Lipstick That Stays in Its Lane

A cheeky wine at lunch? Your lip colour should survive the sipping pleasures.

We’ve all been there: you swipe on a gorgeous lipstick, only to find it bleeding into those fine lines around your mouth before you’ve even finished you meal. Even in 2025 women are still googling how to stop lipstick bleeding and long lasting lipstick. Let me share a little secret, you don’t need a 20-minute touch-up routine to fix it. Here’s how to keep that colour exactly where it belongs.

1. Start With a Smooth Canvas

Feathering often starts with dry, uneven skin. A gentle lip exfoliator (think sugar scrub or even a damp washcloth) once or twice a week buffs away flakes and helps to move on dead skin. Follow with a hydrating balm—but give it five minutes to sink in. Too much can sabotage your lipstick before you leave the house!

2. Prime Like a Pro

A clear, waxy (not bees wax - try carnauba) lip liner or primer is one of the unsung hero’s to having the best long-wear lipstick look. It creates a barrier so colour can’t creep into fine lines. If you don’t have a dedicated lip primer, a tiny dab of lightweight concealer around the lip edge works in a pinch.

3. Choose the Right Formula

Glossy, creamy tubes feel luxurious but tend to migrate. For staying power, look for long-wear liquid formulas or semi-matte lipsticks with flexible polymers. The goal is a finish that sets, not one that slides.

Pro Tip from My Makeup Artist Days: I still reach for SeneGence LipSense® when I need an all-day colour. It’s kiss-proof, wine-proof, and practically life-proof. If you already own a favourite shade from another brand I invite you to chat with me about a colour match from the LipSense range.

4. Layer & Lock

Apply in thin coats, blot with tissue, then repeat. Finish with a touch of translucent powder pressed through a single-ply tissue. This old-school backstage trick is the difference between a lipstick that fades at 2 p.m. and one that lasts through happy hour. Note: this step doesn't apply with LipSense.

5. Pack a Mini Touch-Up Kit

Even the best long-wear lipstick can soften after hours of chatting (or Chardonnay). A liner and your chosen colour tucked in your handbag means you’re covered without hauling your entire makeup drawer. If your lip colour is LipSense, you only need the hydrating Glossy.

Bottom line: You don’t need a brand-new vanity to keep lipstick where it belongs—just a few pro moves and the right texture. Whether you grab your favourite pharmacy find or my go-to LipSense, your colour can stay put from first sip to last laugh.