Black Lipsticks are Not Just for Halloween

Nothing screams confidence more than a woman wearing a bold, dark lip! So why leave the dark vamp look to Halloween night, when you can rock it all year round – if you’re brave enough that is.

When it comes to dark lips, the trick (or treat) to getting it right is to know which colour works best with your skin tone. The rule of thumb is:

• Lighter skin tones work best with darker shades – try rocking a true black if you dare such as Urban Decay’s Vice Comfort Matte Lipstick
• Darker skin tones work best with deep berry/purple tinged colours such as NARS Fast Ride Lipstick

Now you have your colour sorted, you need to think about your undertones. If you are going for a blood stained vamp look, then opt for a purple undertone to your lip colour. If you see yourself as more of a Morticia Addams, then go for a lipstick with a blue undertone – think midnight navy.

Okay, colour sorted, now we need to apply it! Deep bold colours need a good base for the colour to really hold. Start by lightly exfoliating your lips and giving them some moisture. The Body Shop does a fab exfoliating lip balm called Lipscuff. Once you have exfoliated, apply a deep moisturising lip balm - our personal favourite is O’Keefe’s Lip Repair. Once the balm is applied, leave to soak into the lips for a few minutes before you add your colour.

If opting for a black lip, then a great tip is to line your lips using black eyeliner to give you the perfect shape. Once applied, clean up the edges with concealer, which will help to stop the colour from bleeding. If it’s shine you are after, use a dark lip gloss on the centre of your bottom lip to add texture and definition. If it’s a matte finish, press a dark eye shadow onto your lips for a super matte effect.

Top image: Keith Kane Hair International