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Up until about a month ago, I was a bit of a lipstick virgin. Oh sure, there had been the occassional flirtation with a red lip under the watchful eye of a total pro, but when push came to shove and I was doing my own slap I would reach for the gloss rather than the lipstick every time.
Then I became rather enamoured with Cheryl Cole’s X-Factor make-up. (I can neither confirm nor deny that this was an attempt to distract myself from her increasingly wreck-the-head diva-ish tendencies.) Her go-to look seems to be a copper eye teamed with a bright pink, quite matte lip and bright pink-peach blush, so as soon as Simon’s put-downs and Louis’ crazy Jedward stunts had wound up for the evening I meandered off upstairs to try and recreate the look.
The copper eye was no problem-o: regardless of whether it’s declared to be in or out, it’s something that makes my hazel eyes pop green and there was a more than daycent selection of shades and formulations to choose from in the bathroom cabinet. The bright pink-peach blush was similarly tried and tested: out came my pot of MAC Peachykeen, which is rather more pink than the name might suggest.
But when it came to the bright pink lippie… well, I dithered in a big way.
Bright lippie usually ends up either looking wicked garish on me or disappears from everywhere but the outlines of my lips with a strange swiftness. I decided to throw caution to the wind and go wild altogether with a tube of Smashbox “Stunning”. And even though I hadn’t been arsed to look for a co-ordinating lip pencil or go rooting for my Benefit D’finer D’Liner, I found that it stayed put pretty well through a cinema trip (with associated popcorn munching and Ben & Jerry’s consumption) and faded off fairly evenly to leave lips with a still-nice pink stain.
The key is not to apply directly from the bullet. Instead, use a short-bristled, stiff lipstick brush (or your finger if you’re caught short) to push and press colour onto the lips, a little at a time, taking care to stay within the natural line of your lips.
I’ve gone from being practically a lipstick virgin to an almost lipstick whore with this one wee trick, so you have been warned.
Mwah!
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Oh I’m mad to start trying brighter lip colours! Could you ladies recommend a nice sheer red lip gloss that’s suitable for day wear? Maybe in a cooler tone to suit blonder hair and pale skin?
I have a phobia when it comes to lipsticks - labello is as far as I ever got!
But hear this out - I am planning to try bright red..
Lipstick is always a big jump when you’re not used to it, but the tip not to apply directly from the bullet is a good one. Sheer finish lipsticks are a good starting point - Armani Sheer finish are nice, as are MAC Lustres.
Ellie Bellie, now that Becca is back in Arnotts, they have a lovely sheer red gloss called Cherrybomb - looks really bright in the tube but goes on lovely and sheer.
I have found it really hard to go back to more solid lip colours after years wearing gloss as well but definitely wanted a bit more colour this winter. I really love the Bobbi Brown Rich Colour Gloss though…its more of a balmy lipstick with a hint of gloss and not too solid. I have Pink Raspberry which is a gorgeous grown-up pink but they have baby pinks and a nice red in the range as well. I am going to get Merlot next which is a nice deep berry shade.
hey i’ve mac lipstick in impassioned which is a very bright pink. I wear it occasionally and get strange looks off people - they don’t get my fashion forward makeup!
I also like Gosh lipstick in tropical pink, this is more of a 60s light lilac pink and probably more wearable!
I almost forgot - the Armani Lip Waxes are another good option since you can build up the colour to the level you’re comfortable with.
I grew up in a lip stick era. I never really took to glosses but love balms. The MAC ones are fab.
I really like my armani wax but its very matt which doesn’t always suit.
If I was told to pick oen it would be the balms.
I have a MAC lip conditioner in Fuchasia Fix. I know its not strictly a lipstick but only has a subtle gloss, is very matte.
However, the point I’m making is I love the colour!
I always wear a bright lip colour.I find it odd that people are nervous about if becasue it’s so much easier to put on lip stick than concentrate on the eyes which neccessitates so may bits and bobs, liner, shadow, steady hand etc. With lipstick you just need 2 seconds and a bright colour and you are finished!
I know but it really makes you look so different!
Very timely post Lynnie, I too have been toying with becoming a lipstick wearer again but other than red I haven’t bitten the bullet yet - I might do now. Even dug out an old tube of Mac Sequin the past few days but it looks so dated!
Ellie Bellie, I have 2 Lancome Colour Fever glosses that are red, sheer glosses rather than full on colour. ‘Aaron’s Red’ is an amazing colour.
Any other bright pinks that people would recommend?
i would really love to get a YSL lipstick which is more of a blue toned, almost purpley pink! i can’t remember the name.
Impassioned is more of like a brighter version of the ! mark above the comment box.
Hah, I was converted to bright pink lipstick (and lipstick in general) by Cheryl Cole on the X Factor last year too! I remember dragging the mammy round town one Sunday last year trying to find the exact same shade until a bit of last minute googling told me that what she has is Barry M’s shocking pink lip paint. And it is seriously shocking pink. I love it though. I’d only wear it on nights out though - it’s a little too day-glo for, err, day.
MAC Rebel is a great pink
Love bright lipsticks, I find if you seal the first layer with some Benefit She-Laq and once it dries, top up with another layer of lippie you are set and it shouldn’t budge for the day.
was always curious about that she laq stuff
Boots 17 do the perfect fuschia pink lipstick! I bought it for a fancy dress party last year but I wear it all the time now, it’s way more flattering than I thought it’d be. It was dead cheap too, around a fiver.
Terrified of lipstick ever since I wore a long lasting one (revlon I think) in dark wine colour back in the mid 1990’s to a disco, ended up kissing a fella and we both ended up with joker style mouths……scary stuff! It was vaseline for me from then on, even on my wedding day that was as far as I went. Now though I use nude colours and a bit of gloss when I’m going out, although I bought a red mac lipstick in “ladybug” last year, which I have yet to use. At the moment I just enjoy looking at it every now and then!
Urban decay’s Lovechild is a fab pink thats bright but nice! I adore it!
Agreed that lipstick is much less daring to wear than say, a bright eyeshadow! I dont get the fears either.
Prestige’s lipstick in “Madrid” is great, a matte hot pink (make sure you apply it with a lip brush)….a dab of clear gloss in the middle of your lips makes this colour truly pop (and if you can find Maybelline WetShine lipgloss in “Shiny Strawberry” it can look amazing, it’s been discontinued here in Australia and probably worldwide, but I’m sure someone stocks it on Ebay!)……..looks great paired with a mettalic eyeshadow in say, a bronze or copper, very tropicana