Jil Sander, Imaxtree

A bright lip is a huge trend this spring and summer, and every  girl should have a bright lipstick in her beauty arsenal for a polished, put-together look. Yet, if you happen to enjoy eating, drinking, talking, or are a habitual lip-licker and chewer, chances are that lipstick isn’t going to last through breakfast. Here are a few tips and tricks for helping lipstick last longer:

Moisturize with a little bit of lip balm or Vaseline, then exfoliate your lips with a soft toothbrush or a dab of sugar. This buffers out any stray flakes and creates a smooth, clean canvas to apply the lip color. Next, you have several options: Use a lip liner the shade of your natural lip color and just shade in your lips.

Photo: Courtesy of Drugstore.com. L’oreal lip liner, $8

Apply concealer and powder or a makeup primer to your lips.
Photo: Courtesy of M.A.C. Cosmetics. M.A.C. lip primer, $14.50

All of these serve the purpose of creating a dry, waxy layer for the lipstick to grab onto. Then apply your lipstick (preferably a long-wear formula) with a lip brush, starting at the center of your lips and blending outward. Make sure it’s a thin layer, which will dry faster and be less likely to rub off.

Photo: Courtesy of Drugstore.com. Revlon lipstick, $8

Blot with a tissue to remove any excess, and if you would like you can apply a second coat for a more intense color, and top off with a little lip gloss for shine or powder for a matte lip. Of course, for the absolute idiot proof bright lip, simply use a stain which is pretty much guaranteed to last all day. You can even layer it under your lipstick so that when the lipstick wears off it will be less noticeable.

Photo: Courtesy of Sephora. Tarte lip stain, $24