Wondering whether or not to jump onto the bold lipstick bandwagon? What about how to keep your lipstick from smudging, fading or bleeding? What color is the most flattering?
Makeup artist Jemma Kidd has heard it all before. Now, she's sharing the answers to the lipstick questions she's been asked the most while working in the beauty industry:
1. What shade of red can I wear?
Poppy red and wine-colored reds suit most women. As a general guide, if you have pink-toned or very pale, porcelain skin, cool blue-based reds will look good on you; if you have a warmer complexion with yellow or orange undertones, choose orange-based reds; if you have dark skin, go for rich plum or berry red.
2. How can I make my lipstick last longer?
Prep and prime your lips well to create a good canvas to work on — use a lip primer such as my Lip Perfector, or a dab or foundation or concealer. After outlining your lips, apply lip liner over the whole surface to provide a smooth, even undercoat of color and a waxy base for the lipstick to adhere to. Apply one coat of lipstick, then blot it with a tissue and layer on another coat. For a matte finish, a dusting of translucent powder or blush patted on top of the lipstick will give it excellent staying power.
3. How can I stop my lipstick from "bleeding?"
This is when a lipstick or gloss migrates beyond the lip line — oily lipsticks and liquid glosses and stains travel more, so choose thicker, drier, and less greasy formulas. Prep your lips well before outlining them with a waxy lip liner that will help to create a barrier to hold the lipstick in place. Spend time working on it into any fine lines along the lip line. Use a lip brush to apply a little translucent powder around the edges of the mouth — not on the lips — to set it.
4. How can I make my lips look bigger?
Use a lip liner in a color that matches your lips (for a nude look) or your lipstick (for a bolder look) and outline your lips just a fraction outside your natural lip line (see page 93). Choose paler colors in light - reflecting finishes and stay away from dark shades and matte textures, which make lips look smaller. Add a touch of gloss or highlighter to the center of the bottom lip and the top of the bow to catch and bounce the light. Plumping formulas can also help to make lips look fuller.
5. What lip color suits me best?
The key thing is to assess the undertones of your skin and work out whether your coloring is warm or cool. If you have warm (yellow-toned) skin, choose colors in the orange spectrum— anything from warm nudes and browns to peaches, apricots, corals, orange- or red-based pinks, and deeper orangey reds. If you have cool (pink-toned) skin, go for blue-toned pinks and reds and stay away from orange-based colors. Pink-based nudes and browns and deeper earthy browns all work well on cooler skin. How dark a color you can wear may be influenced by the depth of your skin tone and hair color—also take into consideration your age and the size of your lips. Remember, the natural pigment of your lips will influence the color of the lipstick, so if you can’t try out a new color on your lips, try it on the pad of your finger and hold that up to your mouth to see how it suits you.
6. How can I increase the intensity of my lip color?
For a multi layered effect, apply your lipstick, then use a thick pencil to draw a series of vertical lines on your lips. Apply a second coat of lipstick and top it off with a final swipe of pencil to keep it all in place. This will achieve excellent hold, deep color, and the illusion of fuller lips.
7. Is there anything I can do if I don’t like the color?
If you buy a shade that turns out to be too dark, bright, or pale for you, blend it with another lipstick or gloss to achieve a bespoke color that suits you perfectly.
8. What if my lipstick is too dark for me?
Turn it into a stain by blotting most of the lipstick off your lips for a subtle and long-lasting finish.
9. How can I stop my lipstick from drying out my lips?
Wear moisturizing balm underneath your lipstick. Most of the time when applying makeup the lips are left until last, so coat your lips in balm while you are doing the rest of your makeup. This will soften andcondition them, ready for you to apply your lipstick.
10. How can I prevent my lip pencil from breaking?
Put lip pencils in the icebox before you sharpen them—this makes the tips less likely to break off and gives a cleaner, sharper point. Warm up the tip by drawing on the back of your hand before lining your lips.
In some parts of the world, they celebrated World Lipstick Day on July 29, 2020, and we got to thinking about how much we LOVE our lipsticks! And how a little red lipstick can go a long way in making ourselves feel better and even boosting our morale.
Fun fact: British PM Winston Churchill is said to have curbed the production of all other makeup during World War 2, except for lipstick because he believed it somehow boosted morale. So many years later, and through this pandemic, it somehow feels like similar logic still applies, right?
So, we invited Arti Nayar, Celebrity Makeup Artist, to host a #GirlTribeAMA session on Malini’s Girl Tribe on Facebook. She answered all questions about lip colours, hacks, tricks and anything else you can think of around lipsticks. Read on to know all the tips she shared!
Q. How do you find the perfect shade of nude for your skin tone?
The key is to understand your skin tone; is it warm, pinkish, or yellow? You can do this by checking the colour of your veins on your wrists. If they are green in colour that means you have a warmish undertone. If the veins are slightly blueish or purple then you have a cool undertone. On the other hand, if it is neutral, somewhere between green and blue, you can try any shade but remember to choose pinkish tones more than brown tones.
Q. How long does a lipstick last? And is it true that lipsticks make your lips darker?
The shelf life of lipsticks is anything between 16 months for some to almost 3 years for others. However, checking them regularly and checking the smell is very important. If they smell off or stale, you know it’s time to get rid of it. Also, lipsticks don’t turn your lips black, but yes, if they’ve expired and you’re still using them that’s not good for your skin.
Q.
How can I stop my lipstick from drying out my lips?
You will generally always feel your lips getting a bit dry when you apply lipstick. To counter this, when you are ready to touch up, apply a lip balm first and then just blend the colour already on your lips.
Q.
I have pigmentation around my lips in the corners and it sometimes makes my lipstick look weird. What can I do to make it look neater?
Use a corrector around that area first and then some concealer, dab a little powder over it and you should be good to go!
Q.
What’s the trick to make lipstick last longer?
Take a little powder on your brush and dab it on the lips after you apply your lipstick. Then follow this up with another layer of lipstick; it always makes it last longer.
Q.
How can I create ombré lips?
You can do that by using a dark colour on the outer corners of your lips and using a lighter colour in the middle. Next, slightly blend the area where the two colour meet. Choose colours that complement each other. You can blend them with a small brush or your ring finger.
It is very possible to choose the perfect red. There is a red for everyone. Knowing your undertone will help you determine which red suits you best. If you have a pinkish undertone then a pop red will look great. For a yellow undertone, a cherry red will look awesome!
Storing lipsticks in a cool place helps maintain them better. You can also store them in the fridge.
Choose colours that enhance your skin’s undertone. For example, if you have a yellowish undertone, choose colours that will always enhance it. So, pick a cherry red instead of a tomato red colour.
It’s safe to do so, and it works well too. While using it on your eyelids however remember to put some powder eyeshadow to lock it in or it won’t last long.
Do you have any tips or tricks for picking the right lipstick colours? Please share it with us in the comments below.
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