Lipstick Queen Archives

Blush is such a gorgeous product. It breathes new life into your face and adds a little color to stop you from looking washed out.

image of Charlotte Tilbury Beach Stick in Moon Beach

Choosing the right blush can feel a bit overwhelming though, so let’s look at the rules of blush, and how to choose the right blush for your skin tone.

The Rules

Blush should never be confused with contour. Contour products are made up of black and grey and are designed to absorb light and create the subtle illusion of a shadow falling under the cheekbone, making the cheekbone look higher and the cheek look thinner.

Blush and bronzer are not interchangeable! Bronzer’s job is to make you look like you’ve been out in the sun, giving you a sun-kissed glow.

Don’t choose a blush that is deeper than the color you would naturally flush to. It will make your complexion look muddy and heavy. Blush is supposed to give you a little lift!

Color

The most important criteria when choosing a blush color is knowing your skin’s undertone.

Are you a cool tone – ivory/beige/pink or are you a warm tone – olive/ bronze/ebony?

Jessica Chastain is a cool toned girl

If you are a cool tone then cooler, more blue based blushes will look best on you. If you are a warm toned girl then you need a warm based blush.

Jennifer Lopez is a warm toned girl

That nutmeg spice colored blush that looks stunning on an olive girl can look like a heavy brown smudge on a cool toned girl. If you have a cool skin tone but want to wear a more neutral blush a softer, pinky-red based buff or gentle beige-brown color can look beautiful.

The slightly blue based pink that is charming on a cool toned girl can sit up on top of an olive skin and look all wrong. If you have a warm skin tone but want a pink blush, choose a coral based pink instead of a blue based pink.

Tips

If you are using a blush with a shimmer or a sheen choose one with a gold based shimmer.

Cream blushes help to keep your skin glowing.

Look for products that give sheer, buildable color.

Blushes I love:

Charlotte Tilbury Beach Stick in Moon Beach

Lipstick Queen Frog Prince Cream Blush
No – it’s not green blush! It adapts to your personal pH and gives you your perfect cheek.

Nars Orgasm. It’s been around for ages, no doubt because it’s so fabulous.

A red lip is the perfect accessory for the holidays!

It’s bright, it’s fun and with one quick swipe can turn your look from boring to bold.

photo by Kelly Cappelli
Makeup by Corinna Cooke

A well defined brow paired with a kick-ass red lip is classic.
It’s also a quick and easy look to pull off.
A red lip makes such a statement on it’s own that you can scale back the rest of your makeup, keeping the eye and cheek simple and letting the lip do all the work for you.

My favorite red lip look for the holiday season is a rich, matte lip paired with glowing, luminous skin.
Check out 6 of my favorite matte reds for the holidays:

The 6 Best Red Lips For The Holidays

Tatcha Kyoto Red is a geisha inspired red that is universally flattering – it looks great on everyone. And it packs a serious punch.

It’s a matte lip with a silk finish.

Tatcha Kyoto Red

Lipstick Queen Velvet Rope Matte Lipstick in Black Tie.

Lipstick Queen Velvet Rope lipstick in Black Tie

This gorgeous, lightweight matte lipstick

Tom Ford Lip Color in Cherry Lush

Tom Ford Lip Color in Cherry Lush

Tom Ford believes the lip is the focus of the face and has the power to define your whole look. No wonder his lipsticks are so luscious!

Nars Pure Matte Lipstick in Vesuvio

Nars Pure Matte Lips are super pigmented and very long wearing, which is ideal when you are going bold – you don’t want to be wearing a lipstick formula that requires a lot of maintenance and upkeep.

MAC Lipstick in Ruby Woo

MAC Lipstick in Ruby Woo

Ruby Woo is a timeless, iconic red lipstick that will never go out of fashion.

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Red Carpet Red

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Red Carpet Red

One of my all time favorite red lipsticks, Red Carpet Red hasn’t been around very long, but will become another of the iconic red lips. It’s wonderful.

Is your fall wedding fast approaching, and you haven’t figured out your lip game yet?

original image via bridalmakeovers.com

Check out these gorgeous options for luscious looking lips on your big day:

10 Fantastic Lipsticks For Fall Weddings

The Corals

Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick in Coachella Coral.
Charlotte’s K.I.S.S.I.N.G lipsticks come in 10 modern and chic shades, and make your lips look absolutely luscious. This shade is perfect when your wedding has autumnal orange accents, but you don’t want a full orangey mouth. Corals are also wonderful against pinks when you don’t want a blue based shade, giving you a little color pop without being overwhelming.

Another great coral lip choice for your wedding day is
MAC Cremesheen Coral Bliss

The Nudes

One of the easiest lips to wear on your wedding day is a nude lip.

The rules are: don’t go paler than your own lip color, and balance the nude lip with a bolder eye so that you don’t look washed out.

My favorite nude lips for fall are

Christian Dior ‘Nude Rouge’ in Charnelle 459

Chanel Rouge Allure Luminous Lip Color in Pensive

Winter Pinks

Pink lips are lovely, but for a fall wedding you need to step away from the perky, summery pinks and choose instead a pink with more depth and resonance.

Try Lipstick Queen Sinner lipstick in Pink

Nars Satin Lip Pencil in Yu or in Hyde Park

The Reds

A red mouth can be incredibly alluring. Winter reds have extra depth and magic. They can make your complexion look like it is glowing, can make your eye color spark, and are incredibly beautiful and sexy.

For your wedding day avoid glossy reds, opting instead for matte reds and longwear reds that your groom isn’t scared to kiss!

My favorite red lipstick at the moment is Charlotte Tilbury’s

Matte Revolution in Red Carpet Red.

Charlotte’s matte lips aren’t that heavy, flat, dull finish that you find in so many red lipsticks, instead they have a luminous vibrancy that makes the lip look alive and exciting.

Lipstick Queen Sinner Lipstick in Scarlet Red