Sonia Kashuk’s Tips for Perfectly Glossy Lips

Even though fall is all about the matte lips, in our opinion, lip gloss isn’t going anywhere. The high shine lip product has been in our makeup bags since we were 13, and thanks to celebrities like Kim Kardashian, our teen obsession is just as common on the red carpet as a swipe of red lipstick. But perhaps the reason we love it the most is because it’s so user-friendly—once you know what you’re doing, of course. And who knows gloss better than Sonia Kashuk, celebrity makeup artist and founder of Sonia Kashuk Beauty? The beauty pro shared all her secrets for wearing lip gloss like a grown-up—here are

Related Stories

Cameron Diaz Swears By This $26 Long-Lasting & Transfer-Proof Lipstick

Shoppers Insist This $1 Bestselling Lipstick From Amazon ‘Goes On As Smoothly’ As Ones From Pricier Brands

1. Gloss has some big benefits—literally.
The best thing about shine? It instantly makes your lips look fuller—and if it’s a choice between overdrawing our lips, applying a stinging lip plumper or slicking on a coat of gloss, we’re picking gloss every time. Sonia says that a high-shine finish creates “the illusion of larger lips” without the pain of plumpers. Oh yeah; we’re in.

2. It doesn’t have the longest wear…
It may be easy to apply, but that doesn’t mean it’s low-maintenance. You’ll definitely have to swipe it on a few times to maintain that high gloss. “The nature of shine is that it has lots of movement and shorter wear,” explains Kashuk.

3. …But there are ways around that.
Yes Virginia, you CAN make your gloss into a longwear product—and the secret is lipliner. Turns out, the product can help prolong your gloss. “Gloss has a lot of movement, so always apply a lip pencil for a matte base to keep it in place first,” Sonia says. “Always choose a pencil that matches your lip color, otherwise match the pencil to your gloss color.” You can also use a matte lipstick to do the very same thing if you don’t have a lip liner handy.

4. Don’t skip exfoliation.
Even lip gloss calls for prep steps—you don’t want your color sinking into lines, or sticking to dry skin. Kashuk says to exfoliate with a lip scrub and then hydrate your lips with a lip balm. We also like to apply a lip serum that helps fill out fine lines and wrinkles, like Fresh’s Sugar Lip Serum Advanced Therapy ($35, fresh.com)

5. Make sure the formula isn’t on your teeth. 
It’s not as bad as crimson red lipstick on your teeth, but colored lip gloss can show up on pearly whites, too. And Sonia says that since lip gloss is mobile by nature, you’re going to want to be certain it hasn’t found an unwanted new home. “I like to stick my finger in-between pursed lips and pull outwards to ensure no color has made its way towards my teeth,” explains Kashuk.

6. Find your go-to product.
Whether you opt for clear gloss or want something with a little bit more pigment, there are tons of options out there. Some of our favorites include Votre Vu Lip Lustre Vitamin E Lip Gloss ($22, votrevu.com), Urban Decay Revolution High Gloss Lip Color ($22, sephora.com), and Aveda Nourish-Mint Rehydrating Lip Glaze ($18, aveda.com). MAC Cosmetics Lip Glass ($15, maccosmetics.com) is also a classic, while Kashuk suggests her Ultra Luxe Lip Gloss ($9, target.com) for a super shiny, non-sticky look.

More From Daily Makeover: The 5 Rules of Wearing Dark Lipstick