The Best Order To Apply Your Lip Products For Lasting Color

To prep your lips for color, a quality lip balm is virtually non-negotiable. "Using a balm covers and fills in any little gaps in your lips to keep the color from sinking in and keeps color from sticking to dry patches that can flake," notes Patinkin. Hopefully you've wiped most of it off, but a good quality balm can soften any remaining bits you may have missed. "A tinted balm can help enhance the color of a lipstick, but a clear balm gives a more realistic result," she adds. Look for emollients that help rebuild the skin barrier and even out microcracks — for example, mindbodygreen's lip balm contains shea butter, coconut butter and vitamin E, plus moringa seed oil for loads of fatty acids and antioxidants.

Timing does matter, though: apply your lipstick right after applying a balm, and the color will likely run right off. Patinkin recommends applying your balm about 15 minutes before your makeup routine — like when you get out of the shower or start styling your hair. This way, the formula has enough time to sink into the skin and soften your pout. If your lips still feel slippery when you're ready to apply lip color, you can dab excess product with a tissue.