Here’s the thing about matte lips: They make jeans and a T-shirt look polished. Hell, they even make sweats and a T-shirt look polished. This classic lipstick has a certain elegance and sophistication that instantly elevates your look. Plus, the color tends to be really rich and the matte texture has a plumping effect—making your lips appear larger and more luscious. Makeup artist Melissa Walsh explains how to rock this red-hot lip trend.

Step #1: When it comes to the matte look, dry lips are the kiss of death. You want to make sure your lips are moisturized—otherwise the lipstick may look cakey, says Walsh. Before applying matte lipstick, squirt some lip balm or petroleum jelly on a baby toothbrush (that no one plans to brush their teeth with!) and rub your lips to exfoliate away any dead skin. “Do this before bed or a few hours before swiping on the lipstick so the moisture has a chance to sink in. Putting lipstick right over a moisturizer will make the lip color slip around,” says Walsh.

Step #2: Outline your lips with a pencil (that has a very sharp point—were aiming for precision here) in the same shade as your lipstick. Start at the right corner of your upper lip, trace along the top of your lip, and stop when you get to the middle of your cupid’s bow. Then start another line at the left corner of your upper lip, and trace the left side of your upper lip until you meet the point where you left off with the other liner. Apply liner to your bottom lip—starting at the corners and meeting in the middle, just like you did on the upper lip. “Lining in two sections—as opposed to running the liner across in one swoop—helps prevent mistakes,” says Walsh.

Step #3: Swipe the matte lipstick on your lips (we love SSChic Boutique’s Matte Liquid Lipstick in Ruby), using a lip brush or applicator that it comes with to apply it along the edges to ensure you don’t extend beyond the lip line.

Step #4: If you did happen to color outside the lines—hey, it happens to the best of us—simply pour a drop of your foundation onto a clean, angled brow brush  or cotton swab to touch up around the edges and make sure your lip line is perfectly clean and sharp.

Step #5: Let lipstick dry—no blotting required.

*this article originally appeared on makeup.com by Lesley Rotchford 

Most of us would agree that in the beauty world, eye makeup is the Holy Grail. While the problem often lies in finding the perfect eye shadow look, mascara wand and/or brow shaping method, once all these components are in place, you reach a state of beauty nirvana that can only be described as FABULOUS. However, reaching this place of perfection can be tricky because no two pairs of eyes (or brows!) are the same. So what works for one does not always work for another.

No one understands the constant need for great eye makeup tutorials like Team MDC. To show our dedication and devotion to eye makeup, we compiled a list of our favorite tutorials. Eyes on you, baby!

The Eyeliner Trick for Every Eye Shape

Almond-shaped, hooded, round, wide-set and close-set. We all have a different eye shape we’re working with, and in turn, require different approaches to eyeliner, right? Wrong! We’ve discovered the perfect trick to flawless eyeliner that works for every eye shape. No, really! Get the look.

How to Get Perfectly Shaped Eyebrows

There are endless tips and tricks out there designed to help you get the eyebrows of your dreams. Our obsession with brows runs so deep, we created a crash course on how to get perfectly shaped brows. Kiss over-plucked, uneven brows good-bye! Get the look.

Warm Winter Smoky Eye

Winter chill got you down? Warm up with makeup! We’ve got the best eye tutorial to help you sizzle through the coldest of seasons. Warning: This look is solid gold! Get the look.

Everything You Need to Know About Mascara Cocktailing

Sometimes one tube doesn’t contain everything you want for your lashes, that’s when cocktailing comes in. Like your favorite happy hour drink that’s a blend of ingredients and layered to perfection, so too can your mascara look. Here’s how to use more than one mascara for lash perfection. Get the look.

What’s your favorite eye makeup look of all time? Tell us all about it on instagram!

*this article originally appeared at makeup.com