Beauty Q&A: How Do I Reapply Matte Liquid Lipstick?

There are two types of people in this world: those who know the rules of matte liquid lipstick and those who do not. But don’t worry if you fall into the latter camp because you’re far from alone. In fact, the majority of matte liquid lipstick-wearers struggle with the lipstick’s tendency to go from looking really good to really bad – fast. And sure, we can get away with our matte lips looking a little rough after a long night out, but when your lipstick starts peeling off and completely disappearing from everywhere but the area lining your lips while we’re at work – it’s a different story.

But what is the right way to reapply matte liquid lipstick? Do you just apply more over the remnants of what’s left on your lips, or is it necessary to commit to starting over completely from scratch? We reached reached out to beauty influencer and vlogger Julia Salvia to teach us how to effectively reapply our matte lipstick to keep us looking polished and put-together at work – rather than a hot mess.

“The best way that I’ve found to reapply is to essentially start over,” explains Salvia. Since matte liquid lipstick dries out throughout the day and gets flaky, reapplying is the best option if you can sneak away from your desk to do so. Consider packing a lipstick remover with you like the NYX Be Gone! Lip Color Remover to fully (and quickly) take off your lipstick and prep for reapplication. Add a layer of lip balm to give your lips moisture before putting on a new coat.

But good news for those who can’t commit to re-applying entirely: “If starting over isn’t your thing or you don't have the patience, I like to take off the inside of the lipstick and leave it on where it lines my lips,” says Salvia. “Then, apply the lipstick again to the middle. Another option is  to apply a regular matte lipstick to the center with a similar color.”

So whether you choose to patiently take off your fading matte liquid lip in the comfort of your office’s bathroom or to freshen up in a compact mirror by filling in the middle, you can find solace in the fact that you don’t need to live with a dried-up lip for the rest of the day.