Dos and don’ts of dark lipstick

From berry to burgundy to oxblood, there are many different dark shades on the lipstick colour spectrum, but not all work on every skin tone. Women with fair skin should choose something pink-based to really make their eyes pop. Blue-based lipsticks complement medium skin tones and have the bonus effect of making teeth appear whiter. Those with darker skin tones should choose something with a brown base. 

Dark lipstick can often end up streaky and dry if it is not applied correctly. So, the best way to ensure sure a clean and even finish is to use a lip brush. It will give you better control of where the colour is applied, and guarantee that you’ll stay streak-free. 

To prevent your lipstick from feathering (which happens much more easily with darker shades), line your lips with a lip pencil before applying lipstick. Try to find a liner that exactly matches your lip colour. If not, go a shade darker. Be sure to blend out any harsh contrasts between the liner and the lipstick with your brush to keep things looking smooth. 

There’s nothing wrong with adding lip gloss over your usual lip colour to make it standout more, but this shade doesn’t need any help in the attention-getting department. Plus, swiping on gloss can make your otherwise matte lipstick look messy, and make the colour bleed onto your skin, which isn’t a good look.