exfoliation Stick - Use the Red Apple Exfoliation Stick
• Honey and Sugar Mix - Mix 1 tsp each of olive oil, honey, and sugar. Rub this on your lips in circular motions using your fingertips and rinse it off after about 30 seconds.
• Washcloth - Just like it sounds. Deliberately Scrub a dub dub!

DO THIS #2: INCREASE HYDRATION

I know this sounds simple, and it is. It's also crucial. Hydrated lips will always provide the very best base for lipstick possible.

• Drink More Water - Keeping your body hydrated is not just important, but it will keep your lips smooth and plump.
• Use Rallye Balm™ Everyday - A product like Rallye Balm is unique. Rallye Balm is lab tested gluten, paraben and lead free. It is mostly comprised of gluten free Vitamin E. Your lips are very delicate and a product like Rallye Balm™ is going to immediatly hydrate, deliver Vitamin E to the skin of the lips. Vitamin E helps skin stay stronger, and stronger lip skin is going to retain moisture better.

BEST PRACTICE - When using Rallye Balm™ or any other balm we recommend that you apply it somewhat liberally. If it's bedtime there would be no problem leaving a liberal amount on your lips while you sleep.

If you are prepping for a lipstick application, use your finger to rub the balm in deep and wipe away any excess. Allow a minute or two for this to soak in and form a base for your lipstick. Blot with a tissue if needed.

DO THIS #3: CLEAN YOUR LIPS PRIOR TO APPLYING LIPSTICK

This is also super simple, but critical. You must make sure your lips are free from all dirt, oil, grease and food prior to putting on lipstick.

Use a mild face wash. A dab on your finger is all it takes.

You don't have to pretend you are in the shower or anything, just a little soap and water and will free up the grease from any foods and drinks you've recently had.

Dry your lips thoroughly.

I always recommend that you keep a small container of the same soap in your purse.

When you go to the office lunch party, and you are done eating and drinking, excuse yourself to the ladies room (never apply lipstick at the table, or in public in general... if you can help it). Grab a dab of water and soap from your purse, and just quickly swash your lips with it, rinse and dry.

If you don't have soap, don't use the bathroom soap unless absolutely necessary, just plain water is better than a drying soap... your lips are delicate, so let's treat them as such.

DO THIS #4: APPLY LIPSTICK THOUGHTFULLY

Slow down. I realize that most of us are always rushed...rush rush rush, but when it comes to your lipstick, slowing down the application can be very helpful.

When you apply lipstick, you don't want to try to get it all on in a single swack. This is a critical mistake I see a lot of women make.

When you rush, you use too much pressure to apply as much lipstick as possible, in the shortest amount of time.

What you are not doing is working the lipstick into all the small, practically microscopic folds in your lip skin.

When you use too much pressure, it forces the skin to fold in onto itself... it "indents", further closing the natural lines and folds of your lip. Literally, lipstick is only coming into to contact with 45% of your lip skin.... and so then...

... the second thing that happens when you rush is you use too much lipstick + you never had a chance to setup the foundation layer... so too much lipstick, is too loose on top of more loose lipstick.

You will have much much better results when you apply thoughtfully. It's important to know your lips, where every divit, crease and line is.

As you apply, pay attention to 'working' the color IN, not just on.

The first swipe sets the ground rules.

It is a good idea to pull the lips skin somewhat taught with your other hand, and slowly work that lipstick around, define the edge boundary at this stage, and use a light pressure.

The second swipe is just as light, only now are you working to "build the color", while also working to fill in any areas that the first swipe might not have gotten into.

Understand that the creases in your lip skin are vertical, and if you are using lipstick straight out of the tube, you are probably swiping side to side, the opposite direction of any creases.

Now, as you go for your third (and if needed) a fourth swipe, you are building intensity.

Keep going until you go just beyond the intensity level you want, and then proceed to the next step, which you cannot overlook!

DO THIS #5: BLOT, THEN RE-APPLY, THEN BLOT AGAIN
This is the "setting" stage. And you can see me demonstrate this in the bonus video #2 of this series.

Blotting does two things. It's MAIN FUNCTION is to press the lipstick into your skin, and press each layer onto the one under it.

It also removes any "heavy hands" - loose lipstick that might slide around.

Use a double folded tissue. Open your lips, place the tissue between your lips until it just reaches the corners of your mouth.

**Lightly** close your mouth straight down onto the tissue, roll the tissue in with your lips, roll the tissue back out with your lips, open and remove.

There should only be a hint of lipstick on the tissue. If you have what you might consider a LOT of lipstick, you had too much lipstick on to begin with.

After blotting, re-apply the lipstick, very light coat. One or two swipes, if you need a little more color.

Blot again.

Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is not to remove lipstick, but to press the lipstick down onto itself, and settle it into the skin.

It also helps the outer most layer that's loose make up it's mind about staying or going.

Again, there should be very little lipstick on the tissue. If you have a LOT of lipstick on the tissue, you either applied way to much to begin with, or you pressed down to hard... or both.

DO THIS #6: LEAVE IT ALONE
Before you do anything else, allow the lipstick 5 - 10 minutes to finish "setting up".

The lipstick needs to come up to your bodies temperature, and set-up. Lipstick is intended to work better at a higher temp, it "sets up" at around your bodies temp.

That means put down the coffee mug for 5 minutes.

These tips will also help stop lipstick bleeding

Tomorrow is Day 2 of our Lipstick Frustration course:

What Color Would Look Good For Me?

Until Tomorrow,

Jay Harper