Not unlike the perfect rhinestone-studded clutch, a bold lipstick never fails to be the perfect complement to any holiday ensemble, not to mention, ties the overall look together in five seconds flat. Though a sexy crimson tone is usually our go-to hue, a rich magenta packs just as much punch, and gives the effect an unexpected, yet elegant, twist.
The best part? The look transitions easily from day to night, so you can go from working at the office to working it at a holiday party without having to pull out your entire makeup kit. We teamed up with makeup artist Nick Barose, who used the vivid fuchsia lip he created on Hailee Steinfeld at TIFF as inspiration, to put together a handy tutorial so you can try it out on yourself. Equipped with the same hues he used for Steinfeld, the pro demonstrated the entire process on our fashion credits intern Kourtney Pope, and broke each step down into GIF form, and offered up his sage advice as we took notes. Keep reading to get all the details!RELATED: Find Your Perfect Red Lipstick
Barose began by picking up Estee Lauder’s Pure Color Envy Lipstick in Dominant ($30; esteelauder.com), applying the product directly from the tube. “Apply it on the top lip starting at the center, and sweep it outward,” he says. “Then follow by doing the same on the bottom lip, and blot.”
With a lip brush, Barose swept on another layer to clean up around the edges and build up the intensity of the color.
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Barose then traced Kourtney’s lips with Votre Vu’s Dramatic Lip Liner in Ripe ($21; votrevu.
com) to add dimension and keep the color from feathering. “Pick a color that is complementary to your lip, but not an exact match,” he advises. “Bold lips can look severe if you’re matching your lipstick to your pencil.” Use a brush dipped in concealer or foundation that matches your complexion and trace the perimeter of your lips to fix any unexpected smudges.A light touch of blush to impart a natural-looking glow finished the look. Barose used the limited-edition NARS Blush in Couer Battant (discontinued, try NARS 413 BKLR instead, $30; narscosmetics.com) to mimic, but not match, the bright lip. “With a hot pink like this, you should tap a little of the blush off of your brush before you apply, so you only get a kiss of color,” he adds. “The blush should add a nice backdrop. Make sure to blend it in seamlessly—because the lip is already such a statement, you don’t want the blush to compete.” Do a few quick passes over the color with a Beautyblender Makeup Sponge ($20; sephora.com) to blur any harsh lines.
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