By Sarah Fendrich
Lipstick that feathers into the lines around your mouth by noon, fades after one coffee, or ends up more on the rim of your cup than your actual lips — nearly every client tells me some version of this story. And nearly every time, the problem isn’t the lipstick. It’s the order things go on, and where you start.
Get the layering right and a single application of lipstick can hold for four to five hours. Here’s the exact method I walk every client through, straight from my private lessons.
The step almost everyone skips: lip primer
Before liner, before color, tap a small amount of Prime Time Eye and Lip Primer all over your lips with your fingertip. This is the one step most people leave out entirely, and it’s the reason their lipstick doesn’t last.
Primer gives liner and lipstick something to grip onto. Skip it, and color sits on top of natural lip oils — which is exactly why it slides off by lunchtime. Thirty seconds of prep buys you hours of wear.
The layer order that makes it last
Once your lips are primed, the order is: primer → liner → lipstick. Each layer builds on the one before it, and skipping or reordering any of them is the difference between color that holds and color that doesn’t.
Liner isn’t just for outlining — it’s a base coat. When you fill in the entire lip with liner before adding lipstick, the color underneath stays put even after the top layer of lipstick has worn away through the day. That’s the trick that makes lips look finished even hours after you’ve eaten, talked, and had coffee: there’s still color underneath.
Where to start (and why)
Two rules make the biggest difference here:
Start in the middle, not the corner. The center of your lip is the focal point — it’s also the easiest place to get a clean line since the shape is simplest there. Work outward from the center toward the corners, rather than trying to trace the whole lip in one long stroke.
Bottom lip first, then top. The bottom lip is a simpler shape, so it’s the better place to build confidence before tackling the cupid’s bow. Go slowly — rushing is the single most common mistake I see. Short, deliberate movements give you a cleaner line than one fast sweep every time.
When you get to the top lip, aim for a cupid’s bow that’s slightly rounder than you think it should be — not sharply pointed. A softer peak looks more natural and is much more forgiving if your hand isn’t perfectly steady.
Fill in the whole lip — don't just outline
This is the step that separates a lip look that fades gracefully from one that looks unfinished after an hour: fill in your entire lip lightly with liner before applying lipstick, not just the outer edge.
Think of the liner as the base layer of color and the lipstick as what sits on top of it. As the lipstick wears through the day — from talking, eating, drinking — the liner underneath keeps the shape and color intact. Without it, you’re left with a faded ring around the mouth and nothing underneath once the lipstick fades.
My Kohl Lip Pencil is built for exactly this — a soft, hypoallergenic kohl formula that glides on with zero tugging and builds smoothly from a precise outline to a fully filled lip.
Choosing your lipstick shade
A quick rule of thumb I give clients who aren’t sure what shade to reach for: blue-based reds flatter most skin tones, while orange-based reds tend to work against cooler or fairer complexions — they can read more orange than red in certain lighting.
If you’re testing a new shade from Lipstick Luxury, check it in natural daylight rather than under indoor lighting, and look at the undertone against your skin rather than judging the color in the tube. When in doubt, a blue-based red is the safer starting point.
Lipgloss: the casual alternative
Not every day calls for the full liner-and-lipstick routine, and that’s exactly what Lipgloss is for. It’s the easiest way to add color and shine without the precision liner requires — swipe it on directly, no mirror required.
Two of my go-to everyday shades: Lunar, a clear sparkly gloss that works over anything or on its own, and Pink Lady, a universally flattering everyday pink. Gloss also layers beautifully over lipstick for extra shine when you want a dressier finish. Keep a travel size in your bag or car for touch-ups on the go.
The lip routine at a glance
- Tap Prime Time Eye and Lip Primer over your lips with your fingertip
- Pick up your Kohl Lip Pencil
- Start in the middle of the bottom lip, work outward
- Move to the top lip — shape a soft, rounder cupid’s bow
- Fill in the entire lip lightly with liner as your base
- Apply Lipstick Luxury on top — blue-based red if you’re unsure which shade to pick
- Blot lightly, then reapply for extra staying power if you’d like more pigment
- On low-key days, swap the routine for a swipe of Lipgloss instead
Want to practice with me?
If you’d like to try this on your own lips with real-time feedback, I offer three ways to learn: private in-person lessons in Danville, CA, one-on-one lessons via Zoom, and group lessons if you’d like to learn alongside friends. We’ll find the shades and technique that work best for your lips and skin tone, start to finish.
Shop the products in this post
Sarah’s picks for the full lip routine — everything you need to make your lip color last all day.
Sarah’s starter recommendation
Prime Time Primer + Kohl Lip Pencil + Lipstick Luxury — the full long-wear lip routine ($89)
