Perfect application that’ll make even beginners feel professional.

Even if you’ve found the perfect longwear lipstick or liquid lipstick in the most gorgeous shade, applying lipstick perfectly can seem downright impossible (particularly if you’re attempting a bold shade like red or trying a new lip color for fall). One side might go on thicker than the other, making lips appear lopsided, or you could over-line your lips too much, making them appear unnatural.

1. Exfoliate and hydrate lips

Never put lipstick on without properly prepping beforehand, or your lips may end up looking uneven, flakey, or patchy. “Exfoliate your lips first and then moisturize them” with lip balm or lip primer, letting the balm sit for a few minutes to soak in. These steps ensure that your lips don’t have any dry spots that may flake off, and create the perfect canvas for lipstick with all-day staying power.

2. Color correct as needed

It may seem impossible for colors to come through on dark lips, but Fennell has a simple solution. “For dark lips, start with adding a lighter foundation powder to mute out the color of your lips,” she says. “Once the color is muted, you can then apply any lipstick shade” in a much more true-to-color way.

3. Trace and fill lips with liner

Fennell says you can apply lip liner around your lips before you apply lipstick, and if you put lip liner all over your lips before lipstick (not just around the edges!) you can turn virtually any lipstick into a “longwear” formula. You can also finish with lip liner after lipstick to clean up the edges at the end and make the finish even more precise.

If you want a more muted lip (or just don’t have the time to draw precise lines), you can skip liner and “apply the color using your finger and then perfect it with concealer and a brush.

4. Work with your lip shape

If you have thin lips, “Overdraw your lips with a lip liner that comes close to matching your lip color. Instead of lining around your natural lip line, you’ll go a bit higher. With this technique, you just want to overdraw on the cupid’s bow and the fullest part of your bottom lips (but never overdraw the corners — you’ll end up looking more clown-like than chic). Fennell says to finish with a lip color that’s similar or a bit lighter than your natural lip.