Previously a winter-only look, asks a make-up artist how to make a vampy dark lip work for you this summer

WADE PRUDENCE

AS SUMMER approaches, we tend to put our winter clothes away and bring out our warm weather outfits. The same ethos is often applied to our beauty bags: when the sun comes out, we pack up our dark lipsticks and eyeshadows in favour of brighter colours.

However, this doesn’t always have to be the case. While you might associate berry lipsticks with autumn and winter, designers like MaxMara and

Rick Owens made a strong case for darker pouts this season.

It’s a surprising choice for the spring and summer months, but still totally wearable. It’s a way of experimenting with make-up without having to draw anything wacky on your face, or even learn any new techniques.

Admittedly, you don’t want to look like Morticia Addams did your make-up in the middle of summer, which is why we asked Stila’s lead make-up artist Sascha Jackson for her top tips...

ddShine Fever lip vinyl in Supercharge, £17, available from Stila

The Bullet lipstick in Infinite, £24, available from ASOS

WITH any type of make-up, it’s important to prep your skin properly so the products glide on seamlessly. The same logic applies to your lips – and priming them is even more important when you’re wearing a bold, statement colour.

“First, exfoliate your lips to get rid of any excess dry skin,” advises Sascha. It’s not like you need fancy new products to get soft, smooth lips, because there t e e are plenty of home hom remedies which whi work just as w well. The make-up make-u artist has a fe few favourite DIY methods of her own, saying saying: “You can use some som lip balm and an old toothbrush and gently scrub your lips until sup super smooth. Or, my pe personal favourite is making k my own home-made lip scrub using coconut oil and brown sugar (if you only have white then that’s fine too).

“Mix them together in a small pot and work into the lips for a minute or two, then wipe away. Your lips will be super-smooth and soft.”

For super-hydrated lips, you might be tempted to use lip balm or oils before applying lipstick, but Sascha warns against this as they “may hinder the performance of your lipstick – so make sure you wipe away any excess product”.

fLUCKILY, applying lipstick is one of the easiest things you can do in the world of make-up – all you need to do is draw the colour onto the shape of your pout.

However, Sascha says: “The bolder colour, the

Left: Matte Lipstick in Berry, £10, from M&S

Above, left: Antimatter lipstick in Turntable, £10 (was £20), available from Illamasqua.

Left: Color in Blackberry, £24.50, from Bobbi Brown

Above, Right: A SUQQU vibrant rich lipstick in Hanasumi, £30, available from Harrods. more precise you will need the finish to be” – so you might want to try something different than just swiping on lipstick. She suggests using a lip brush or a small, dense eyeshadow brush: “Load up the brush, then start by lining your lips, as you would a lip liner. Lining first makes sure you have crisp, neat edges. Then, you can then fill in the middle and any gaps – making sure your lips are evenly coated with product.”

SASCHA calls this trend for darker lips a “welcome change from the usual summery shades of corals and pinks. But wearing a darker, bold lip in the summer months needs adapting from how you would perhaps wear it in the winter season, to make sure it keeps within the summer vibe.”

This means you need to think about how your dark lip pairs with the rest of your make-up. Instead of going for a smokey eye, Sascha says: “I love pairing a dark berry lip with a contrasting pop of colour on the eyes. Nothing bold or crazy – just a bright eyeliner or a wash of a pastel shade will do.

“Think of wearing a dark berry lip with a yellow eyeliner, or pairing a deep burgundy brown lip with a wash of turquoise shadow.”

She also recommends using bright and summery make-up for your skin. “Keep everything light and glowy,” Sascha suggests. “Try using an illuminating primer under your foundation, use highlighter on the cheekbones and high points of the face, and try to keep textures to a cream formula, as opposed to matte powder. This will make sure it sets off against the darker lip and ties in nicely with summer fashion and trends.”

Burt’s Bees lipstick in Russet River, £9.99, from Holland & Barrett

Cool shades: Darker lips should not be retired just because summer has rolled around

LONG STORY

YOU’RE probably using less heat on your hair these days, so this could be your chance to grow it. Give it a push with Redken’s Extreme Length range (Lookfantastic.com), which promises to give you the best shot of hitting maximum hair growth – around six inches a year, if it doesn’t snap. There’s a shampoo, £18, conditioner £19.50 and split end sealer, £21.50, to help keep things strong and long.

RISE AND SHINE

IF this pretty bottle doesn’t immediately bring a smile to your face, one whiff of the new Dolce & Gabbana Dolce Shine Eau de Parfum, £88 (Harrods. com) will instantly make you forget about the holiday to Italy’s Amalfi Coast you can’t go on this year.

Mango, grapefruit, jasmine and orange blossom combine into an uplifting, feel-good fragrance.

ONLINE LIP TEST

THERE’S nothing quite like a new lippie to cheer you up, but how do you pick the right shade when you can’t make it to the make-up counter?

BareMinerals has got you covered with its virtual try-on tool, available on Bareminerals.co.uk, where you can test out the 25 shades of Mineralist Hydra-Smoothing Lipstick, £20, on a photo of yourself before buying.

POOL SIGH

DIP your toes and fingers into Mavala’s Poolside collection of six nail shades, £5.50 each at Mavala.co.uk, named after glitzy beach resorts, from Portofino to Phuket.

Come on in, the water’s lovely!