If you have never worn dark lipstick before, the idea of switching your nude and your light coloured lipstick for a dark, vampy shade can be a bit daunting. If you want to give it a go, you don’t need to dive straight in at the deep end with a really deep burgundy or a dark purple that is bordering on black; you can just get yourself used to the look with some deeper, more vibrant shades of what you are already used to wearing. To help you get started, here’s our guide – makeup hacks you will need to know if you want to wear dark lipstick like a pro.
1. Prep
Dark lipstick is unforgiving at the best of times so if your lips aren’t in tip-top condition, the cracks will begin to show very quickly – quite literally. So, have a lip scrub on hand and apply a light layer of non-greasy lip balm before application and the whole process will be a lot easier.
2. Use an eyeshadow primer
Yes, admittedly, this step sounds bizarre, but hear us out. This genius tip is tried, tested and is an essential step for any dark lip lover. It will help to create a smooth base for your dark lip product to sit on top of and will keep it sticking around for much longer.
3. Choose a pigmented product
Again, this sounds all too obvious, but an intensely pigmented formula is essential for pulling off a dark lip. If a formula is patchy, lacks in pigmentation or doesn’t apply evenly, things will become messy very quickly!
4. Use a lip liner, always
Using a lip liner all over the lips is not only essential for intensifying the opacity of your lip color, but it’s also very much needed for the perimeter of your lips to avoid any bleeding. And if you can’t find the exact match for your lipstick in a lip liner, you can always use a clear lip line
5. Use the right tone and shade for what you want
This one sounds like a given but putting a little color theory into practice can make the world of difference to the finished look. For example, because blue and yellow sit on opposite sides of the color wheel, a blue based dark lipstick will make your teeth appear less yellow. Clever, huh? And if you have a warm skin tone with yellow or olive undertones, a yellow based dark shade such as a rich berry or deep terracotta look great.
