Lip 101: Your Guide to the Perfect Shade

By Michelle Herrera Mulligan for Las Fabulosas

We all keep a lipstick on hand for a spontaneous night out, but are we really maxing out our lip potential? Celebrity makeup artist Rebecca Restrepo, who works with Covergirl, shares her tips on how to pull off the summer’s most delicious colors — along with keeping your lips looking luscious for any occasion.

Color
“Bright or orange reds, along with bright pinks, work well for Latinas,” says Restrepo. “But the most important step to finding your own perfect shade is determining your skin tone.” Lighter-skinned ladies should stay away from hot pink and opt for “peachy or deep berries, wine reds, and golden browns.” Those with medium skin tones should try intense reds and deep pinks and avoid pale brown. Dark-skinned divas look best in in browns, dark burgundy, plum, and rose pink.

Other Makeup Tips
“When your lips are vibrant, it’s important to balance out the rest of your face,” says Restrepo. “Keep your upper eyes soft and neutral, but up the intensity on your eyelashes: try a dramatic, volumizing mascara.”

Shiny Versus Matte
A shiny lip is versatile: it will give you definition during a day at work and a sexy pout for the after-hour club scene. Choosing a balm or a gloss that contains SPF will both plump your shape and protect your lips from the sun’s dehydrating glare.

Got an invite to a fancy new lounge or loft party? For a sophisticated, fashion forward look, try matte: They give your lips a smooth texture provide contrast to your skin tone in a nude shade. If you’re fair, try a pale pink for maximum drama.

Conditioning secrets
Look for ingredients like olive oil-based emollient, white tea, silk protein, shea and avocado, for sustained levels of moisture and fast-acting lip conditioning.

Photo: @iStockphoto.com/anneleven

Michelle Herrera Mulligan is the managing editor of Las Fabulosas.