Summertime Lip Color

It’s clear that summer is on everyone’s minds because of all of the bright, playful colors seen in apparel, accessories and of course, makeup. Lips are a popular feature to play up this season with bold pinks, reds, purples and oranges as well as pale, nude shades. While some of the looks on the runways and pages of magazines may seem outside your comfort zone, the colors can be modified to fit your style and occasion. Atlanta-based makeup artist  Claudia Mejerle shows us there is a shade and formula for everyone.

Bright Pink

Pink is an excellent go-to color for those with a lighter skin tone. Most shades of pink look fabulous against skin with pink or porcelain under tones.  Shades that are big for summer are vivid, bold and even neon.  And these colors brighten all complexions. If you aren’t daring enough to go for extreme, neon pink lipstick, try a gloss version of the same color. It will be much softer than a lipstick, but still let you let you wear the look.

Orchid

Orchid, or purple-pink, is a beautiful and feminine color to use on the lips. The hint of purple makes the color unique and playful, yet it’s still wearable. A more shine-free formula looks great for this color, so line and fill in your lips with an orchid-colored lip pencil after prepping the lips with a little lip balm. You’ll have great opaque color, but you can dilute the lip liner by using more balm.

(Click the photos below.)

Orange

Orange may seem like a risky color for lips, but orange really is quite flattering on most skin tones. Experiment with different shades like coral, salmon and peach if straight orange is too wild for you.  Bright orange lips make quite a statement, so keep the rest of your makeup simple.  A matte bronzer and mascara is all you need to pull off the look.

Cherry Red

Women are always searching for the perfect red lipstick. Well, your best bet is to choose a shade that has blue undertones to create the illusion of whiter teeth – and who doesn’t want that?  A cherry red hue compliments pale to dark skin and it can be worn glossy or matte.  If you want to go along with the retro trend, matte red lips are the answer. Line your lips and swipe on a long-wear lip color so your pout doesn’t wear off. It may be bold, but if you pair your red lips with soft, neutral makeup, you can pull it off with ease.

Nude

Nude lips done right are polished, pretty and look effortless. They can be pinky or peachy, so play with both to see what works best with your skin tone.  The last thing you want is to look washed out, so make sure to avoid going more than a shade lighter than your natural lip color.  This is a look that you should pair with bronzer or blush, so make sure to warm up your skin with a dusting of both.

Written by: Claudia Mejerle

Mejerle is an Atlanta-based makeup artist with experience ranging from weddings to commercials, headshots, film, editorials and video shoots.

Photo Credit: Chelsea Patricia