Makeup, as we’ve come to know it, is a tremendous tool that can either hurt or help you. Case in point: the bold lip. When applied properly, a bright pink, classic red or a deep plum pout can pull together your look, be the finishing touch on an outfit or stand alone with a single swipe of mascara. But when applied poorly, the once polished pucker backfires and instantly makes the rest of the look appear unfinished, sloppy and cheap—not to mention setting you back at least 10 minutes just trying to undo the damage done while the only thought running through your head is, “There’s got to be a better way” (we’ve all been a part of that nightmare).
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Sure, traditional lip brushes help dissipate pigment across the surface so it doesn’t look caked on (this also helps the color stay put for longer), and when the tip is small enough, can help keep the color “inside the lines” on your bottom lip, but those don’t always work (take it from me), especially when it comes to the top lip. But, lucky for us, beauty brand Kiko Milano recently launched a product designed to have the precision of a lip liner when it comes to applying lipstick to the entire lip, paying careful attention to the trickiest part of all: the cupid’s bow.
The Unlimited Double Lip Brush ($19) features two ends that are designed for specific tasks: the oval side is for shading in the majority of your lips, and the v-shaped side is only for the Cupid’s bow region. To use it, collect a small amount of your go-to lipstick on the tip of the brush (oval-shaped first) and fill in the majority of the lip, leaving only the white space you see below untouched. Then, apply the same amount of lipstick to the other end of the brush, carefully gliding one of the sharp points along one side of your Cupid’s bow and repeating the same technique on the other side with the mirroring “V-point” of the brush.
Image/Instagram
While at first glance the way to go may seem to cover this “V-shaped” end with product and lay it flat against the space (almost like a stamp on your Cupid’s bow), the idea, because no two pairs of lips are identical, is to use the sharp angles and trace them along your specific bow for a precise application that can’t be beat (or messed up). If you’re feeling overwhelmed, don’t be. The concept sounds more complicated than the actual execution is, and once you have the brush in your hand, the technique is pretty much second nature. We’re so excited that a surefire way to guarantee a perfect, red carpet–worthy lip every single time you need one is finally here, and who knew it would ring in at under 20 bucks? 2017 is already looking up.
