If you've ever put on a vampy shade of lippie only to have it rub off on you come lunch time, you might be wondering what really happens to lipstick throughout the day. If you prefer a nude shade or a rose colored blend, the wear and tear of coffee drinking, snack eating, and just general hustling through life doesn't really show. However, if you put on a bold red or merlot shade, then fading and smearing becomes apparent, and fast. How many times have you popped into the bathroom at work only to see that you're pretty much makeup-free except for some leftover lines?
So what exactly happens to our carefully applied makeup? Does it wear off on our coffee mugs, or are we just using cheap brands that don't have the staying power of keeping put? The answer might surprise you.
According to Marisa Ross, a New York City-based makeup artist that's been in the business for five years, we eat it. "Most of the time the lipstick is ingested, believe it or not. Women lick their lips throughout the day and a lot of that lipstick ends up inside their bodies," Ross explains in an email interview with Bustle.
Even if you're careful to avoid drinks or food, you probably notice that your lipstick still wears off after a couple of hours. The reason for that is licking your lips in unavoidable, whether you're talking with people or just trying to keep things from becoming parched.
So how can a makeup lover keep their lipstick in place for longer? The trick is in the application. "My favorite way to prevent the lipstick from transferring is to use the blot method. Apply your lipstick, blot to remove the excess then apply it again. This ensures a long lasting effect," Ross explains.
Doing this helps to take off any excess oils and products that will help the hue fade, and it'll remove extra lipstick color that you'll end up licking off immediately anyways.
Ross also notes that the ingredients in lipsticks don't really matter as much when you're looking for something "longer lasting," — if you want your color to stay put, make a conscious effort not to lick your lips as often. In the end, even if some formulas prove to stick to lips better than others (like many mattes seem to), they'll still wear off because we constantly wet our lips. The less we wet them, the less we'll lick off.
Though no lipstick will last forever, there are some formulas that help stick to the lips longer than others. Below are some suggestions, in case you're in the market.
1. Smashbox Always On Liquid Lipstick
Smashbox Always On Liquid Lipstick, $24, smashbox.com
A liquid matte formula that comes in 20 different shades, it's a long-wear, water-resistant liquid lipstick that's supposed to feel suede-soft and non-tacky, as well as last up to eight hours.
2. Lorac Pro Matte Lip Color
Lorac Pro Matte Lip Color, $18, ulta.com
The crayon creates a matte finish after application, but its pointed tip helps you line your lips in an easy, stress-free way. It also comes in an array of highly-pigmented and buildable colors, which vary from natural nudes to poppy hues.
3. Tarte Tarteist Lip Paint
Tarte Tarteist Creamy Matte Lip Paint, $20, sephora.com
This lip paint comes in highly saturated colors that are part of a creamy matte lipstick line, meaning it'll stay on for hours no matter how many times you lick your lips. You can choose anything from vampy purple to everyday shades, depending on your mood.
Now that you know why your color fades, here's to keeping it on longer!
Images: Sephora (1); Ulta (1); Smashbox (1); @_marisamakeup/ Instagram (2)
