Let your lip colour do the talking
With Kylie Jenner’s perfectly plumped pout blowing up the Internet in 2015 – big lips became BIG news.
Women everywhere are spending their hard earned cash on lip glosses that cause a swell, devices to ‘suck’ your lips into new proportions and the holy grail – the lip filler.
As a result, 2016 sees an army of pouty-lipped princesses ready to show off their luscious lips. So it’s no surprise that this season’s lips are big and bold.
The 90s vibe is also set to continue, and with the launch of the sell out Kylie Lip Kits, dark plums and sumptuous browns are the key to being on trend unless you are actually Kylie Jenner though, these aren’t always the easiest colours to master.
So here is my low down for the perfect lip this season:
1) Firstly you need to get the prep right, lips at the moment are all about that matte effect so it’s essential to have a smooth moisturised base to work with. Lush have a gorgeous hydrating lip scrub that won’t break the bank and is raved about by make up artists and bloggers everywhere!
2) Next step – invest in a good lip brush or two – I adore any real technique brush, and like anything in life, the quality really does count, but if you’re wanting to be one step ahead of the beauty crowd you could always try the artiste lip brushes, these look amazing and I can’t wait to get my hands on one for a try.
3) Now just to choose a colour:
If you have a very light skin tone, I’m thinking Nicole Kidman, fiery red head light – you are what is known in the business as a Fitzpatrick type 1 (I love it when I sound all wise and medical haha). Along with your fair complexioned companions (the Angelina Jolies) Fitzpatrick type 2, you are my skin tone twins so here is my personal lipstick lowdown.
For our fair faces a good rule of thumb is to go for deep cranberry tones, check out Diva by Mac for a lipstick that ticks every single box. This deep, dark cranberry toned lipstick won’t wash you out but will provide a beautiful contrast plus it has a matte finish. Bomb. For those that prefer a more satin finish Urban Decays ‘Shame‘ is probably the most beautiful shade on earth. The satin finish isn’t sticky and doesn’t provide a gloss, so you stay on trend.
For those of you with a thing for browns: – the wrong shade of brown will just look blah. So choose a brown with a red base. For a statement 90s brown, first choice has to be Wicked by American brand Lime Crime. This smooth, velvet textured lip cream is a dream to apply, and lasts all day without flaking. For a more subtle approach to brown lips, Anastasia Beverly Hills liquid lipstick in shade Sepia will make sure your lips stay the centre of attention without overpowering the rest of your look. Team with a messy high bun for an effortless chic look.
For those of you with medium/olive skin tones (you are truly blessed), with Nicole Scherzinger and Halle berry as your complexion counterparts, you guys have the most versatile base colours to work with, so you can pretty much take your pick. If I was medium/olive skin toned, here are the shades that I would pick; Tom Ford Bruised Plum, NarsScarlet Empress (probably my favourite shade of all time). These plummy, wine shades compliment the depth of your skin tone perfectly and look sexy and chic in one sweep.
If you’re wanting to rock the brown tones, you can’t go wrong with the Kylie Lip Kits in Dolce K or True Brown. These kits come complete with lip liner and liquid lipstick, they’re the most perfect matte formula and will last hours before reapplication is needed. For another key trend this year, team with the double french braid and Dior sunglasses.
As we move down the Fitzpatrick scale into the V and VI, your sumptuous deep skin tones a la Naomi Campbell and Ataui Deng call out for deep rich burgundy or aubergine tones take a look at Giorgio Armani’s night viper and YSL aptly named ‘Burgundy‘ for lips shades to die for, these colours make your skin tone pop, it enriches the gorgeous deep tones in your skin as well as complimenting dark hair and eyes. For a 90s brown it’s all about contrast – no, I’m not talking about when people used to use a brown lip liner (always Cork by Mac) and fill in with a light nude shade – the horror – I mean choosing a contrasting shade that compliments your skin tones, try looking for soft tans or more pink based nude brows. LA Girl has the most gorgeous shade Spicy and LorealsToasted Almond is simply perfect.
To complete the look: bold lips need a low impact base. Ensure your eyes are subtle, a nude smoke or sleek wings will go far in enhancing the lips as the main attraction. Keep your eyes on the blog for the perfect dewy, strobed skin to compliment your new found love for the bold lip.
