Lipsticks will take your makeup from 0 to 100 real quick. No matter the color, shade, or texture, lipsticks help to accentuate your lips and your overall appearance. However, if you’re not careful, your lipstick can be a complete mess. Wearing harsh colors is probably not the best idea. Also, having lipstick on your pearly whites or blurred lines can be embarrassing. 
Here are five essential lipstick hacks to keep your lipstick looking good

1. Exfoliate for smoother lips
The smoother your lips are, the better your lipstick will look and feel. Exfoliating your lips provides a smoother surface that makes lipstick application easier. Flaky, dry lips feel and look unpleasant. Having chapped lips will affect the finishing look of your lipstick. Exfoliating will help you to get rid of the dry skin that makes your lips feel less smooth. Applying lipstick on dry lips will leave your lips looking clumpy and flaky and you don’t want that. There are many lip scrubs available for purchase. However, you can also choose to make your scrub. Mixing honey and sugar together creates a nice paste that is great for exfoliating your lips. You can also use lip balm and a toothbrush. Just be careful not to over-exfoliate. Also, you must moisturize your lips after exfoliating

2. Moisturize your lips
Moisturizing or moistening your lips before applying lipsticks will help to fill in any cracks. This will make your lipstick go on smoother. Moisturizing is especially important when you plan to wear matte lipstick. A nice matte finish to your lips makes them pop. Unfortunately, matte lipsticks cause your lips to become dry. This will lead to a dry patchy look that is less than flattering. You can use coconut or almond oil to moisten your lips. Lip balms also work and will moisten your lips so your lipstick can look flawless

3. Use translucent powder for longer wear
Using translucent powder will prevent your lipstick from smudging easily and allows it to last longer. No matter how hard you try, your lipstick just doesn’t stay on throughout the day. Setting your lips with translucent powder is an excellent way to make your lips stay flawless and last longer. All you need is a piece of 1 ply tissue, a blush brush, and of course setting powder. After applying your lipstick, place the tissue over your lips. Next, use the brush to gently tap the powder unto the tissue. This works best with glossy pigments because it helps to absorb the excess moisture from the lipstick. This works to keep your lipstick in place

4. Reshape your lips with concealer
If you want to make your lips look fuller, or you just want to change the shape, use a concealer. Concealing your lips will help you to achieve your desired look when you apply lipstick. A popular lipstick hack that has been made famous by many celebrities is the concealer trick. To reshape your lips all you have to do is use a concealer to cover them. After doing this, use a liner pencil to trace outside your lip line. This will make your lips look bigger. For a matte finish, you can just fill in the lines with a pencil. You can also opt for lip gloss for a more natural look

5. Mark an X on your cupid’s bow
When you X your cupid’s bow it helps to make your lips look fuller and give you that perfect pout. Grab a lip liner pencil and mark an X where the dip in your upper lip is. This is where your cupid’s bow is located. Line the corner of your mouth and your bottom lip with the same liner then connect the lines. Now, you can add lipstick to complete the look

It’s not always easy keeping your lips looking flawless throughout the day. However, it’s not impossible. Following these essential lipstick hacks will leave your lips looking fabulous whenever you apply a little color.