I Tried the TikTok Q-Tip Hack For Lipstick Application
This Cotton Bud Lipstick Hack is Going Viral on TikTok
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The only time I consider using a cotton bud to aid in lipstick application is if I need to clean up around the edges. Never has it crossed my mind to use one while simultaneously applying my lip product — until I saw a video about it on TikTok.
For this beauty hack, the person holds a cotton swab in between their lips while applying lipstick. Then, after they're finished with the product, they remove it to reveal perfectly lined lips. It's supposed to prevent product from getting on your teeth and also make it easier to get strategic application at the corners of your mouth. As someone who doesn't apply liquid lipstick daily, I'll admit that it can be tricky to prevent too much product from getting in that area and looking messy, so I was hopeful this trick would help me out.
I grabbed a random liquid lipstick from my collection and a cotton swab from the bathroom and went for it. My first thought: putting a cotton swab between your lips is a strange thing — by no means did it feel natural. During my first go of it, it took some getting used to applying the liquid lipstick without the ability to move around my mouth. But it was easier to get a sharp, pointed cupid's bow because my lips were pursed in a way they usually aren't when I'm applying lipstick. When I removed the cotton swab, the inner corners of my mouth were missing colour, so I rubbed my lips together a little bit to blend it in before assessing the results. It looked OK, but I was determined to make it look better, and I decided to go for round two of the Q-tip lipstick hack.
I was curious if a different type of lip product would yield better results so I opted for a lipstick crayon with a pointed tip. The Maybelline New York Super Stay Ink Crayon (£10) in the shade "155 Achieve It All," to be exact. Right away I felt like I had more control applying the crayon when it came to getting around the edges of my mouth. (To be fair, that statement is generally true for me even without the Q-tip in my mouth.)
This time, when I removed the cotton swab, I immediately thought the results looked better than the first time around. Using a cream product in a lighter shade made any mistakes more forgiving. Still, I definitely recommend using a product with a pointed applicator to line the outer edges of your lips easier. The hack gives you a plump, pouty smile because of the way it over-lines your upper and lower lip. I went back in with my lip crayon and connected the edges on my lips so that they wouldn't have the gap between them from the cotton swab and thought the final result looked great.
While I can't say I'll be grabbing a cotton swab every time I go to apply lipstick (seems a bit wasteful, to be honest), I do think this makeup hack is good practice for learning to over-line for fuller-looking lips.
