Lip Colour Essentials

zuiiorganic.com

I believe you should have at least 3 lip colours in your makeup collection. I can't give you specifics as our complexions, natural lip colours and tastes differ. However, if you have the 3 following lip colours, you won't NEED anything else. Sure, you may WANT a black/blue/purple/orange/white/pastel yellow lipstick, but you don't NEED it. This can also save you money. Well, that depends on your taste, I guess. YSL ain't gon' save you money, honey.

1. You need a colour that's a shade or two lighter than your natural lip colour. The nudey colour your lips are when you wake up, before you brush your teeth or lick them or kiss someone or walk into the door, you know, when they're still kind of pale? That's the colour you want but with a hint of pink. A HINT, not a bucket. This colour is great for when you're playing up your eyes (e.g. dark, smokey eyes). It's also great for day-time and natural looks. For me, that colour is MAC Jubilee.

shopping.com

2. You also need a colour that is a shade or two darker than your natural lip colour. Think about how your lips look after you've brushed your teeth, and the toothpaste has tingled it and buzzed up the circulation. They look bright. That's what you want. This can be the only thing you apply with a coat of mascara. You know how so many makeup artists say if you wear only one thing on your face, make it mascara? This shade of lipstick is MY mascara. I can look like I've seen a ghost or like I'm ill, and one coat of MAC Sophisto on my lips brings my face back to life. And seemingly a punch of health.

allcosmeticswholesale.com

When you mix shade 1. and shade 2., you should get your natural lip colour,  approximately. Yes, I've tried this, yes it works. Also, you can use this to even out your lips if you so wish. For example, if your top lip is thinner than your bottom lip and you want them to look more even, you could apply the lighter shade to the top, and the darker shade to the bottom. Press (not rub, and do that dumb thing they do in movies, which also "stretches" your skin, BTW) lips together once, blend with a lip brush and dab a little more light shade on your top lip. See third shade in pic below.

This is one "coat" of each colour. The MAC Jubilee looks more pink on my lips and not as "tan" as it looks on my wrist.  See when 1+2 are mixed? Again, one coat of each colour, mixed. And don't you just LOVE how intense ONE coat of YSL Rose Stiletto is? I took a pic with flash (right) - I swear those colours don't look so damn shimmery on my face.

The third lip colour essential is a bright colour. I think red (the right shade of red for YOU) should be a staple, but I'm much more of a pink girl. A bright pink. I like blue-toned reds and they don't look terrible on me, but bright pink (it's close enough to red, y'all) suits me better. My perfect bright pink is YSL's Rouge Pur Couture in Rose Stiletto. It's meant to be the pink that suits everyone, and after turning up the lipstick for the first time I thought it looked like an "old lady pink" (sorry) but when I put it on my lips, I was SOLD! And I haven't tried another pink since. And I'm not really looking. There are days when I'm just too lazy to apply "full" makeup (or when the man gives me 15 minutes notice that we're going somewhere and I still need to shower AND moisturize my whole body), and a bright lipstick is perfect for those days. You don't have to wear anything else, except mascara. If you're not that into mascara, skip it. (Cue attack from makeup artists, everywhere) A statement lip is all you need, day or night.

ebay.com

You don't need a nude lipstick, especially if you really can't afford to be purchasing yet another lipstick. Use your foundation. When you apply your foundation to your face, include your lips. Depending on the consistency/coverage of your foundation and the desired effect on your lips, you may need to add a second layer of foundation to your lips. Once the rest of your face is done, just add a gloss. Nude lip complete.

And if you're a total lip product junkie, and want one more colour, make it a berry. Berries suit everyone, and is a great autumn/winter addition. But if it suits you, and you love it, I say wear it all year round. Lucky for me, my #2 darker shade doubles up as a berry, when layered.

Hey, you need not spend half of your beauty budget on lip products. It's one of those things where you can get away with "cheaper" brands. And, actually, many "cheap" brands have great quality lip products.  Try Yardley, Essence, Rimmel, NYX. I love MAC lipsticks, but if I can't afford to buy another one by the time my current favourites run out, and I don't get gift cards as gifts (duh, why else would you get a GIFT card. Facepalm.) and my mom doesn't feel sorry for me, and my boyfriend doesn't get the hint and no-one asks me if I want anything, I'd definitely match my colours with a cheaper brand.

Shop smart, and remember to add a smile to your lip colour. :-) (Would you like some crackers for all that cheese?)

Have any must-have/can't-live-without lip colours? Share below.

Miss B