Knowing how to put on lipstick is easy if you keep in mind the look you are after. Confused? Don't be! Instead, read on and learn the tips and tricks that will help you achieve a flawless finish, every time!
Learn How to Put on Lipstick

Learning how to put on lipstick means first knowing the "finish" you are hoping to achieve. That's because each look may require a different way of applying the lipstick you are using. Here are some tips that will help:

Neat and Polished
There are situations that may call for a neat and polished appearance, for example, if you are going to a fancy dinner, or have a job interview. In instances like these, using a lip brush might be the best way to apply your lipstick.

You can place either a little bit of powder or foundation on your lips. This will help to keep your lipstick long lasting, but note that this is not a necessary step.
Using your lip brush, coat the brush with the lip color of your choice and begin to "paint" your lips.
Survey your results and blot your lips with a tissue.
Reapply your lipstick once more with the lip brush.
Once again, after this second application, you'll want to blot one more time.
From there, reapply with the lip brush one more time. The advantage of using a lip brush means that you'll have more control when applying lip color, and it will also allow you to stay within, and define, your lip line.

A Long Lasting Look
Achieving a long lasting look is similar to the neat and polished look but here, you don't need to use a lip brush. Instead:

Feel free to apply your lipstick straight from the tube.
Using the pad of your index finger, "rub" the lipstick in.
Blot with a tissue.
Apply from the tube again.
You can repeat this process as much as you want. The more times you repeat, the longer your lipstick will last.

Layering Colors
Additionally, you may also want to consider either layering your lipstick or mixing it with another color. This method works best when you are using a lip color that is either:

Too light
Too dark
Very bright
The key to making this work well is to mix with a nude or flesh colored lipstick (a nude lipstick is one that closely matches your natural lip color- the color of your lips without lipstick).

The mixing of lip colors looks best when you first put the lighter lip color first, and then place the too dark or too bright color on top. From there:

Use your finger tip to blend
Blot with a tissue
Reapply the lighter color and blot again.
Survey your results as your lips as the color should be pretty close to prefect at this point. Reverse this process if you've put the dark color on first by placing the lighter nude color on top of it.

Just a Stain
Stained lips look fresh and vibrant because they look very natural. Thankfully, several cosmetic companies now sell lip stains, for example Cover Girl, however, you can create your own through he process of, you guessed it, blotting and layering! Start out by:

Apply your lip color and blot
Apply again, this time using your finger to blend the color in.
Blot
Next, apply a semi-matte lipstick or a lip gloss to your lips and blot yet again.
From there, and this is the real trick, apply the original lipstick color again and blot for a final time. You should now have a lip stain that can withstand just about any eating and drinking you can throw at it!

Additional Tips

Beyond applying foundation or powder to your lips, you can also use a creamy lipliner. The key to using it well is to make sure that you use it as a base while avoiding the lip lines (this helps to avoid the unsightly telltale lip marks that show up after eating or drinking). Lipliners can be a bit dry, so opt for one that has a bit of moisture to it.

Putting It All Together

Applying your lipstick properly need not be a problem, particularly is you follow some tried and true steps. Doing so means that you'll have a perfect pout, no matter where you happen to be going!