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I’ve always been a summer girlie. Swimming in my grandma’s pool from dawn till dusk. Unlimited popsicles. Letting my kids stay up past bedtime to bask in the sunset. And playing around with bright lip colors. Here are five fun lipstick trends I tried…
1. POPSICLE POUT, bold color in the center, with a soft, gradient-like fade.
The Product: I went with Tower28’s BeachPlease Cream Blush — made for cheeks and lips — in the Finest Hour shade. At first glance, I was worried the pigment might be too light. But OH MY GOSH you guys. The color pops in the most beautiful way; and the texture is hydrating, almost slippery, so it easily blended on my lips.
How to Apply: To create that ombré effect, I first applied a concentrated amount of the formula onto the center of my lips with my fingertips. Then I put a light layer on the outer edges of my lips. Finally, I dabbed a wet beauty blender over the outer edges of my lips to smudge.
The Verdict: I LOVED this pretty lip look. It’d be fun to wear anywhere, from a family pool day to evening drinks with girlfriends. The only catch? You’d need to do frequent touch-up if you wanted the popsicle look to last all day.
2. COOL-TONED ’90S BROWN, a greig-y lip, accented with a brown liner.
The Products: For this look, I needed both lipliner and lipstick. I chose Tower28’s OneLiner, a creamy matte liner, in Color Me Fine. The color was soft but easy to layer for a deeper hue. Next I went with Rare Beauty’s Kind Words lipstick in Creative. Since the formula is described as ‘matte,’ I was prepared for it to feel dry. But the lipstick felt so velvety — I actually said ‘wow’ out loud while applying, because I was shocked by its incredibly creamy texture.
How to Apply: Confession: I’ve never worn lipliner. For guidance, I turned to my makeup guru — Desi Perkins — on YouTube, and like kismet, her latest makeup tutorial was a Maddy Perez makeup tutorial! Her video gave me the courage and direction I needed. Like she suggested, I began lining my lips at the cupids bow, working my way down with light, feathery strokes. Then I swiped on the lipstick. Finally, I used a dry beauty blender to make everything come together.
The Verdict: At first, the brown trend intimidated me. What if the color washed me out? What if it looked costume-y? But, in the end, I REALLY loved it. It made my lips look voluptuous and sultry. I’d love to wear this on a date night, paired with a black dress, strappy heels and an ice-cold martini.
3. SHELLAC LIPS, a high shine, with neutral undertones.
The Product: I chose Mutha’s Pucker Up Lip Plump in Almond Mom — a super glossy nude with just a hint of brown. It also has a subtle scent of almond extract, which I love.
How to Apply: Two layers of gloss gave my lips a good amount of pigment and shine. The final look was extra glossy, but that’s what I was going for.
The Verdict: A minute after taking this photo, above, I walked into the kitchen to grab a glass of water, and my cousin, who was babysitting my kids, said, ‘Your lips look SO good.’ The gloss plumps up your lips, and the hint of color adds warmth to your face. To amp up that just-back-from-vacation look, swipe this glowy bronzer cream on your cheekbones, the bridge of your nose, and your eyelids.
4. SOFT PEACH, a shimmery lip with pink undertones.
The Product: Rare Beauty’s Positive Light Luminizing Lip Gloss in Beam, a soft coral with tiny specks of what I imagine fairy dust would look like.
How to Apply: Couldn’t have been easier — I just swiped on one layer of gloss!
The Verdict: This lip trend would work year-round. Just one layer creates a romantic everyday sheen, and I could see myself wearing this all the time.
5. BRIGHT CORAL, a matte, orange-y, red lip.
The Product: While scouting around, I couldn’t find the exact coral lip color I wanted. So, I decided to use a combo of Rare Beauty Lip Soufflé’s Matte Lip Cream in Inspire (a bright red) and Rare Beauty’s Soft Pinch Tinted Lip Oil in Joy (a muted peach).
How to Apply: I love a punchy coral, but lip prep and precise application are key because the color is SO bright. To exfoliate my lips, I rubbed a wet washcloth in a circular motion on my lips for 20 seconds. Next, I applied just the tiniest dab of red lip cream, since the color red goes a long way. Finally, I dabbed the peach lip oil on my fingertips and blended into my lips.
The Verdict: This vibrant lip shade is perfect for summer! Wouldn’t it look gorgeous with a white dress? But you know what impressed me the most? The long-lasting wear of the lip cream and lip oil. OMG! These lip colors will not budge. Here is a picture of the products on my fingertips right after I blended the peach lip oil over the red lip cream:
And here’s a photo of my fingers after I wiped the product off with a baby wipe, washed my hands with soap and micellar water, and then dried them with a paper towel!
I was blown away. If you’re looking for a lip color that will last you through breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a late-night walk to get ice cream, Rare Beauty’s lip cream and lip oil are IT.
What lip colors are you wearing this summer? Would you wear one of these? Also, are there any other makeup trends you’d like to see tested?
P.S. Five more summer beauty trends and four drugstore lipsticks with cult followings.
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