How to wear a dark lip: 8 Beauty Panel tips for rocking this often intimidating look

by FASHION Staff January 9, 2014

It seems like everyone and their mother is sporting a dramatic red lip these days. Sigh. Don’t get us wrong – we can appreciate a good dramatic pop of colour just as much as the next gal. But there are times when a dramatic dark colour right on the ol’ kisser is exactly what the doctor ordered. Mastering how to do a bold lip can be a bit challenging, err you end up looking like a goth. Luckily, our beauty panellists are here to help.

As seen on runways around the world, the bold dark lip is hot hot hot. What separates the trend from previous lip treatments is a certain dangerous feel – a real femme fatale look that has an aspect of a brooding starlet. It’s not necessarily prissy, but can still be worn for a night out on the town. What’s not to love? Hollywood starlet favourite Philip Lim showcased an earthy brown matte lip, and a deep wine stained burgundy was on display at both Zac Posen and Pamela Roland. Derek Lam and Cynthia Rowley both favoured darker shades of violet while Vivienne Tam went for a dramatic ebony lip.

Challenge 44: How do you wear a bold lip? Check the answers now! »

While this all sounds just dandy, there are a few tricks to avoid looking like a kid on hallowe’en or a high school goth. The key is balance. Pretty much all of our bloggers mentioned balancing out their bold lip with a soft eye and neutral base. Let the lip take centre stage. Maggie Ng of Beauty PhD went for a deep rich plum that veered on black, but kept it light with bright accents elsewhere on the face. Both Amy McKissock of The Pretty Vain and Twenty York Street‘s Marilou Moles went for a purple infused shade, but they each offer up a different finish. Obviously, there is a lot of room to personalize it and make it work. Now own it!

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