4 Steps to Perfect Bold Lips

Aditi Deeg, 35, loves the look of dramatic lipstick. What she doesn't love? How quickly the color smudges and bleeds. Chanel makeup artist Kara Yoshimoto Bua showed her the secret to incredible and indelible red lips: Take a little extra time to get a lot longer lasting, glamorous color.

After applying a lip balm, dip a concealer brush into your foundation and outline your lips. This will prevent color from bleeding. Rub a damp Q-tip over your mouth to remove excess balm and any flakes. (For extra softening, use rosewater and glycerin instead of water. Try Heritage Products Rosewater & Glycerin, $4; swansonvitamins.com.)

With a pencil that closely matches your lips' natural color, fill in your lips completely. (Aditi used Chanel Precision Lip Definer in Natural, $29; chanel.com.) Use short, feathery strokes around the edges of your mouth to avoid drawing a harsh line.

Apply the lipstick directly from the tube (for the best color payoff) to your top and bottom lips. Don't bring the bullet all the way to the edges of your mouth, where too much pigment will lead to smudging. And resist the urge to rub your lips together afterward, which causes color to bleed.

Spread the lipstick with your pinky, bringing the color as close to your lip line as possible without going over it. This step evens out the color and keeps the outline of your lips soft—more flattering than the sharply defined line created by a brush.