Fall 2012 Lipstick Trends

While summer was filled with hot pinks and vibrant corals, lips are moving onto the darker side this Fall 2012. Three lipstick trends are emerging this season: Dark Bordeaux, Classic Red, and Hot Orange.

Trend #1 - Dark Bordeaux: Wine stained lips are darker and more popular than ever. Designers are sticking with a bold lip theme, but in rich purple, plum, berry, and merlot shades. Just take a look at Christian Siriano's Fall 2012 Collection. As you can see, this trend has the most dramatic impact on light skin tones.

To capture this look, stick with matte variations. Matte variations have staying power and a great bold lip statement. For a softer variation of the trend, use plum shades that have a hint of brightness. Then top off the lipstick with a sheer, dark gloss.

Because a dark lip adds a lot of drama to the face, wear a minimalistic outfit based around solid colors. This creates balance and prevents you from looking too harsh. Dark Bordeaux lips are often paired with basic neutrals, or - for an edgier look - black. Keep in mind that the bold lip is, after all, the beauty statement of this trend and should not compete with the rest of your outfit.

Trend #2 - Classic Red: Classic red lips continue to be a traffic-stopping beauty trend. View the trend in Zac Posen's Fall 2012 Collection. Red lipsticks were seen on the runways in bountiful ways. Variations include warm and cool tones in both matte and shinier textures.

Red lipsticks are really run the gamut with tones and textures this fall. Enjoy the range and have fun experimenting. Although red lips can be very intimidating for many women, be ahead of the pack this fall and be sure to embrace this classic trend.

Red lips go great with a little black dress, but they can also be worn during the day in more natural variations, such as in sheer formulas and glossier textures.

Trend #3 - Hot Orange: Orange powerfully emerged on the spring runways and it has now carried over into the fall season. See the color burst in Christian Dior's Fall 2012 Collection. Orange lips add a brilliant pop of color to your face. Best of all, orange lipstick flatters all skin tones.

Wear orange lipstick with a more natural face. This allows the punch of orange to serve as the beauty focal point. If you're looking for a more artistic feel, you can add some color on the eyes, but be sure to keep in mind the vibrancy orange lips will bring to your face.

For the fall, I like wearing orange with light beige cream colors or contrasting orange lipstick with deep colored clothes. Cobalt blue and royal purple contrast beautifully with orange. It will be hard to not turn heads with those pairings!

Meli, a graduate of the Makeup Designory (MUD) in New York City, is a professional makeup artist. She finds inspiration in enhancing a woman's natural beauty and making her feel her most beautiful self from the inside out. Meli believes lipstick should be the centerpiece of a woman's face, and she hopes her site, http://www.lipsticklookbook.com/, becomes the centerpiece of your beauty inspiration.

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Why You Should Wear More Lipstick and How to Make It Look Great

Most women have a cosmetics routine that they use to start the day. You probably do and it probably involves using a bit of foundation to smooth out your skin and maybe add some colour, and then adding mascara, eyeliner and eye shadow to bring out your eyes. Now on a day to day basis for many women this is all they will use and things won't often get all that creative or colourful. This way you can keep it cheap and keep it quick, while at the same time making sure you don't look overdressed for work or like you're trying too hard.

However it can also sometimes look a little bland and if you want to shake things up a notch, adding some lipstick can be the perfect way to finish off your look. While a bold eye shadow might be one way to add colour, ultimately no one is going to see it as long as your eyes are open and there's only so adventurous you can go without looking silly. With a lipstick though you can keep it simple and professional looking, but at the same time make a big impact to your look that will make a statement.

Why Wear Lipstick?

There are plenty of reasons to wear a red or pink lipstick more regularly. The first is that it will make you look confident because it's bold and it draws attention to a very sensual area. This makes it the definition of power dressing and means that you'll be turning heads for all the right reasons - confidence is sexy.

At the same time if you want to get noticed by a guy you see regularly then wearing lipstick is a great way to draw their eye and to make them think of you in a different way. Lipstick makes men look at your lips, and a woman's lips are incredibly attractive and sensual. At the same time just a simple red will change your look so much that they will be forced to reassess the way they think about you.

Then there's the fact that lipstick makes the rest of your face look better - your lips look fuller, your eyes contrast more making the colour more vibrant, and your teeth will look much whiter next to your ruby pout. Finally, lipstick is great because it means your features will show up more from across the room, which means you can hold someone's attention even when you're not right next to them.

How to Make it Work

To make your lipstick work on a daily basis you need to first choose a tone that will suit your skin colour and your personality. Don't just go for firebox red - a deep maroon may be more striking, or a pink may suit your personality more. At the same time you should be willing to pay a bit more for your lipstick to make sure it stays on all day and has a great matte look (though you'll still need to check it regularly). Apply it carefully, and make sure to use a primer and lip liner to create a longer lasting and more perfect look.

