Women have become much more adventurous when it comes to the lipstick shades they wear in recent times…
With the bold lip trend still with us, it’s important to know what shades of lipstick will suit, looking at your undertone, for best results.
One lipstick look that often is seen during the upcoming cooler months is Vampire lips: A deep tone lip, often in a deep wine or berry shade, can everyone wear this look? Yes, some more than others when the right tone is used.
Just last week, our very own Kate Peck stepped out on the Red Carpet at the Myer Autumn/Winter 15 Fashion Show, in Melbourne, sporting a completely different look and I’m not just talking about her new overnight long locks – Showing that even fair skin can pull off the Vampire Lip!
It’s all about knowing the undertone of your skin. Are you a pink undertone, meaning a fair skin? Or are you a yellow undertone meaning more olive skin? Not sure? Do you see redness or pink in your skin? Or do you feel your skin is lacking colour and can often look flat?
One way to make sure is at the back of your wrist:
If you check out the veins at the back of your wrist, a more blue toned vein will indicate a fair, more pink undertone = cool. A hint of green toned vein will show a warm, olive skin tone indicating more yellow is present in your skin.
MB PRO TIP:
Generally speaking with colour on the face, especially with lipsticks, its best as an easy rule to go the opposite lipstick shade to our undertone. Cool/pink undertones look great when using a more summery, warm lipstick, eliminating redness present on the face and a warm/yellow undertone needs some brightness by using a blue base/cool lipstick shade.
Not that hard right?
The Vampire lip is generally a mix of deep reds, wine like, with some deep berry shades, all of which are generally a blue/cool undertone. This means that if you have a lot of redness in your skin, or you have very thin lips, this look is not for you!
Fair skin.
Opt for a vampire lip with a little more warmth to it – Try a brown-based red, like a brick tone, or a deeper wine than that of a plum or berry.
This will avoid bringing out any unwanted pink tones that wearing a blue base/cool shade lip can do. For best results, use a full coverage foundation to eliminate all natural pink/redness and your lip will be THE feature of your look being a fair skin.
Olive Skin.
Seeing this skin tone can often look flat, with no colour present, a red wine, plum or berry tone is best to lift the look with a bit of cool undertone from the lip. Going to dark or brown/black will not lift the skin, but flat.
The darker your olive skin, the more natural these plum tones can look – For a statement lip, the brighter you go the better.
What about thin lips? The darker, or deeper the tone of lipstick will definitely make your lips look thinner, this goes with the more matte the look is also, so choose your tone wisely.
MB PRO TIP:
If you want to reduce your lip size, these ‘vampire’ shades are perfect for you and if you love these shades but have a thinner lip space to work with, gloss it up!!
The gloss acts as a reflection, giving the illusion the lips are bigger and often I will add a slightly lighter or brighter shade of your chosen lip shade, just in the centre of your lips. This will give more plump, allowing light to hit the brighter area and brings it forward – think contouring: dark recedes, light brings forward! A little highlighter placed on the edge and cupids bow especially of your top lip will also promote more pout.
As always, I feel applying any lipstick with your fingertip first – using your ring finger, dabbing/pressing into your lip, melting the pigment into the lip for fusion and lasting hold – works best. The roundess of your fingertip means you do not undercut the lip shape, but allows for a fuller application, then add a lip liner once applied to finish and sharpen up your lip edges.
In closing, when wearing such a statement lip, even if your ‘vampire lip’ is on the softer the side, the shades used to create such a look can be the focus of the face.
Eyes should be kept to a minimum, with a slight contour in the socket and if anything, a focus on your lash line, rather than say a smokey eye – got to have that balance!
I love mixing shades together, so have a play and create your own new vampire shade and try a lighter shade in the centre for a bit more of a contoured result.
