Valentine’s Day is the perfect occasion to sport a romantic red lip. But keeping lipstick in place all evening can be a bit of a challenge, and before you know it, your glass or your guy could be wearing more lip color than you are. That’s why we’ve put together some foolproof tips for keeping lips bold through toasts, treats and maybe even a kiss or two. Read on for your step-by-step guide to creating—and keeping!—lovely, kissable lips.

1. Moisturize and Rejuvenate

To prevent chapped lips and eliminate any dryness or flaking, you’ll need to add a little moisture. We recommend applying a lip balm first thing before beginning your makeup routine and then saving lipstick for last. This will ensure 10 to 15 minutes for the balm to absorb and hydrate. We love FixMySkin Healing Lip Balm Unflavored with 1% Hydrocortisone. It features shea and cocoa butters, plus 1% hydrocortisone, to not only soothe and soften chapped, irritated lips, but heal them. As a bonus, you can also use this convenient balm to combat dry winter skin on the face and body!

2. Prime

Now that you’ve moisturized, your lips are almost ready for color. A great lip primer can help plump lips, brighten pigment and hold color in place. Senna Totally Transforming Lip Primer delivers on all counts, and it even helps fill in fine lines and wrinkles. For a quick lip primer fix, a dab of your regular concealer will do the trick. Just be sure it dries completely before continuing.

Once you’ve applied primer, we recommend lining lips with a pencil that is close in shade to your lip color, and then using the pencil to fill them in completely. This creates a barrier around your lips and prevents color from bleeding and feathering outside the lip line. It also works to enhance your lipstick shade. jane iredale Lip Pencil in Crimson will work beautifully under your red lip.

3. Apply Color

Choose a lip color that makes you feel beautiful and confident. Some of our favorite bold crimson hues are glo minerals GloLip Stick in Siren and jane iredale PureMoist Lipstick in Margi. For precise application, sweep a lip brush across the top of your lipstick to pick up the color and then carefully apply to lips. jane iredale Retractable Lip Brush is a mess-free brush that retracts to keep bristles neat and clean. It features a defined point to help you achieve the best application, and it’s great for stashing in your purse for a late evening touch-up. Once you’ve applied your lipstick, blot, repeat application and blot one more time.

4. Lock in Color

This next part may seem strange, but it’s a crucial step for locking in color. Applying a translucent setting powder over lips will ensure that your color doesn’t budge. We like dabbing on a loose powder like Mirabella Perfecting Powder to finish off the look. If you’re worried about accidentally smudging your lipstick during this final step, you can lightly place a tissue over your lips and dust the powder on over it. This will allow just the right amount of powder to slip through the tissue fibers and seal in color.

Now you’re ready to pucker up for Valentine’s Day! What lip color are you looking forward to wearing? Let us know in the comments section.