How to tone down lipstick colours you would never wear

We are all guilty of owning a huge collection of lipsticks but only wearing the same two shades time and time again. So here are a couple of MUA secrets to tone down lipstick shades you'll never wear.

There is a way to tone down lipstick colours that we bought in a moment of madness to make them wearable. You can change those horrible, 0ld-fashioned shades of orange and granny-pink lipsticks to make them softer. If you are very fair here's a little tip to make bright colours a little less scary. Apply the lipstick all over but then you will need your favourite nude lipstick or a touch of concealer. Apply this in the centre of the fullest part of your lip and blot your lips. It will tone down the colour and lighten it.

If you are very fair, here's a little tip to make bright colours a little less scary. Apply the lipstick all over as normal. Then apply your favourite nude lipstick or a light shade of concealer to the centre of the fullest part of your lip and blot your lips. It will tone down the colour and lighten it.

Use this technique to create an effect like this:

It's all about thinking like an artist with your lipsticks. Don't be afraid to mix colours. If you have a gaudy looking orange lipstick, add a touch of a baby pink to turn it into a gorgeous coral perfect for summer.

This is another example by Art Deco of layering a lighter red tone lipstick on top of a deep red. This tones it down and makes it more wearable.

Will you root out some of your less desirable shades and mix them to make prettier colours?