House of Fraser Blog

Q: I love the plum lips that I’ve seen all the celebs sporting, but I’m scared that I’ll get mistaken for a goth! I’m not even sure where to start, do I wear eye shadow? If so, what shade? And how do I pick the right shade of plum? I have quite pale skin. I’m desperate to try this look but don’t know what to do, please help!

A: Yes, the vampy lip trend is a fabulous one, yet notoriously difficult to create. And there’s a fine line between looking like the stunning Megan Fox and resembling a Twilight reject. The first step is not to panic. Second step is to make sure that your lips are in tip top condition. Darker shades will always show up chapped lips so make sure you’ve been using a good lip balm before you choose to adopt this look. The next step is to spend some time looking at shades. If you’re not used to wearing much colour then opt for a lighter shade of plum, we recommend Prescriptives Colorscope lipcolour in Scarlet Minx, £15, it’s dark without being full on. If however you’re looking for a full throttle plum then try Dior’s Vibrant couture colour lipstick in decadent plum, £19, it’s a beautiful on trend colour.

So now you’ve picked your colour you’ll want to invest in a lip liner, we suggest buying a liner from the same brand as your lipstick as they will have created one to suit. YSL’s lip liner in No. 11 plum, £14 is a perfect shade. First apply the liner, then start to fill in the lips. The lips are dark but not overly filled, so work the lipstick on lightly preferably using a lip brush and build layers until you reach your ideal shade. As for make up, steer clear of bright blushers and overly bold eye shadows. Keep the cheek gently flushed with a soft pink or peach, and the eyes nude. Keep a mirror and lipstick handy as you will need to top up your look throughout the day.

If that sounds like too much hassle, then you could try a lip tint for a more long lasting nod towards the lip trend. Benefit’s Benetint, £22.50 leaves the lips a deep sexy red.