Most women have a tendency to line their lips starting at one point and returning to that same point. But since most of us can’t draw a straight line for very long, you get a bumpy look. Stewart says her students use this technique instead:

Divide your lips into four directions, and create a small dot for placement on these points: North (the cupid’s bow), South (the very bottom of your lips), East and West (the outer corners of your lips). “Now you have an idea of where to draw your line, and it becomes more like tracing,” says Stewart. Connect the East and West corners to the North by using an upward motion. Then connect the East and West corners to the South by using a downward motion.

Here’s a bonus tip when applying your lip color: Once you load up your lip brush and put it to your lips, don’t break contact. This will ensure an even application of product, says Hawker. In fact, you should complete each lip in two strokes. Think that’s an easy feat? Try it. There’s a reason they spend hours practicing it at makeup school.