Makeup · Lips
Lip liner
Doctor review pending
Shapes the lips, stops colour bleeding and blends a darker outer lip.
At a glance
- How long to wearA few hours; longer under lipstick
- When to removeEvery night, before bed
- After openingAbout 12–24 months
- Patch testIf your lips peel or react
Choosing it for deep skin
- Brown, chocolate or espresso liners suit most deep-skinned lips and blend two-toned lips.
- Choose a creamy pencil; very dry ones drag on lips in harmattan.
- Some liners contain carmine, depending on the shade. Check if you are allergic.
How to apply
- Sharpen the pencilSharpen before use for a clean line and a fresh surface.
- Start at the centreMark the dip above your lip and the centre of the lower lip.
- Join the cornersUse short strokes out to each corner, slightly into the darker outer lip.
- Blend inwardSmudge the line inward with a fingertip or brush.
- Top with colourAdd lipstick or gloss over it.
How long to wear it
- Liner lasts a few hours; under lipstick it helps colour last longer.
- Remove it every night with an oil or balm remover.
Don’t use it if
- Over a cold sore. Throw away or deeply sharpen any pencil used on one.
- On cracked, peeling or sore lips until they heal.
- If you are allergic to carmine and it is on the label.
Safety and the evidence
Carmine (CI 75470) can cause lip allergy.
Evidence C — case reports · Case report — carmine allergy from blush
Market lip products in Nigeria have shown lead and bacteria. Buy registered, labelled products.
Evidence C — market survey · Kasim 2020 — lipsticks, Ijebu-Ode
Castor oil, fragrance and flavour are common causes of allergic sore lips.
Evidence C — patch-test case series · DermNet — Contact reactions to lip products
Evidence grades: A systematic reviews or several trials; B at least one trial or consistent controlled studies; C observational studies, surveys or case reports; D expert opinion.
Keep it clean
- Sharpen before each use; it removes the used surface.
- Never share lip pencils.
- Store out of heat; soft pencils melt.
Important
See a doctor if
- Stop all lip products and see a doctor if lips stay sore or peeling for more than 2 weeks.
- See a doctor about new, patchy darkening of the lips.
Emergency in Nigeria: call 112 or go to the nearest hospital.
Sources
Doctor review pending. Education only, not a diagnosis. Product types, not brands.