Mulled Wine

Deep, berry lips and winter days are the perfect combo. The dark colour of the moment is a mulled wine, think berries with warm undertones that make you look like you’ve been drinking a delicious merlot (without the stained teeth).

Our product picks: Revlon Ultra HD Matte Lipcolor - Infatuation and LA Girl Matte Flat Lip Color - Spicy.

Top tip: Don’t underestimate the importance of exfoliating your lips. Matte formulas are drying, meaning if your lips are even a little bit dry they’re going to start cracking. Avoid the peeling look and gently buff your lips once a day. You can use an exfoliating sugar scrub or just your dry toothbrush. Follow up with some lip balm to keep them moisturised.

Berry Bright

A more daytime version of the spicy wine lip is the bright berry. These shades will have you looking like you’ve just eaten a bunch of mulberries and work especially well with a slightly smudged edge.

Our product picks: Catrice Ultimate Matt Lipstick - Fairy Berry and Maybelline Superstay Matte Ink Lip Color - Believer.

Top tip: It’s time to embrace the smudge, also known as ‘make out lips’. Once you’ve applied your lipstick gently blot the edges with your fingertip to blur the edges slightly. This looks edgy and fresh, plus it makes your lips look slightly fuller. No more fussing with a lip pencil to get your edges crisp.

Nude ’Tude

You can’t go wrong with a chic and classic nude. Many women make the mistake of matching their nude lippie to their actual skin tone. This gives you a weird look though, like you’ve Photoshopped your mouth off your face. Choose a nude that is one shade brighter or one shade darker than your skin to get the most flattering nude lipstick.

Our product picks: Catrice Velvet Matt Lip Cream - New York Spice and Maybelline Color Sensational Vivid Matte Lipgloss - Nude Flush.

Top tip: Sometimes lipsticks can react with your natural lip colour, resulting in a shade that’s not quite what it looks like in the tube. To combat this paint your lips with a layer of foundation first. Now you’ve got a neutral base.

Rich Fuchsia

If you’re not one to play it safe with a nude or a classic red lip then get playful with colour. The bold colour we’re seeing everywhere at the moment is a rich fuchsia, which is known for breathing life into all skin tones.

Our product picks: Essence Matt Matt Matt Lipgloss - Simply Be An Icon and L’Oréal Infallible Matte FX Lipstick - I Gotta Feeling.

Top tip: Blotting really works. After you apply your first layer of lipstick gently kiss a tissue then apply your second layer. If you’ve got a big day ahead and need a bit of extra staying power grab some translucent powder. Once you’ve done your first layer and a blot, dust your lips with the powder before applying your second coat of lippie to bring your colour back.

Oh-So-Chic Red

Red lips are always on trend, the only thing that changes is what goes with them. At the moment we’re ditching the cat eyes and heavy eye-makeup and pairing red lips with a stripped back, natural face. That way they get all the attention they deserve.

Our product picks: L’Oréal Color Riche Matte Lipstick - Haute Rouge and Revlon Ultra HD Matte Lipcolor - Love.

Top tip: To get your Cupid’s bow perfect every time just think ‘X’. Start at the highest point of your Cupid’s bow on one side and make a diagonal line downwards. Now do the other side (making an X in the centre of your top lip). Now your Cupid’s bow is extra crisp and defined and you’re ready to fill in the rest of your lip.

Posh Purple

Purple lips are so not just for fancy dress parties any more. After all, purple is THE biggest makeup colour trend of this year. Go bold with a full-on purple lip paired with foundation and a slick of mascara. You’ll be surprised to see the result isn’t clown-ish at all but rather high-fashion and cute.

Our product picks: Essence Matt Matt Vibrant Shock Lipstick - Rave It Up and LA Girl Matte Lipgloss - Stunner.

Top tip: If you ever want your lipstick to be one shade lighter try colouring in your lips with a white eyeliner pencil first. Or if you want a sexy vampy look do the same with a black eyeliner pencil, which works especially well with deep purple tones.

Bubblegum Pink

Perfect for springtime or injecting some much-needed cheerfulness into your day. Use a bubblegum pink-tinged blush and highlighter too and you will achieve a monochromatic look, which is having a moment.

Our product picks: LA Girl Matte Lip Color - Arm Candy and Maybelline Superstay Matte Ink Lip Color - Romantic.

Top tip: If you’re struggling to find the exact shade you want in a matte formula you can totally do-it-yourself. Choose your non-matte lipstick in the colour you’re after then grab a blush or eye shadow in the same shade (ensuring it’s not a shimmery formula). Lightly press the product on your lips using your finger and you’ve got a matte finish.

 

A Finishing Touch
If you’re getting a little bored with a straight matte look or want to add a new dimension to your lips without having to buy another lippie, try Essence 3D Dewy Look Stick - Dewy Is The Matt - a highlighter which gives you a natural dewy/healthy skin effect without any obvious shimmer. Dab it onto the centre of both your top and bottom lips for a gorgeous glossy, wet looking shine.