How to Pull Off Grape Purple Lips

Build grape purple lips by prepping with liner, applying color from the center out, and choosing the right undertone for your skin.

1. Prep your canvas. Exfoliate lips with a sugar scrub or dry toothbrush to remove flakes. Apply a thin layer of lip balm and let it absorb for five minutes. This prevents the purple from catching on dry patches and looking patchy.
2. Line for longevity. Use a grape or deep plum lip liner to trace your natural lip line, then fill in completely. This creates a base that prevents feathering and makes the color last longer. Choose a liner slightly deeper than your lipstick for dimension.
3. Build the color. Apply grape lipstick from the center of your lips outward using a lip brush or directly from the bullet. Press lips together gently, then add a second layer for full opacity. The center-out method gives the most natural gradient.
4. Perfect the edges. Clean up the lip line with a small concealer brush dipped in foundation or concealer. This sharpens the edges and prevents purple from bleeding into surrounding skin. Set with a light dusting of translucent powder.