When it comes to makeup, the eyes tend to get all the glory. Sure, a bold red lip is as in as ever, but as a professional makeup artist that’s not nearly as much fun to create as a wild eye feature.
Well, enough of that. You can give your lips more than matte color and gloss. Test out one of these unique looks at your next big shoot to let the lips take center stage!
1. Color block
The great thing about this look is that you can make it as subtle or as bold as you want. Pick one color for the top lip and another for the bottom. For a subtler distinction, go for two different shades of the same color. Feeling a little more adventurous? Bring in some contrast with two bold colors, like pink and orange.
Or try this variation: split your lips down the middle vertically with one color on each side.
2. Sugary sweet
Make your favorite pink lip color a little bit sweeter by finishing it off with some sugar. Prep the lips as you normally would and apply a sticky pink gloss. Use a wet lip brush to dab sugar (yes, real sugar) all over the lips.
Want something that pops even more? Instead of sugar, load your wet lip brush up with sprinkles and dab those on instead. Perfect for a colorful, candy-themed shoot, this look is bright and sweet—the hardest part will be keeping your model from licking her lips!
3. Go graphic
Done well, this look creates a bizarre illusion: pop-art lips on a real face. Take a look at some comic books for inspiration.
To get the look, fill in the lips with a bright red, then outline them in strong black along the outer and inner edges. Add in a few black wrinkles from the inner edges, and finish off the look with bold white highlights. There you go—a client who’s straight out of a cartoon.
4. All that glitters
Glimmering glosses are easy to find, but why not try out something bolder? Packing full-coverage glitter on your lips is sure to be a show-stopper. Dab some clear gloss or lip lacquer on top of lips colored with a stain, pencil, or lipstick, and use a brush to pat on some glitter.
Different glitter textures will get you different looks. Glitter with a bigger cut is more visible, while finer glitter creates a subtler sparkle. And don’t stop there—try combining or mixing colors for a look that’s even wilder.
Pro tip: As with all of these looks, you should make sure you’re using products that are safe for the skin and mouth. MAC Pro sells glitter for the face, skin, and hair in a whole bunch of colors.
5. Blinged out
Glitter not enough for you? Go for the glam by creating lips decked out in rhinestones or sequins. Like our other 3D looks, you’ll want to start by filling in your lips with color. Pick one that matches your glitz, or make an even bigger statement with a bold contrasting color.
The easiest way to attach the rhinestones or sequins is with a latex adhesive like Duo Adhesive, an eyelash glue that also works (safely) on the rest of your body. Dab dots of adhesive on the lips where you want your rhinestones or sequins to go, then grab a pair of tweezers to pick them up and carefully place them.
Get a fully blinged out pout with all-over coverage, or create a stunning design by applying rhinestones or sequins to only part of the lips.
6. Paint it up
Sometimes all you need for a creative lip look is to step up your color game, and we don’t just mean picking an unusual lip color like blue or green. The possibilities for creative painting are endless, but here are a few to get you started:
- Use a fluid blend of bright, glossy colors to get a gorgeous watercolor effect
- Paint on some cheeky polka dots or stripes
- Create a spattered paint look with bright colors sprinkled on a white or black base
- Look for glow body paints for a look that’ll pop under a black light
And why stop at just one of these cool concepts? Glitter-block your lips by packing the top lip with sparkle and letting the color on the bottom shine on its own, or jazz up a watercolor with a rhinestone accent.
