Are You Afraid of the Dark?

Dark lips at Dolce, Lanvin & in W
There is a certain drama to dark lips that is incomparable - we live in a sheer lipgloss, lipbalm kind of world so to go dark is something extra glamorous, reserved for those times when you don't want to blend in. We've been seeing strong boldly colored lips on the runways and in the pages of magazines for awhile now but what's the best way to wear this look without overdoing it? Since I'm absolutely in love with this sophisticated look I've got a few helpful tips to get you started.

First of all you want to make sure your lips are in their best condition possible. Dark lipstick will highlight any dead or dry skin you might have on your lips so be sure to exfoliate your lips. A lip exfoliator like The Body Shop Lip Scruff can get rid of any icky dead skin and a lipbalm like Lush Lip Service can keep your lips moisturized and looking great its time for the fun.

Prep your lips with a bit of primer so your lipstick will last longer and look its best. Philosophy Big Mouth, is a great one that helps lips look smoother. Once your lips are prepped and primed its time for color. Use a lip liner to fill in around your lips. I like to use a neutral colored liner instead of one that matches my lipstick exactly. That way if my lipstick fades I'm not left with a brightly colored ring around my mouth.

When it comes to applying the lipstick itself use a lip brush instead of applying it straight from the tube. This will allow for a much more precise application - since the color is so dark you don't want any unfinished edges or smearing. Take your time and fill in the lips slowly.

Now that you know how to apply the lip color its important to know what shades to work with. You don't want to go too dark - it will only look goth and dated but you don't want to go too light either as it defeats the purpose. The overall look should be rich and plummy in color. Be sure to try a few shades on before you decide. I love Lipstick Queen's Berry shades in Berry Saint and Berry Sinner. One is sheer (Saint) for the times when you want a more day (and office) friendly look and the other is rich dark matte (Sinner) for evening. Both are the exact same shade just in different formulations and the berry color looks lovely on almost any skintone.

Naturally when doing a really dark lip the rest of your makeup should be kept to a minimum. Dark lips with a dark eye often can look too theatrical, you're better off letting the focus stay on one feature. Keep your eyeshadow, blush and any extras neutral - let your lips do the talking.

Do you wear deep dark lip colors? Red is in a class by itself of course - I'm talking the really deep plums were seeing right now. What are some of your favorite shades? Apart from the Lipstick Queen shades I really love Russian Doll & Tamango by NARS.