Orange is the new red of lip colours, swears the trend goers. Vermilion and its enchanting prowess are matters of the past. In comes the tangerine in all its sheen and flamboyance. Beauticians in the city swear that orange is the new red of lip colours. Anyone with a discerning eye will stock their wardrobes with neon shades this season as they guarantee a run for your money. Match them up with an array of lip colours that come in myriad tangerine shades, from neon- flashy to nude-peachy.
“As a person who regularly uses make-up, I follow the trends carefully. However, I do not believe in dramatising the look with heavy make-up. Hence, when the nude make-up made the entry I was the first one to try it out from my group. My current favourite in lip colours is undoubtedly orange. It is not the neon orange I prefer, but the light peach version of it,” says Vaishali.
For Malayali girls, makeup was a forbidden territory until lately. Today, switching from norms, they are flaunting their flawless skins caked with products. Wearing simplicity on their sleeves, they prefer an undone nudelook for their daily outings. Nonetheless, choosing the right lipstick is still a prodigious task for some, as they have not yet come out of red-pink-maroon rules of lip colours. The myth of skin colour and matching lipstick is also being broken this season, as orange is mint fresh with no dearth of selection. The dusky and fair ones can equally sport ‘orange’ and not worry about the suiting factor for its sheer daringness.
When I first wore my tangerine lipstick to my workplace in the city, I had to deal with many judgemental sneers. Today, they all are trying out the same,” says Tanya, a banker.
Looking like a page ripped right out of international fashion magazines, today’s youngsters like to mould themselves into runway models. On the contrary, the looks they opt for most often do not strike the right chords.
D e e p a , o w n e r o f Catalyst salon and spa in the city says, though Thiruvananthapuram is yet to catch up with the rest of the nation in lipstick trends, there are many who enquire about the current make-up fads and test them often.
“A ‘gradient blend of different shades’ is the current trend. The tangerine tinted lips will be blended with reds or pinks in the edges giving it a totally new and fresh look. There are many who prefer two different shades for upper and lower lips. If the upper lip is smudged with orange, give the lower lip a different shade. If the eye is done in a dramatic smoky way, it is always better to go nude on lips,” says Deepa.
An eclectic combination of bright berry hues such as fuchsia, bright pink, tangerine, red and brown are ‘in’ this season. Temper the look with subtle monochrome accessories and no one can stop you from looking smashing.
While choosing and applying lip colours there are many elements you should take care of, says Anila Joseph, an acclaimed bridal beautician from the city. “If you are dusky skinned and have dark lips always dab a bit of foundation on your lips to make it lighter, then apply lipstick to get the expected result. Do not directly apply lipstick on your lips that will result in lip cracks and darkening. If you want your lipsticks to last dab a much lighter lip-primer or base before applying the colour. Smooth in a small amount of lip gloss as well,” says Anila.
Anila agrees with Deepa and says bright shades rule the make-up arena these days. According to her, cherry shades set off dusky complexions to a stunning effect. “Following the footsteps of North Indians, Malayali brides are opting for brighter shades such as dark red, bright orange and magenta for their lips these days. They are becoming daring and experimental for sure,” she says.
Though the bright colours top the list, many still favour subtle shades with their heavy eye make-up. The washed-out look portraying minimalism is an all-time favourite for its sheer elegance. Highlighting the eye with smoky kohl-liners, the teenagers are following the ‘less is more’ motto for their lips. The kids who know a thing or two about make-up seem to believe that an acquired taste in make-up is all you need to look gorgeous on a day out or at a wedding. But none of them believe in spending large amounts on make up. “I have recently read a stylist saying, “Expensive tastes do not guarantee stylish moments’ and my belief is the same. I want to look dapper every day by not spending too much on branded makeup. Hence, my cupboards are not taken up by MACs or Estée Lauder, instead Maybelines and Lakmes are the most you will find there and those brands do come with reasonable price tags,” says Arunima, a college student.