Professional Makeup Artist Melissa Hardman shows you how to get the perfect lips. Melissa is available for a variety of makeup assignments throughout UK and is based in Preston.

1). Preparation is key when creating a flawless red lip. Use a lip exfoliator to buff away any dry skin on the lips, then apply a coat of lip balm to keep them hydrated. I recommend ‘Mint Julips’ lip scrub by Lush.

2). Next, use an appropriate lip liner to line the edges of the lips. Using a liner will prevent the lipstick running into any fine lines around the mouth. I used ‘Redd’ by Mac. Start at the top of the cupids bow and draw downwards, following the lips natural shape on the left side, then repeat this on the right side. To make the lips appear fuller take the liner just outside of the natural lip line. By drawing downwards away from the cupids bow, it allows you to create a softer line. Rather than drawing from the corner of the mouth up towards the cupids bow, which can create quite a harsh line.

3). Using a round tipped brush, like a Mac 316, fill in the centre of the lips with your chosen lipstick. I used ‘Ruby Woo’ by Mac, which is a matte red lipstick.

4). Finally, using a small angled brush with a little of the lipstick shade on, such as a Mac 266 brush, go over the lipliner so that the lipstick and the liner blend. Using an angled brush helps to keep the edges of the lips straight and neat.