The makeup artist’s guide to wearing lipstick
Gucci’s Global Makeup Artist THOMAS DE KLUYVER shares his expert tips on applying lip color that lasts
The right lipstick can make us feel incredible, stand a little taller and appear more confident. But, despite appreciating the myriad ways that lipstick can boost our self-esteem, actually putting it on and wearing it can feel daunting at times. Thomas de Kluyver is Gucci’s Global Makeup Artist and the man who helped to bring Creative Director Alessandro Michele’s vision to life in the brand’s recent – and much talked-about – beauty campaign. The resulting images celebrated a variety of ‘imperfect’ pouts that rebel against the fashion industry’s long-standing idea of what beautiful really is. The main takeaway is that anyone – regardless of age, skin tone or lip shape – can pull off lipstick and look incredible while doing so. With this in mind, de Kluyver shares his best advice for applying, wearing and enjoying lipstick.
Preparation is key
Long-lasting lip color really comes down to how well you prepare your lips. “It’s all in the prep,” says de Kluyver. “I always begin with a lip scrub to exfoliate any flaky skin, then I apply a lip balm and, lastly, I remove excess moisture with a single ply of tissue.” Dry, flaky skin looks all the more obvious when you coat it in a bold color, while lipsticks that are closer to the natural coloring of your lips are slightly more forgiving.
Get the application right
You can apply your lipstick directly from the bullet, but application needn’t be so formulaic, especially if you want a specific finish. “I usually apply the color to the lips directly from the bullet, but for a perfect finish I like to warm the lipstick up on the back of my hand first so that the texture becomes more emollient and malleable; it’s something I do a lot when I am working backstage,” says de Kluyver. From there you can use a lip brush to work the color into your lips, buffing it in for a long-lasting stained effect – a squared-off brush will allow you to create a neat lip line and do away with the need for a lipliner. Alternatively, like de Kluyver, you can down tools altogether. “I use my pinky finger to press the color into lips,” he says. “I find it gives me a better, more intense color pay-off than a brush.”
Avoid feathering
“The most essential step if you want to prevent your lipstick feathering or bleeding comes back to preparation,” says de Kluyver. “Make sure your lips are scrubbed and then, importantly, allow yourself enough time – at least a few minutes – to properly apply your lip color. Don’t rush it.” Too much moisture on your lips or wearing too much lip balm under your lipstick can contribute to the color bleeding outside of your natural lip edge. “You don’t need to use an additional balm if you are using a sheer lipstick like the Gucci Beauty Baume or Voile finishes, because they already carry their own moisture.” Your lips will need a prior application of balm if you are using a matte or liquid-matte lip color to avoid accentuating dryness, but it should be a very tiny amount.
Tailor your finish
“With satin textures, I like to add a balm over the top to add more gloss to the finish,” explains de Kluyver. “For a sheer texture, I like to mix lip balm with a satin-finish lipstick, such as Gucci Beauty À Lèvres Satin in Louisa Red, on the back of my hand and then apply.” And don’t forget, whatever works on your lips will look great on your cheeks too. Once you have finished applying your lip color, blend a touch of the pigment over the apples of your cheeks with either a cheek brush or your fingertips.
The model featured in this story is not associated with NET-A-PORTER and does not endorse it or the products shown.