The ombre look—gradations of color—has dominated hair trends on and off the catwalk. Thanks to its latest incarnation, ombre has moved beyond hair. From Dior to Prabal Gurung, ombre lips will have you rediscovering your lip pencils and redefining the way you wear lipstick. Here are four simple steps to achieving a beautiful, pink-toned ombre lip.
Step 1: Prep Your Lips
Just like you clean and moisturize your face before applying makeup, make sure your lips are primed and prepped for lip color. Start by exfoliating with ingredients you can find at home. I prefer the baking soda route, which requires nothing more than water and baking soda mixed together in your palm. Apply with a straight, soft-bristle toothbrush and rub the paste on your lips in a circular motion. Rinse lips with a damp, warm hand towel and moisturize with clear lip balm.
Step 2: Lining the Lips
Now that the lips are properly exfoliated and hydrated, apply the first layer of color. Use a darker-hued lip pencil to create definition more easily. Line your lips with MAC’s Hip ‘n’ Happy lip pencil, going inward toward the center of the lips. Don’t worry about getting a perfectly straight line all around; you’ll be blending this with your next lip color.
Step 3: Ombre Illusion
Using a lighter shade of lipstick, take Obsessive Compulsive’s Precision Lip Brush and apply the color to the center of your lips. I prefer MAC’s Snob lipstick, a gorgeous complementary color to the Hip ‘n’ Happy. Once you’ve applied Snob, it’s time to lightly blend both colors where they meet to create a more natural appearance. This achieves the ombre effect and creates an illusion of fullness and dimension.
Step 4: Take-Home Tips
Remember to use contrasting shades from the same color family. This will showcase color without leaving lips looking like they belong in a color wheel. To achieve an ombre lip during the day, stick with a lip pencil just a shade darker than your natural lip tone and a lipstick that is close to your natural lip color. For a more dramatic, nighttime look, change up your look with bolder, brighter shades. Depending on the lighting, your lips will pop with an extra punch of color.
by Marylyn Simpson
