How to Prep Lips Before a Matte Lipstick

How to Prep Lips Before a Matte Lipstick

Lip prep before lipstick is two steps: a gentle sugar scrub, then a rich balm that fills the tiny lines the scrub reveals. I pick scrubs, balms and comfortable matte lipsticks that reward the prep, all in about two minutes.

In November 2015, Kylie Jenner launched her first Lip Kits, a matte liquid lipstick and matching liner, and they sold out in minutes. Suddenly everyone wanted a flat, velvety matte lip, and just as quickly everyone found out what matte does to dry lips: it clings to every flake and settles into every line. The formulas have gotten far more comfortable since then, but the lesson stands. A good matte starts with smooth, soft lips.

Step one is a lip exfoliator, and there are two kinds. Most are scrubs. Tatcha The Kissu Lip Scrub uses peach seed, konjac and camellia oil. fresh Sugar Lip Polish is the classic brown sugar scrub. MAKEUP BY MARIO Perfecting Lip Scrub is edible, so no worries if you lick your lips. OLEHENRIKSEN Pout Preserve Sugar Melt is a leave-on scrub with kokum butter. The papaya enzyme Lip Scrub pairs sugar with an enzyme for a double effect. sara happ The Lip Scrub in Vanilla Bean smells like dessert, and Dolce & Gabbana Nouri Lip Berry Scrub is the treat. Then there is The Ordinary PHA 5% Exfoliating Lip Serum, a gentle chemical exfoliator for people who find scrubs too rough.

A quick test: after exfoliating, press your lips together. If they feel smooth and not tender, you did it right. If they sting, you scrubbed too hard.

Collage matching lip prep problems to fresh Sugar Lip Polish, The Ordinary PHA 5% Exfoliating Lip Serum, Sisley Nutritive Lip Balm, MAKEUP BY MARIO Ultra Suede Lipstick and NARS Powermatte Lipstick
Lip scrubs and exfoliators

Lip scrubs and exfoliators

Lip balms to smooth and cushion

Step two is a balm, and it matters as much as the scrub. It fills in the tiny lines that exfoliation reveals and gives the matte something soft to sit on.

Sisley Nutritive Lip Balm is rich with oils and butters that protect and plump. La Mer The Lip Balm is thick and cushiony. Grown Alchemist Hydra Restore Lip Balm is light and plant-based. Susanne Kaufmann Lip Balm is simple and gentle. Follain Lip Balm in Clear is a clean, everyday balm. Moroccanoil Lip Balm uses argan butter and a peptide. Oak Essentials Conditioning Lip Balm is soft and nourishing, and sara happ The Lip Slip Balm pairs with the scrub above. Any of them works overnight too, which is when lips repair best.

Pairing tip: apply a balm right after the scrub, wait five minutes, then blot it off with a tissue. You keep the softness without the slip, and the matte will not slide.

What I would skip: going straight from a thick balm into a matte lipstick. The oil breaks down the matte and it looks patchy within an hour. Always blot.

Lip balms

Matte lipsticks that reward the prep

Now the payoff. These are matte lipsticks that are comfortable enough to wear all day, especially on well-prepped lips.

MAC Macximal Silky Matte in Twig Twist is a soft, muted brownish pink with up to twelve hours of wear. NARS Powermatte in Start Me Up is a warm pink brown that is transfer-resistant. MAKEUP BY MARIO Ultra Suede in Jesse is a pink mauve brown with a soft-focus finish. Valentino Spike in Better Crying In A Limo is a soft mauve brown that goes on in one stroke. Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Pillow Talk Medium is a warm berry pink. Hourglass Unlocked Soft Matte in Foxglove 356 is a berry rose with built-in primer. Prada Monochrome Soft Matte in Auburn is a warm pink brown, and PAT McGRATH LABS MatteTrance in Nude Venus is a soft nude.

How to use them: apply from the center outward, then use a lip brush or fingertip to soften the edges. Matte looks best when it is not perfectly sharp.

What I would skip: exfoliating right before a big event if your lips are sensitive. Do it the night before, balm overnight, then apply the matte in the morning.

Matte lipsticks

Two minutes before matte

The whole routine takes two minutes. Use a lip exfoliator, press on a balm, wait, blot and apply your matte. If you only do one thing, do the balm and blot, since that alone makes a big difference. Exfoliate two or three times a week, not every day, and keep one of the lip balms here by your bed for nights. Once your lips are smooth, you will find that almost any matte lipstick feels more comfortable and lasts longer, which is the whole reason for the prep in the first place. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Maybelline SuperStay Matte Ink, From Mabel's Lashes to Your Lips and The Happy Accident Behind the MAC Retro Matte Lipstick.