Wearing the perfect lipstick shade always gives me a major confidence boost—that is, until I look in the mirror halfway through an event and realize my red lipstick has started to bleed onto the skin around my lips. The horror!
But I’m not alone—when applying lipstick without any special tricks, it’s pretty common for the color to start bleeding onto the fine lines around the mouth. So, I figured there must be an easy solution to this.
To find out, I turned to an expert: Ramy Gafni, a celebrity makeup artist, brow artist and the founder of cosmetics company Ramy Beauty Therapy. He has worked with celebrities including Taylor Swift, Britney Spears, Gabrielle Union, Joan Rivers and Amy Poehler.
Fortunately, Gafni has a trick he swears by for stopping lipstick from bleeding into fine lines. He calls it the “tissue trick,” and it only takes two to three minutes to do.
However, don’t be fooled by the name—the tissue trick is so much more than simply blotting your lips with a tissue. Keep reading for everything you need to know about the makeup artist’s go-to hack and why it works.
Related: The Clever Lipstick Trick We Wish We’d Known About Sooner
Why Does Lipstick Bleed?
Lipstick bleeding is when your lipstick trickles off of your lips and onto the skin around your lips. Also called “feathering,” lipstick bleeding is more likely to happen when you have fine lines, wrinkles or dry skin around the mouth, as the color often “settles” into these crevices.
Related: These 2 Lipstick Shades Look Good on ‘Literally Everyone,’ According to a Pro Makeup Artist
Try the ‘Tissue Trick’ To Stop Lipstick From Bleeding Into Fine Lines
Gafni swears by a method he calls “the tissue trick” for flawless lipstick application. For this hack, he says “the best lipsticks to use (regardless of brand) are matte or shimmer formulas,” because they’re “less likely to ‘travel’ compared to sheer or cream formulas.”
For the tissue trick, you’ll need:
- A matte or shimmer lipstick
- A lip pencil
- A tissue
- Pressed powder
- A makeup puff
Related: 9 Best Peptide Lip Treatments for a More Hydrated, Plumper Pout
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How To Apply Lipstick Using the ‘Tissue Trick’: 5 Steps
1. Use a lip pencil as a base
The first step is to grab a lip pencil, “in either a lip tone or a shade that matches the lipstick.”
Use your lip pencil to outline your lips. Then, use the lip pencil to completely fill in your lips. This essentially lets the lip pencil serve as a foundation for your lips, which will help the lipstick from spreading.
2. Apply your lipstick
Carefully apply one layer of lipstick over the lip pencil you’ve already used.
3. Press a thin tissue on your lips
After your lipstick is on, “separate a two-ply tissue,” leaving you with just one very thin layer of tissue. Then, “press the one ply over the lips.”
However, you’re not just using this tissue to blot your lips—you’ll want to leave the tissue in place for a moment.
4. Apply pressed powder through the tissue
With the thin tissue still sitting on your lips, “apply pressed powder with a puff onto your lips through the tissue,” says Gafni. This adds a very thin layer of powder to your lips.
5. Add a final coat of lipstick
After removing the tissue, Gafni says to carefully “apply another coat of lipstick.” Then, you’re done.
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Why It Works So Well
“This works well because the lip pencil is a wax base that creates a barrier to stop the lipstick from bleeding,” Gafni explains.
“The added powder gives the lipstick staying power and also slows down any potential bleeding into fine lines,” he adds.
Related: This Simple 2-Minute Hack Makes Any Lipstick Last All Day
3 More Tips for Preventing Lipstick From Bleeding
1. Use primer
If you try the tissue trick and are still experiencing lipstick bleeding, Gafni recommends applying a thin layer of primer as a first step.
This type of product can “really help if someone has a real problem with their lipstick bleeding,” he says. “You apply it onto fine lines around your lips and it fills the fine lines like spackle, thereby also solving the problem.”
2. Keep lips moisturized
Your lips shouldn’t be dry when you apply lipstick—but they also shouldn’t be too hydrated, or else your lipstick won’t adhere to your lips.
To strike the right balance, you should regularly moisturize your lips. Additionally, as a first step in your lipstick routine, you can rub on some lip balm and then blot any extra with a tissue.
Related: A Dermatologist Swears by This ‘Creamy, Soft and Budget-Friendly’ Lip Balm for Dry Lips
3. Top off your lipstick with lip gloss
To prevent dryness, top off your lipstick with a bit of lip gloss, which will help hydrate the lips as well as add some shine. Just make sure not to go overboard—Laura Geller recommends only applying a touch of gloss in the center of your lips.
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Sources:
- Ramy Gafni, makeup artist, brow artist and founder of Ramy Beauty Therapy.
- How to Stop Lipstick Feathering and Bleeding Into Fine Lines. Laura Geller.