A long-lasting lip isn't one product. It's 5 steps, and 4 of them happen before the colour goes on.

This is the full tutorial: how to prep, shape, apply, and lock in a lip that stays even through the day. Written for deep, melanin-rich skin, where an uneven natural lip gradient and the risk of an ashy finish both need planning for.

Step 1: Prep

Start with clean, hydrated lips.

• Exfoliate gently with a soft toothbrush, a damp washcloth, or a fine scrub used with a light hand. About 30 seconds, twice a week at most.
• Apply a thin layer of balm and let it absorb for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Blot it fully away with a tissue. Your lips should feel soft and look matte.

Hydrated lips let colour grip evenly and stop patchiness. A slippery lip does the opposite. If your lips still look shiny after blotting, the colour will move. The longer version of this step is in our lip care and prep guide for deep skin.

Step 2: Even out the base (optional)

Natural lip pigment is rarely uniform, and on deep skin the outer edge is usually deeper than the center. That's completely normal, and on a berry or a red it works in your favour. But under a nude, a coral, or anything sheer, the darker edge can read as a shadow.

If that's the look you're going for, tap the smallest amount of My TFace – Lite As Air Liquid Concealer ($22) onto the outer third of the lip and blend inward with a fingertip until there's no visible line. A veil, not a coat. Skip it entirely for deep shades.

Step 3: Define the shape

Outline with a liner in a shade close to your natural lip or to the colour you're about to apply. Trace just outside your natural line for a fuller look, or stay inside it for precision.

No liner? A My TBrush – Lip Brush ($8) gives you a clean, controlled edge on its own, which is usually enough.

Step 4: Apply the colour

• Apply a thin, even layer, starting at the center and working outward.
• Wait about 30 seconds for it to set.
• Blot lightly, then apply a second thin layer where you want more depth.
• Press your lips together once. Press, don't rub.

Thin layers outlast thick ones, and pressing distributes colour without disturbing what's underneath. Rubbing drags pigment toward the inner rim, which is exactly where transfer starts.

Step 5: Lock it in

For extra hold, press a whisper of translucent powder along the outer lip line with a small brush. Set the border, not the whole lip: powdering the full lip flattens the finish and can look chalky on deeper tones.

The Diamond Translucent Matte shade of My TFace – Pro-Filter Loose Setting Powder ($20) is the right one here, because it sets an edge without leaving a grey cast on deep skin.

Step 6: Add dimension (optional)

Press a small amount of My TLips – Lip Lustre Gloss ($18) onto the center of the lower lip only for a fuller-looking lip. Center-only matters: full-lip gloss over colour drags pigment toward the edges and mutes the shade.

Choose a warm, pigmented glaze rather than a pale sheer one. Café au Lait adds shine without shifting the colour underneath. Why pale sheers go grey on deep skin is covered in gloss without the ashy cast.

Common questions

How do I pick the right shade for my skin tone?
Start with the complete lipstick shade guide for deep skin tones, or take the on-site Find Your Shade quiz, which takes about 30 seconds. For nudes specifically, finding a nude that doesn't go ashy is the one to read.

Are your lip products cruelty-free?
Yes. My Tubes Cosmetics is cruelty-free, and our formulas are made with sensitive skin in mind.

How long will it actually last?
With this routine, colour holds through a normal day of talking and drinking and touches up quickly because the base layer never fully lifts. Eating will ask for a touch-up, from any formula.

Where to go next

If transfer is your specific complaint, the no-transfer routine goes deeper than this tutorial does. For bold colour, see reds and berries that flatter deep skin.

Ready to build the look? Start with the My TLips collection and pick your shade.

Your Beauty Is Inside.