Words by Andrea Gomez Anzola @andreagomezanzola
That sunny time of the year is here (risky to say when you live in the UK, but we live in hope)! As a makeup artist the thing I love about summer is it means everything gets brighter, bolder and more colourful - and makeup is no exception.
As your skin absorbs that sunshine glow (while wearing SPF at all times of course!), this season is the perfect time to experiment with pops of colour and brighter makeup. Lipstick is an incredibly easy yet transformative way to achieve this trending look. As you can see from our shoot with Fo Porter for The Sports Edit, it also pairs so well with effortless athleisure styles.
WHY BRIGHT LIPSTICK IS TRENDING
For me summer is all about lips. A bright pout adds an energetic splash of colour to your face and will make you look and feel fresh, fun and confident.
If you are short on time or you just don’t like wearing much makeup, just using a good lipstick will do all the work for you. The right lipstick will transform your look instantly.
HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT SHADE FOR YOU
When choosing a lip colour, it is important to go for one that compliments your skin tone.
The first step is to work out if your skin has yellow, pink or neutral undertones. You can do this by checking the colours of you veins in your wrist. If they look green that means you have warm/yellow undertones, if they look blue that means you have cool/pink undertones. If they are somewhere in between that means you are neutral.
Here’s a guide on what colours to go for:
Fair Skin:
I would recommend corals and reds for a beautiful, summery pop of colour
Pink Undertones:
Pink, corals, and orange-red suit this skin tone beautifully and will make your features stand out
Yellow undertones:
Red, orange-reds and pinks are colours that would compliment the warmth on your skin.
Neutral Undertone:
Luckily most colours would work well with neutral undertones, so choose something that works well with your wardrobe or mood!
Olive-toned skin:
Like neutral undertones, most colour work well with a lovely olive skin tone
Dark Skin:
Vivid Colours all the way! Corals, reds, pinks, orange - be bold
MY FAVOURITE BRIGHT LIPSTICKS ON THE MARKET
These are the 6 bright lipsticks that you’ll find in my makeup bag (pictured above from left to right):
Morange by MAC
This is a colour that calls in sunshine and fun times. This satin, almost neon-orange lipstick will make a big bright statement this summer.
Lana by Nars
This is one of my favourite lipsticks ever. Is a shade that suits every skin tone. A vivid red-orange shade that will attract many compliments every time you wear it. It’s definitely my go to lipstick and I can’t recommend it enough.
Coral Intuitive (15) by YSL Rouge Volupté Shine
This is a high-shine coral shade. This lipstick provides long-lasting coverage and good hydration, so it’ll make your lips feel luxuriously juicy. An absolute summer must have.
Michiyo by Nars
This is a very pigmented, satin-finish, hot pink lipstick with a creamy texture that will stay on for hours. I used this colour on Fo for our featured shoot. You can see how effortlessly stunning she looks with this colour and it gives such a lovely contrast with her freckles.
Red: Oh Miley! By Marc Jacobs
This is the perfect bright red summer lippy. There are so many reds on the market, but this is a beautiful shade with cool undertones, which will make your pout pop when the sun is shining. It is very creamy and pigmented so will keep its colour for hours.
Dreampot by MAC
For those brave enough to wear unusual lip colours, I recommend this light-medium bright blue with a lovely matte finish. It covers very well. Perfect for a festival-inspired look - think sky, marshmallows, unicorn vibes.
5 TOP TIPS FOR ACHIEVING PERFECTLY BRIGHT LIPS
In terms of making your summer lips stand out, I would always recommend keeping the rest of your face makeup quite minimal. Go for a light base, a simple slick of mascara and a natural blush colour on the cheeks. Let the lips do most of the work!
Now that you’re ready to tackle the lips, follow these 5 tips for perfect, long-lasting results:
1. Exfoliate
A little makeup artist trick - exfoliate your lips! This is a great way to remove any dry/chapped skin and reveal the softness and smoothness of your lips hidden underneath for added lippy staying power. For our photoshoot with Fo, I used the Lush Lip Scrub. This product is superb because its ingredients are all natural. It contains cane sugar and oils that help keep those lips hydrated and exfoliated, plus they come in many different yummy flavours.
2. Hydrate
Is so important to keep your lips hydrated. There’s two ways of achieving this; by drinking plenty of water and using a good lip balm. With lip balms, make sure the one you choose isn’t petroleum-based, as this ingredient will dry your lips in the long run.
My favourite lip balm? I’ve been in love with Omorovicza Lip Balm since day one. It instantly smooths and plumps your lips, which creates a good base for lipstick. It also keeps your lips hydrated for longer and leaves a lovely subtle shine.
3. Shape
I would always recommend using a lip pencil to shape and fill up your lips before your lipstick, as this will help guide your placement and keep the colour in place for hours without the worry of smudging it.
4. Fill
When applying your lipstick, always start in the middle and then move towards the outside, to avoid having too much product around the edges that could cause smudging. A flat or rounded lip brush will come in handy when giving the final touch ups. I’d recommend MyKitco Lip brush 3.1 - My Line & Fill.
5. Clean up!
To finish I always make sure the shape is perfect by using a little bit of Bioderma Micellar water on a cotton bud from Muji to clean around the edges and correct any mistakes or excess colour around the lip line.
And Voilá. In 5 steps your perfect bright summer lips are ready!
