Thanks to celebs like Poppy Delevingne, Jennifer Lopez, and Katy Perry, we've discovered that moody, dark lipsticks are no longer just meant for fall's and winter's chillier temps, but they also work for summer's warm weather too. "I think the return of the dark lipsticks that we knew and loved from the '90s plays a strong role in its comeback this summer," says Grace Lee, celebrity makeup artist for Maybelline. "The revival of '90s lip liners are also key because it's an essential part of keeping a dark lip look crisp and clean around the edges of your mouth."
First, line your lips with a matching shade, and then use a cotton swab to apply a translucent powder around the edge of your mouth to keep the lipstick in place. Then, use the lipstick to work from the center of your mouth to the outer edges. You can get more precision from using a lip brush like Sephora Collection Pro Lip Brush #81, rather than applying it straight from the tube. "The rest is easy," says Lee. "The trick to making it work is to keep your eyes and skin as minimalist as possible so the lip look doesn't feel weighed down." An easy swipe of a mascara and a touch of highlighter on your cheeks is all you need when you have such a statement look.
"The best part about wearing a dark lip color for the summer is that the formulas are better than ever and so much easier to wear," says celebrity makeup artist Stephen Dimmick. "The lipsticks are longer-lasting and the lip glosses no longer have that tacky stickiness to them like they did before," he says.
Bite beauty for instance, recently launched its Frozen Berries collection, a limited-edition line of matte cream lipsticks in the prettiest berry jewel tones you could ever imagine. They're completely matte, but thanks to cranberry seed oil and a smart mix of fatty acids, they don't dry out your lips or fade in a weird way. Maybelline Color Sensational (we love the Dazzling Plum shade) has the most intense pigment but goes on with the ease of a balm thanks to moisturizing honey nectar. And Smith and Cult brings the high-shine finish of its famous polishes to a new collection of dreamy glosses, which feel really comfortable on your lips and have a subtle coconut scent that seems appropriate for the summer even if you're wearing a deep eggplant shade like The Queen Is Dead.
Whichever dark color you go with—whether it's a pretty purple or a jewel-tone magenta—there are so many options to choose from to elevate your look. Plus, you can easily take them into fall when the cooler season rolls around (but please let's not talk about that just yet!).
