4 Pretty Lip Care Tips for Valentine’s Day

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Know Cosmetics. All opinions are 100% mine.

With Valentine’s Day coming up tomorrow, a lot of attention is being paid to the lips. Personally, my lips are my favorite feature to play up year round with all sorts of different colors. I love making a statement with bold shades, or complimenting my eye look with corresponding colors.

The right lip care and application tricks are key to making any lipstick look great all day– even your cheapest tube!

Read on to discover my favorite lip care tips when I want my lip shade to make a statement and look great no matter what they’re up against– whether you’re smooching a valentine or slaying at the club with your girls!

1. Exfoliate

No matter the finish— but especially if you’ve chosen a matte shade for the day— the best way to ensure smooth application is by exfoliating your lips first. This will get rid of all the dry skin, revealing a soft new layer for lipstick to glide onto. You don’t need any fancy schmancy products for this; you can DIY your own lip scrub from ingredients you most likely have in your kitchen right now! I like combining 1/4 teaspoon sugar with 1/4 teaspoon coconut oil for a gentle— yet effective— scrub. Rub into your lips for about 15 seconds, then remove the excess with a paper towel.

2. Moisturize & Blot

I find applying lip balm before applying your color helps lock in moisture so that my lips are hydrated, especially when using liquid lipsticks. This way, I don’t feel the need to add anything extra throughout the day, which might compromise the color. Add as much lip balm you need to make your lips feel moisturized, then blot several times using a tissue until you’ve slightly mattified the balm. You don’t want there to be excess balm on and around the lips, as it may compromise application and wear time.

3. Line & Fill

One of my favorite tricks to long lasting and feather-free lipstick is lining with a clear pencil. This lets me plan out the shape I’m going for without commitment, as it won’t stain the skin. It’ll also match any shade of lipstick you want to wear, and buffs into the skin easily if you need to clean up an edge.

Know Cosmetics has a clear liner called No Bleeding Lips that would work perfectly for this step. I also use the liner to fill in my lips after lining to help smooth over fine lines and give my lipstick something to hold on to, like a primer.

ALSO READ: 6 Makeup Hacks Using a Nude Eyeliner

4. Don’t Skip the Top Coat

Finally, you’ll want to lock in your lip shade so that you don’t have to worry about it fading or transferring. I’ve already told you about No, My Lips Are Sealed from Know Cosmetics in my initial review here, and let me tell you— I’ve been using it for every special occasion since! It will take any lipstick you’re wearing and make it smudge proof so you can go through the day with all of its meals, drinks, and kisses without worrying about touching up.

Keep in mind, this particular topcoat does slightly mattify the lipstick you’ve chosen, but it does NOT dry out your lips. Especially when I prep with the steps above, my lips feel comfortable and the product feels weightless, all while protecting my look for hours. I’ve particularly started to appreciate it when I’m overdrawing my lips, as it will keep the color in place where I’ve drawn over skin and won’t blow my cover. You can find the Know Cosmetics No, My Lips Are Sealed topcoat at Sephora. A splurge that’s totally worth it to make all of your lipsticks perform on overdrive.

With these tips, your lips will be looking irresistibly kissable all Valentine’s Day long, or whenever else you want to make a statement!

What are your favorite lip care and lipstick tricks?