Here's the One Lipstick Hack Makeup Artists Think You Should Know

In addition to the thousands of tubes in our beauty closet, it's safe to say that every female staffer at Allure has a lipstick or two—or 10 or 20—stashed at her desk. From trending formulas to out-of-the-box lip-art ideas, it's no secret we're big fans of the stuff. But there are always new tips and tricks to pick up. Here, 17 makeup artists share their most useful, creative lipstick advice.

Avoid stained lips. "The berry lip is very in this season, and with most deep colors, your lips end up being stained for days. I recommend using a bit of foundation on the lips prior to applying to counteract any lip discoloration." —Luis Casco, lead makeup artist on Project Runway

Multitask with brown lipstick. "I always carry a cocoa- or bronze-color lipstick. Stranded on location when an airline lost my makeup box, I found that you can use it as a shadow or liner, or for contouring. I've even dabbed it on with a cotton swab to temporarily cover gray roots! It has saved me on many occasions." —BJ Gillian, makeup artist and creative director of Ready to Wear

Photo:http://www.gosugamers.net/members/536623-sharony

A new way to exfoliate. "Make sure your lips are smooth and soft before applying lipstick. For dry lips, I dip a Q-tip into some waterproof eye-makeup remover and rub off any chapped skin. A wet toothbrush is also quite good for exfoliating lips before applying lipstick." —Silver Bramham, Art Department makeup artist

Create a blush. "I love to mix lipstick with sunscreen and apply it to the cheeks. I usually use a matte lipstick with an SPF of 30 or 50, though you can use a sheer or glistening lipstick as well. This functions as a long-wearing cream blush, but with extra SPF protection." —Tonya Crooks, a makeup artist who works with Megan Fox, Fergie, and Molly Sims

Keep lipstick from feathering. "I use clear eyebrow wax around my lips to prevent bleeding. It fills in fine lines and creates a solid barrier." —Kelly Hanna Thompson, Kryolan makeup artist

Add shine without gloss. "After you've applied your favorite lipstick, take a highlighter or shimmer eye shadow and gild the center of your lips. Adding this touch of shimmer will give volume and interest to your lips. And the bonus is this stays put for hours, unlike traditional shimmer glosses." —Jay Manuel, founder of Jay Manuel Beauty

Eat and drink without fear. "For ultimate staying power, it’s very important to remember to blot after applying the lipstick. Moisture tends to be transfer-happy, so if you’re eating or drinking, it is more likely to come off. Blotting retains the pigment but removes the moisture." —Rebecca Perkins, founder and head makeup artist of Rouge New York

Make your own unique color. "Take a crumbled or broken eye shadow and blend it with a lip gloss, Carmex, or Vaseline, then apply with a brush. Be creative and try a violet or even a blue shade." —Benjamin Ruiz, Laura Mercier director of global creative artistry

Prime your lips. "A trick to keep your lipstick from rubbing off throughout the day is to use a creamy eye-shadow primer under the lipstick for longer wear. Eye primers typically have more holding power than lip primers and keep that color on all day long." —Daniel Chinchilla, a makeup artist who works with Ariana Grande

Color-correct your base makeup. "In the event you've dashed out the door with the basics to only find out mid–foundation application that you grabbed it all except for concealer, you can take a small amount of lipstick in a red, orange, or pink color with the top of your fingertip and dab along any dark circles. Use very sparingly and apply a little foundation over it with your finger again. Set with your powder, and no one will be the wiser." —Brandie Hopstein, a makeup artist who works with Anna Kendrick and Brittany Snow

Avoid a lipstick-coated smile. “After applying lipstick, place your forefinger in your mouth and pull out to get rid of excess lipstick that would otherwise get on your teeth.” —Bianca Balconis, founder of Honey Artists

Skip reapplication. "Using a lip stain before a traditional lipstick adds a great foundation layer so when the lipstick wears away your lips will still resemble the color. It won't look as worn out and you won't have to reapply as often." —Jamie Greenberg, a makeup artist who works with Kaley Cuoco, Rashida Jones, and Lucy Hale

DIY a lip kit. "My clients are always asking me what to do when the tube is almost empty, but they want the last bit of product before they have toss it out and replace it. Take a clean butter knife from the kitchen and carve out the remains into an empty pill box. Label shades with a Sharpie, and now you have your own lip kit without spending a dime." —Kelly Crispen, makeup artist and owner of Elizabeth Street Cosmetics

Get a free lipstick. "Recycle used M.A.C. products through the #BackToMAC program. Six recycled items gets you a free lipstick!” —Romero Jennings, M.A.C. Cosmetics director of makeup artistry

Perfect your lip line. "For a clean, finished lip without hard-drawn lines, use concealer around the edges of the mouth instead of lip liner. I call this reverse lip lining. This works especially great when applying red lipstick, like Wander Beauty's Love Lock Lip Gel." —Meredith Baraf, a makeup artist who works with Lindsay Ellingson, Adriana Lima, and Lea Michelle

Fake fuller lips. "I have a technique that I've been doing for years called lip shadowing. Line your lips with a brown eye or lip pencil, take a lip brush, and blend it downward toward the center of your lips. Then apply lipstick. Repeat the steps to achieve the desired 3-D, fuller-lip effect. Go easy, though—the technique is supposed to create a shadow effect, not a drastic line." —Lori Depp, celebrity makeup artist and president of Serendeppity Lip Gloss

Set your color. "Once you've found the lipstick that you like, making it last can be a bit of a problem. I recommend using Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder with Laura Mercier’s Velour Puff. Lightly sprinkle a little powder on the puff, then fold it, gently rubbing the powder into the puff, hit the excess off, and gently press on to the lips. This will give you a longer-lasting lip color, and because it's translucent, it will not compromise the integrity of the lip color." —Jerry Johnson, Laura Mercier global makeup artist