How To Remove Lipstick From Your Lips Without Staining Your Face

With lipstick, it’s complicated. When we’re sipping on coffee and sitting on Zoom during the day, we’d do anything to make sure it stays put. But when the day is done, sometimes lipstick can overstay its welcome. It can be hard to know how to remove lipstick without staining your face or drying out your lips.

Here are some lipstick stain removal tips to follow when you’re ready to say “see you tomorrow” to your favorite lip color. Read on to learn how to remove lipstick stains from your lips.

Why You Should Remove Your Makeup At The End Of The Day

Lipstick, like all makeup, should be removed at the end of the day. If you’re an avid lipstick-wearer, you might reason that you’re just going to put it on again the next day. Why not leave it on? But cleaning your face and removing your makeup is always worth it. Here’s why:

Wearing your makeup overnight could harm your skin barrier.
Some makeup can clog pores and cause breakouts if it isn’t removed.
If you skip a night of washing your face, your skin may look dull the next day.¹

Set Yourself Up For Lipstick Removal Success

Matte lipstick, liquid lipstick, dark color lipstick, and other types of long-wear lip color can all be tough to remove. If you’re planning to wear one of these, here are a few steps you can take before you apply it to make it easier to remove when the time comes.

Exfoliate Regularly

If you suffer from dry lips, you already know that lipstick loves to stick around and cling to flakey skin and dry spots on your lips. Regularly exfoliating your lips can give you soft, supple skin that lets go of lipstick more easily.

To exfoliate, apply a gentle scrub to your lips once a week to remove dead skin cells. Wipe it or wash it off, and follow up with lip balm.²

Hydrate Your Lips

Hydrating your lips with lip moisturizers or lip balms can keep them from becoming overly dry or chapped. Removing lipstick from chapped lips can be tricky.

To hydrate, choose a favorite hydrating lip balm and apply it daily to keep your lips hydrated. You’ll also want to apply it under lipstick to help ensure that lip color doesn’t settle into any lip lines.³

Use A Primer Under Your Lipstick

Not only do primers help your lip color stay put, they are also a key for how to remove lipstick when the day is done. Lip primers create a barrier between your lip and the lipstick. This may help if you want to know how to remove lipstick stains from your lips.

To prime your lips, apply a coat of lip primer to your top and bottom lip. Allow it to set in, and then apply your lipstick.⁴

How To Remove Lipstick Without Staining Your Face

Once you have color on your lips, removing it without smearing it on the rest of your face can be tricky. Follow these lipstick stain removal tips for flawless results.

1. Rehydrate Your Lips

Many lipsticks can dry out your lips. It can be tough to rub off lipstick that is set in. If you want to know how to remove lipstick stains on lips, you’ll first want to rehydrate your lips to loosen the color up. Try a product like Vaseline or lip balm to remoisten your lipstick.

2. Blot

After you’ve rehydrated your lipstick, you’ll want to wipe off as much as you can. Moisten a cotton round or a cloth with warm water, hold the damp cloth between your lips, and press down with both lips. Now, use your cotton pad to wipe the lipstick toward the center of your mouth and wipe your lips clean.

3. Apply Oil To Your Lips

Oil is a great way to remove all types of makeup, including lipstick. Many lipsticks are wax or oil-based, so using an oil can help dissolve them. Gentle, non-irritating oils, like olive oil and almond oil, can also help nourish and moisturize your lips.

To try this, dispense a small amount of oil on a cotton pad or cotton swab. Gently rub the pad over your lips, pushing the color toward the center and then going over that area. For an extra stubborn lipstick stain, allow the oil to sit on your lips for a couple of minutes before wiping it off.⁵

Use A Hydrating Mist

If you have a favorite facial mist in your repertoire, you may find that it can help hydrate and dissolve liquid lipstick. Spray it on your lips, let it sit for a minute, and use a cotton pad to wipe off the color.⁶

Try A Thick Cream

If you’re running out of ideas for removing lipstick residue, try your favorite night cream. Simply apply it to your lips, massage it in, and allow it to sit for a minute. Now use a tissue paper or cotton ball to wipe the color off.

Use A Toothbrush As A Tool

A soft-bristled brush can give you just enough exfoliating action to gently remove stubborn lip color from your lips. Grab an extra toothbrush, and dab a small amount of face cream or olive oil on the bristles. Using the toothbrush, slowly buff your lips in a circular motion until the color is gone.⁷

Make Your Own Lip Scrub

If you’ve removed the top layer of lipstick but you still see a stain on your lips, a scrub can help. You can make your own using pantry ingredients.

Mix 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and 1 tablespoon of honey in a small dish. Rub the mixture over your lips with a finger for 30 seconds. (Don’t overdo it here. You don’t want to rub your lips raw!) Now, take a damp towel or clean cloth and wipe it off. Stain, be gone!⁸

Say “Buh Bye” To Colored Lipstick Stains On Your Lips

Next time you’re staring down a lipstick stain on your lips, look no further than the products you already have in your cabinet at home. With a little bit of elbow grease, creams, oils, and sprays can all do the trick. No need to fear (a color) change.

Learn More:
Trendy Lipstick Shades: What Color Lipstick Should I Wear For Winter
Wind Burned Lips: Here’s How To Keep Your Pout Moisturized This Winter
Here’s How To Get Lipstick Out Of Clothes

Sources
1 https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/beauty/anti-aging/a35556/why-is-sleeping-in-makeup-bad/
2 https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/exfoliate-lips#when-and-why
3 https://www.byrdie.com/how-to-remove-lipstick
4 https://www.wise-geek.com/what-is-lip-primer.htm
5 https://www.bustle.com/articles/149290-7-natural-ways-to-remove-lipstick-if-you-ran-out-of-makeup-remover
6 https://www.byrdie.com/how-to-remove-lipstick
7 https://www.bustle.com/articles/146353-10-ways-to-remove-matte-lipstick-without-damaging-or-drying-out-your-pout
8 https://www.bustle.com/articles/88132-7-hacks-for-removing-long-wear-lipstick-because-sometimes-makeup-remover-isnt-enough