How to Apply Lip Liner Correctly, According to Pro Makeup Artists

Lip liner—a bona fide ’90s beauty hero—has had a major comeback in recent years. But before jumping on the bandwagon, it’s worth learning how to apply lip liner correctly. With the proper prep and technique, you can easily create a long-lasting look that takes your lip combo to the next level.

Like any makeup product that requires precision, practice makes perfect with lip liner. Once you’ve mastered the basics, there are so many ways to experiment and play. “Think of lip liner as both the blueprint and the barrier for your lip color,” Sara Kuhl, makeup artist and product education director at SeneGence, tells Glamour. “It’s a small step that makes a big difference in your final look. That added definition instantly elevates your entire makeup look, giving it that refined, finished touch.”

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Below, we asked professional makeup artists for a complete crash course in lip liner, from an easy step-by-step application guide to how to customize your look.

What are the benefits of wearing lip liner?

Whether you’re looking to draw more attention to your lips, or just polish up your go-to lipstick look, there are plenty of upsides to adding a liner to your routine. Even at its most basic application level, “Lip liner defines your shape, helps prevent feathering, and extends wear for long-lasting color confidence,” Kuhl says.

Once you’re comfortable with the product, your liner can act like a makeup magic wand—creating subtle illusions that bring major variety to your lip combos. “I like using a lip liner because it allows you to be super precise, and you can adjust the shape of your lips a little by making them appear fuller and more even,” says Jake Warden, Dolce & Gabbana Beauty’s global makeup expert.

How to apply lip liner, step-by-step

“Healthy, hydrated lips make for a smooth canvas,” Kuhl says. She recommends starting with a lip exfoliant or conditioning polish to gently remove any dead skin: “Follow with an antioxidant-rich juicy lip mask or a shea-butter-infused moisturizing gloss to nourish and hydrate, then blot lightly to remove excess moisture before applying your liner.” Warden advises letting your lip mask sit while doing the rest of your makeup to maximize hydration.

Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask

Tatcha Kissu Lip Mask

“Start by identifying your natural border and tracing using short, light strokes for precision,” Kuhl says. If you’re new to using lip liner, try following the contours of your natural lips exactly. Once you’ve created your initial outline, “use your finger or a small blending brush to softly diffuse the liner. This makes the process very forgiving and should be simple to follow.”

Rhode Peptide Lip Shape

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Once you’ve created a subtle outline, you can decide if or where you want to build up definition. Depending on your look, you might want to retrace certain areas for a darker, higher contrast.

E.L.F Cream Glide Lip Liner in Dark Cocoa

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Step 4 (Optional): Exaggerate

“Once you’re comfortable and feeling confident with your true shape, you can gradually start experimenting with soft, subtle enhancements,” Kuhl says. To start, you might try rounding out the center of your bottom lip to add fullness, or carving out your cupid’s bow with more liner.

How to pick a shade of lip liner

While you’re learning the ropes, Warden says that it’s a good idea to pick a shade that’s close to your natural lip color—or a shade or two darker, to make sure it shows up. When picking a shade based on your skin tone, Warden recommends:

Soft pink, peach, and nude-beige liners for light skin tonesRosy, mauve, or caramel shades for medium and olive skin tonesRich browns, plums, or deep rose liners for deep skin tones.Another beginner-friendly strategy is to closely match your lip liner to your lipstick (whether that’s nude, bright red, or deep burgundy) for a crisp and cohesive final look.

When you’re ready to experiment, you can also choose shades that contrast with your skin tone or your other lip products. “When you play with shades that are slightly deeper or warmer than your lipstick, you create instant dimension,” Kuhl says. “It’s like contouring for your lips. It sculpts, defines, and makes them look fuller.”

If you’re after an ombré effect or a more visible outline, try pairing a deeper liner with a lighter lipstick or clear gloss. “Instead of always matching, think complementing,” Kuhl says. “Sometimes contrast is what brings the whole look to life.”

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Hourglass Shape and Sculpt Lip Liner

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Should you overline your lips?

If you want to change the appearance of your lips more dramatically—or use makeup to get a taste for how you might look with lip filler—you can try overlining your lips. This creates an outline that extends beyond the natural lip line, so that the lips appear bigger or fuller. TikTok might make this method look foolproof, but it can be easy to get carried away without the proper techniques.

When you’re experimenting with overlining, Kuhl recommends starting with a nude or neutral liner that adds fullness without too much contrast: “This creates soft sculpting and natural-looking
shadows for a more believable contour.” To start out, Warden suggests following your natural lip line, but drawing just above it rather than tracing it exactly. Another pro tip: “Always make sure your lip line ends at the corners of your natural lip line. Don’t overline the corners, because that’s when it can start to look a bit off,” he says.

Once you’ve created a subtle “shadow base,” Kuhl advises layering a slightly deeper or brighter
shade toward the center or to build dimension. Just as when you contour your face, you’ll want to use more than one shade to create a sculpted, 3D makeup illusion.

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How to wear lip liner with gloss

The true beauty of lip liner is its range, and how customizable the final result is to each individual. It’s worth experimenting to find your favorite ways to use your liner, but if you’re looking for extra inspiration, both of our pros favor a liner-gloss combo.

For Kuhl’s everyday combo, she uses SeneGence’s LipSense Long-Lasting Lip Liner Pencil and gets intentional with her placement to create a “soft-sculpted” effect. She focuses her neutral liner on her Cupid’s bow and beneath her bottom lip, then uses a slightly deeper shade “to define the outer shape and add dimension.” The glossy finish softens the contrast and creates a sleek, modernized ’90s moment. Warden creates a similar look using the Dolce & Gabbana Beauty Kiss My Gloss lip kits, which results in a perfectly paired, hydrating all-day combo.

However you’re rocking your lip liner, you can count on these expert-backed tips for a defined, long-lasting pout.

Covergirl Clean Fresh Yummy Lip Gloss

Nyx Professional Butter Lip Gloss in Fudge Me

Glossier Lip Glaze

Haus Labs by Lady Gaga PhD Hybrid Lip Glaze Plumping Gloss

Grace McCarty is the associate beauty editor at Glamour.