IT’S NOT CALLED lip “don’t-stick” – but somehow we always struggle to make a brightly painted pout last. Celebrity makeup artist and travel beauty guru, Katey Denno, is showing us how to master a bold lip with staying power. We’re so ready to rock a bold lip at holiday parties this season…

I love painting a bold lip color onto my client’s pout before they hit the red carpet and I’m fortunate that so many of them embrace the look. Somehow it appears effortlessly sophisticated, whimsical, polished and daring, all in one! When I asked the beautiful Jane Levy if she’d given any thought to what makeup look she’d like for the day’s event, I was so happy when she suggested we go for it, and told me to pick the color. What I put on her lips in these pictures is the mixture of two lipsticks: Revenge from Nudus and Electra from Kosas – both great non-toxic lipstick brands that know how to do satin-finish bold colors beautifully.

Keeping a dramatic, bold lip in place throughout the day/wedding/big date/night on the town isn’t as daunting as you may think. Here’s what you’ll need:

Essential Supplies:

lip exfoliant. This is key, whether that’s a product like Ilia’s balmy nights, Jane Iredale’s lip exfoliator or even Bite Beauty’s whipped cherry lip scrub. I’m also a big fan of gentle daily exfoliation in the shower with a washcloth or piece of muslin. In a pinch, grab a makeup wipe and trace soft circles or long lines on your lips to get off excess skin cells that might still be hanging around. It looks so yuck-o to see little bits of dead skin caught within lipstick, and it’s truly such a quick prep.

Lip Balm. The balm should be really hydrating, but not oily. I’m a huge fan of this one from RL Linden. I like to work a little into the lips and then have my client kiss the back of her hand a few times to remove 80% of it. Greasy lips won’t hold onto lipstick.

lip color. I often mix two bold lip colors for a truly individual shade – ideally in a matte or satin formulation. The less emollient, the better it’s going to adhere to your lips for the hours ahead.

lip liner. Make sure the liner’s color corresponds with the lipstick shade. At this point there are very few lipliners in bold colors in the green beauty scene. If that’s case for your fav lip color, I suggest using a sharply edged lip brush to make sure you’ve got a precise line.

HOW to get the Bold Lip Look:

Step one. If you’re worried about bleeding around the lips, you have two options : Lay down a sheer layer of a less-emolient foundation or concealer on the lips and around the lips – blending and pressing it in with a beauty blender so the texture is undetectable; or trace the line of your lips using a wax pencil along the outer edge to prevent color from seeping into fine lines.

STEP Two. I always press a bit of concealer onto the lips, and then have my client press her lips into one thin sheet from a tissue. This removes the excess oil from the concealer, leaving behind only a bit of product to take down some of their natural lip color for an even application, and a bit of texture to which the lipstick will adhere.

STEP Three. When I want solid coverage (instead of a sheer, stain-like effect) I apply the first coat straight from the tube, avoiding lip edges if I don’t think I can color within the lines.

STEP four. I have my client kiss that same single sheet of a tissue to once again remove any oils from the first coat, and then using a brush, I apply a second coat of lip color.

STEP five. I’ll use the brush with the lightest amount of product to create a soft edge to the lipstick, or if I have a corresponding-colored lip liner, I’ll make sure it’s nice and sharp, and then lightly edge the lips. If I do accidentally paint outside of the lines, I’ll use a bit of concealer on a tiny cotton swab, or a small concealer brush to whisk away the color, and then apply a bit more concealer to even out the skin.

STEP six. One final tip I learned from my grandmother, who wore a bold lip whenever she left the house: Take a cotton swab, make like you’re blowing a kiss; insert the cotton swab into the center of your lips until the bulbous end touches your front teeth, and gently move it horizontally from one corner of your mouth to the other. It’ll pick up that excess lip color that otherwise would’ve found its way to your teeth!