How a LIPPY changes your face
Annabel’s used the same lipstick for 30 years. She tried the new generation of colours and found...
My BEAUTY routine is simple: foundation, mascara, blush and a sweep of lipstick in a reliable browny-pink.
But trouble started when I went to buy a new lipstick and found an overwhelming array of options — marble, metallics, two and three tones, topcoats — so I enlisted celebrity makeup artist Oonagh Connor to help me work out which live up to the hype, and whether any of these tones and textures suit a 45-year-old mature woman like me.
I found that each shade made a big difference not only to my pout, but to the shape of my face and even the colour of my eyes. So was I convinced to change my trusty shade? 1: Annabel’s natural look OONAGH SAYS: As you age, lips start to thin and lose colour. If you don’t normally use lipstick, it’s time to start. ANNABEL SAYS: The one essential item in my make-up bag is lipstick. My lips are quite pale and I feel naked if they are bare. GIMMICK OR GLAM? Just grim! I hate to go out bare-lipped. 1/10 2: Rimmel Oh My Gloss! in Snog, £5.49 OONAGH: This is a safe option. It does suit her skin tone, but it doesn’t ‘wow’. Annabel would benefit from wearing lip-liner. ANNABEL: I have been wearing this shade since I was 16 years old. It gives a plumping effect and doesn’t drain my complexion. GIMMICK OR GLAM? Always glam. But perhaps it’s time for a change. 7/10 3: Too Faced Melted Latex Liquified Lipstick in Rated R, £19 OONAGH: It’s gooey, like a coat of paint, and you need a steady hand: the shade is so intense any mistakes will draw the eye. ANNABEL: Neon pink is way outside my comfort zone. But once it was on, I was pleasantly surprised as it lifted my complexion. GIMMICK OR GLAM? Glam. 7/10 4: George at Asda Matte lipstick in Smooch, £4 OONAGH: Matte is the look of the season — these lipsticks give intense colour but can be drying. This one from Asda’s new budget range is easy to apply and flattering.
ANNABEL: I have tried and failed to get to grips with matte lips. This was a revelation thanks to its creamy texture — and the warm colour brought out my eyes.
GIMMICK OR GLAM? Glam. A matte for the over-40s. 8/10 5: No 7 Matte Liquid Lips in Conquer, £10 OONAGH: A variation on the season staple, ‘ liquid mattes’ are silkier. The sponge applicator makes it easy to apply and you don’t need a liner. But older women should try to avoid dark hues as they make lips look pinched.
ANNABEL: I don’t like the colour. The deep red makes me look washed out.
GIMMICK OR GLAM? Glam. 6/10 6: Givenchy Rouge Interdit Vinyl in Noir Revelateur, £25
OONAGH: This black balm reacts to the ph of your lips to create a unique shade.
ANNABEL: I loved the light berry colour and soft texture. We tested it on others and it did change shade, but it wasn’t that impressive. GIMMICK OR GLAM? Gimmick. It’s a tinted lip balm. 6/10 7: Benefit Double the Lip in Pink Thrills, £16.50
OONAGH: A lippy and liner in one. The thin, tapered lipstick is striped with two shades, a darker ‘liner’ at the tip and a brighter colour below.
ANNABEL: Draw it along your lip and you get a thin stripe of liner at the top and a thicker stripe of lipstick to fill in the rest. But you need to turn the stick around on the lower lip, which is awkward. GIMMICK OR GLAM? Gimmick. Too fiddly. 4/10 8: Smashbox Be Legendary Triple Tone in Red Ombre, £17.50 OONAGH: Ombre, a graduated blend of colours, is another
season trend. But this style is a complete faff. In the end I just used a brush.
ANNABEL: Very awkward. Hot lips? No, just silly. GIMMICK OR GLAM? Gimmick. Don’t try it at home. 2/10 9: Illamasqua Lava Lips Marbled Lipstick in Tectonic Plum, £20
OONAGH: Lovely texture, but despite the marbling it comes out as just one shade.
ANNABEL: The package is stunning, but that doesn’t come across on your lips.
GIMMICK OR GLAM? I’m sad to say that it’s a gimmick. 2/10 10: Bobbi Brown Crushed Lip Colour in Cali Rose, £24
OONAGH: This is soft, nourishing and highly wearable with a light sheen that lifts the skin tone.
ANNABEL: This pale pink lipstick had the conditioning quality of some of my favourite balms, yet the colour was obvious and fresh. GIMMICK OR GLAM? Glamorous — my new favourite. 9/10
11: Estee Lauder Pure Colour Love in Space Tripper, £19
OONAGH: A lot of women favour nudes, but it’s important to boost your blusher if you wear them.
ANNABEL: Space Tripper is too brown for me — it makes my hair look dull and my skin sallow, while the shimmer just draws attention to the problems. GIMMICK OR GLAM? Gimmick. 5/10 12: Revlon Ultra HD Matte in Intensity, £8.99 OONAGH: A ‘velvet’ lipstick, which is just a more moisturising matte. It goes on beautifully in a single coat and gleams. Keep other makeup soft with a shade this bold.
ANNABEL: I would never have considered the purple colour, but it brought out my eyes.
GIMMICK OR GLAM? Glam. 7/10 13: Bourgeois Rouge Velvet in Rubi’s Cute, £8.99 OONAGH: I liked the tear- drop shape, which helped draw a neat outline. This shows you don’t have to avoid red as you get older. ANNABEL: It went on with no fuss, but the shade is a tad harsh. GIMMICK OR GLAM? Glam. 8/10 14: Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss in Caviar, £26 OONAGH: Chanel’s high- shine black topcoat has been a hit with fashionistas. But seems like a lot of money for little effect. ANNABEL: I liked it, the glittery gloss gave instant depth, but it’s not worth the price. GIMMICK OR GLAM? Gimmick. 5/10 15: GEORGE AT ASDA Metallic Lip Liquid in Swan Lake, £4.40 OONAGH: Another trendy finish, but this time it’s metallic white. It feels thin and cheap and coverage is very patchy.
ANNABEL: Awful. GIMMICK OR GLAM? Gimmick for bargain Barbarellas. 1/10 16: Too Faced Melted Matte in Miso Pretty, £19 OONAGH: This was hard to apply and washes Annabel out. ANNABEL: I looked like I had been at the Tipp-Ex. GIMMICK OR GLAM? Gimmick. 2/10 17: Pur Velvet Matte Liquid Lipstick in Ever after, £16 OONAGH: This glides on smoothly then dries matte, which should mean less colour bleeding. The shade is deeply pigmented, so be careful when applying.’
ANNABEL: Intense colour. But it didn’t stay on my lips.
GIMMICK OR GLAM? Glam. 5/10 18: Max Factor Honey Laquer in Regal Burgundy, £9.99 OONAGH: This highly pigmented gloss looks like a lipstick and isn’t at all gloopy. ANNABEL: The hue is much stronger than any gloss I’ve ever had. GIMMICK OR GLAM? Glam. 9/10