Lamar Ayers works at Chi Chi Cosmetics, for more information about their products and services click here

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Picking the "Perfect" Lipstick!

Every woman should own at least one amazing lipstick. Lipstick is a total style accessory, like a stunning pair of heels or a beautiful handbag. And like heels or a handbag, there is no such thing as 'the' perfect lipstick. This is a good thing... actually a great thing! It means there are multiple perfect lipsticks for every woman.

For that reason, it bothers me when makeup artists quote blanket rules: Pick a lipstick two shades darker than your natural lip color or, if you have this skin tone, wear this color. You wouldn't limit yourself in such a way when picking a clutch or pump, right? Lipstick is no different--it is an accessory like any other. Treat it like one.

This is not to say there aren't some guidelines. Let the following be your framework the next time you find yourself faced with a sea of lipsticks, each one screaming "pick me, pick me!"

Question 1: Do you want a bold or neutral lip?

This is the fundamental question. When picking a lipstick, deciding on the color family feels like the natural starting point. Don't start there. Instead, start by deciding on either a neutral or bold lip. Lipsticks fall into two general categories: neutral or bold. Neutral lipsticks blend with the rest of your makeup. Bold lipsticks contrast the rest of your face. Boldness results from a lipstick's "value", which is 'the lightness or darkness of a color.'

Keep in mind that not every shade within a color family is bold or neutral. A particular red lipstick can be bold, while another red lipstick can be neutral. Similarly, a color that is neutral on fair skin women may actually be bold on a woman with darker complexion. For this reason, bold or neutral should be your first question.

To determine if you want a bold or neutral lip, ask whether you want your makeup to standout? If no, then go with a neutral lipstick. If yes, then go with a bold lipstick. [Note, you should typically refrain from pairing a bold lipstick with smokey eyes. This is because you don't want both your lipstick and your eyeshadow to be bold--otherwise your face may look too cluttered.]

Question 2: Are you gravitating towards a particular color?

If so, go with it. Let your intuition be your guide. Many makeup artists rely too heavily on rules based on skin tone. If you have skin tone X, they say stick with colors A and B and avoid colors C and D. I find this approach far too rigid. Certainly skin tone can be an important factor when considering a lipstick. But don't get too wrapped up in it. Rather, view it from the perspective that some colors "compliment" certain skin tones. Of course if you eventually decide a lipstick is too light or too dark for you, you can always darken or lighten. [Just see any one of my featured lipsticks posts for an example of how to alter a lipstick.]

Reds: Typically classified as the boldest choice. Realize, though, that reds vary tremendously. They range from bright to dark to very sheer (meaning they just add a transparent wash of color). Reds can "compliment" all skin tones. Deep pigmented reds flatter medium and darker skin tones.

Pinks: Exceptionally versatile and always very feminine. Pink lipsticks can be good for any occasion.

Corals/Oranges: These colors look great on all skin tones. They especially compliment women with warmer undertones, such as those with a golden complexion and yellow to their skin. This color family is more favorable in warm weather, but can be incorporated year round.

Purples/Plums/Berries: A great choice if you want to add more color to the face. These colors are best for the fall and winter months.

Browns: Great everyday colors that easily pair with the rest of your makeup. Lighter shades tend to blend nicely with more fair complexions and deeper browns suit darker complexions.

Question 3: What is more important to you: lipstick longevity or lipstick comfort?

If you are looking for a lipstick with staying power, go with a matte lipstick.

Matte: Matte lipsticks are the longest lasting lipsticks. They grip the lips and even leave a slight staining effect that won't easily come off.

If you are looking for a comfortable lipstick, go with a sheer or creamy lipstick.

Sheer: Smooth and shiny. They are very lightweight and usually feel like you are wearing a lip conditioner... it's possible you may not even realize you're wearing anything at all. [Note, sheer lipsticks are low pigment and therefore have very little color payoff. Sheers are washes. See Important Consideration below.]

Creamy: Exceptionally smooth on the lips because it contains the most moisture. Great for those with drier lips.

Important Consideration -- "Color Payoff"

Color Payoff is the measure of how much a product colors your lips. A seemingly vibrant lipstick may actually be barely visible when on the lips. Such a lipstick is said to have a poor color payoff. Sheer lipsticks have the lowest color payoff. With sheers, expect the lipstick to be more like a 'wash' that allows your natural lip color to shine through. On the other hand, matte lipsticks have the greatest color payoff. With mattes, what you see in the canister will basically be what you're going to get on your lips. Creamy lipsticks typically have moderate color payoff.

Meli, a graduate of the Makeup Designory (MUD) in New York City, is a professional makeup artist. She finds inspiration in enhancing a woman's natural beauty and making her feel her most beautiful self from the inside out. Meli believes lipstick should be the centerpiece of a woman's face, and she hopes her site, http://www.lipsticklookbook.com/, becomes the centerpiece of your beauty inspiration.

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