Pale Skin Dark Lips

It's getting to that time of the year when hot chocolate is the order of the day, and central heating is my new best friend. Whilst we may be comfortable switching up our wardrobes with darker tones as we head into the colder months, what about our make up choices too? 

A deep berry lip is becoming ever more acceptable, and although you may be scared to try it, *with the right balance of make up* it's actually alot more wearable than you may expect. It could also pair very nicely with the LBD this Christmas, as opposed to your typical red or nude lip.

You can also tie in the look by pairing similar coloured accessories and also nail polish. Barry M do an incredible range of deep berry shades at a very affordable £2.99. The high street is also filled with lots of key pieces that all feature berry tones, and it's a very workable colour that can be smart for work or glammed up for the evening.

My own take on this look focuses on three things - a dark lip, blacker-than-black lashes and strong (but not scouse!) brows. All of which is paired against a full, matte full coverage base.  

Prior to make up application, I used Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish followed by my Origins make a difference plus moisturiser, and finally my MUA primer. Remember to think of your skin like a wall you intend to paint - s'only going to go on smooth if you prep it first! (random but true). 

After prepping the skin, I applied foundation over the face and lips, using a Real Techniques Buffing Brush. This particular brush will ensure a smooth application, as opposed to the traditional foundation brush which can sometimes leave brush marks.

My base consisted of Mac Studio Sculpt Foundation in NC 15, mixed with Dainty Doll Liquid Foundation in 001. I have to custom mix all of my foundations as I'm sure you will understand, as nobody really caters for our skintone! However, Dainty Doll has now gone into administration so I would advise finding an alternative white foundation as your mixer, such as Illamasqua skin base in 01 or Mac Face & Body in White.  So long as you are able to mix the colour to your exact shade, that's all that matters! (not necessarily the brand name). Similarly, if you can't get hold of a Mac foundation, *any* full coverage foundation will do. 

A full coverage in this look is however essential - as we need to completely knock out any redness, as purple toned make up will only emphasise these areas if not. A flawless base will also help focus the attention on the lips, as this is the area of the face we want to stand out the most.

After foundation, I used Collection 2000 lasting perfection concealer in 01 fair, using the same brush I used for foundation to buff it into the skin. I didn't need too much of this as Studio Sculpt is quite full on, and tends to cancel out any imperfections on it's own. The main thing is to cancel out any redness, so check you have done this before moving onto the next step.

Now for the all important lip! As mentioned I applied foundation all over my face and lips to knock out my natural lip colour, and to act as a primer. I then applied the lipstick - Revlons's Black Cherry - using a Real Techniques detailer brush, painting from the lipstick onto my lips. Using this technique first, allows to get the shaping right and tweak where necessary. I then went over the entire lip with the actual lipstick, which gave it a much stronger look, as well as staying power. 

For the eyes, I used my Dior eyeshadow brush, and my Sleek eye contour brush. I used 3 colours from both Sleek's Storm and Original palettes, although you can get away with using just the 2 colours from Storm. I used the tan shade as a base, and the matt brown as a contour through the socket. I also used this shade through my brows, although you'll notice I only lightly filled in any sparse areas as I personally dislike a strong brow on myself. 

It's worth bearing in mind that a good shaped brow prior to make up application, will always make a huge difference, and will really open up the eye area. It's also worth investing in an eyebrow comb to tame the brows and brush them upwards to keep them in shape. 

To complete my eyes, I used the orangey shade from Original palette lightly over the top of the eyelid, and the matt brown underneath the eyes and blended this out with my blending brush. Finally, I applied some Benefit mascara, and placed some no7 lashes over the top.

I know some people would rather go naked in public than part with their kohl eyeliner, however brown eyeshadow is alot softer meaning your eyes are still defined, however the lip is allowed to be the main focus. The last thing you want with this look is both the eyes and the lips competing for attention, as it can end up looking far too much... so keep the eye liner soft!

For the finishing touches, I applied Bourjois cream blusher in 01 Nude Velvet to the apples of the cheeks. I then lightly applied Max Factor mineral foundation as a contour and Dior loose powder over any areas where concealer was used to set it in place. These last two steps however are optional, although I would always advise powdering any under eye concealer to prevent creasing. 

And voila! Now, I realise a bold lip aint gonna be everyones thang - however hopefully I've inspired some of you out there to experiment with your make up, afterall you only have one face and you only get one lifetime to show it off! 

Here's a birdseye view of all the products I used...  

Full Product List: Mac Studio Sculpt Foundation - NC15, Dainty Doll Liquid Foundation - 01, Max Factor Mineral Foundation - 40 Creamy Ivory (decanted in pic), Dior Loose Powder - 001, Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer - 01 Fair, MUA Primer, Bourjous Cream Blush - 01 Nude Velvet, Benefit "They're Real!" Mascara, Sleek Palette - Storm & Original, No7 "Day" Lashes & Revlon Lipstick - 477 Black Cherry. 

Let me know what you think of this look by leaving a comment or tweeting me @paleskinmakeup