Lips · Product guide
Lip balm
A treatment product that softens and protects the lip.
Written by Lamyaa Aissi, professional makeup artist, Casablanca. Part of the Lips guide.
When to use it
Before anything else, and long before an event rather than on the morning.
On Moroccan skin, in a Moroccan climate
Essential preparation for matte lipstick, which will otherwise cling to every flake.
The rule that runs through every product on this site: check undertone, not just depth. Most Moroccan skin is olive or golden, and a neutral or pink-based product greys within the hour however precisely the depth matches. And for any long event, set in thin successive passes rather than one heavy layer — accumulated product slides in coastal humidity, while product laid down thinly stays.
What it will not do
Being a base directly under matte. Balm, wait, blot, then colour — a slippery lip will not hold a matte.
The most common mistake
Applying it immediately before lipstick. It stops the colour gripping.
Questions
What does lip balm actually do?
A treatment product that softens and protects the lip.
When should I use lip balm?
Before anything else, and long before an event rather than on the morning.
Does lip balm work on Moroccan skin tones?
Essential preparation for matte lipstick, which will otherwise cling to every flake.
What is the most common mistake with lip balm?
Applying it immediately before lipstick. It stops the colour gripping.
Part of: Lips
Every lip format, and the reason the famous nudes do not work on pigmented lips.
Others in this category
All guides
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