If you had your eye on the
Fall 2013 runways, you probably spotted more than a few sexy lip stain treatments. Yet, there was a realm of mystery to these coloured lips with their muted edges and misty finish. How exactly would you mirror the stained lip at home? “If you don’t have a ‘lip stain’ product for this makeup trend, you can still create it, don’t fret,” says Vanessa Jarman—Canadian Spokesperson & Makeup Artist for Rimmel London Cosmetics. Keep your lips from looking like a hot mess with Jarman’s pro makeup tips below.

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Sexy lips: How popular was the stained lip on the Fall 2013 runways?
Answer—very! “Dior and Marni showed an interesting stained lip, which started from the inside of the mouth and blended outward with bold and bright shades,” says Jarman. “Prada, Vera Wang and Derek Lam also went with a stained lip statement, but along the classic standards of a stain, using sheer and wet finishes mostly within dark berry hues.” (Have those looks on hand for your beauty muse as you learn to navigate these makeup tips.)

Sexy lips: Why is the stained lip a great look for fall?
Gone are the days of summer where bright, daring hues are used to define an unmistakable lip colour. Fall is the season of the subtle (yet sexy), dark stained lip to suit the changing weather. “I love this look for fall because layering your lip shades will playfully mimic the way you layer your fall and winter outfits,” says Jarman.

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Sexy lips: What are the best colours for a stained lip?
Darker hues are traditional for fall, making a lip stain the ideal option for the season. “My suggestion is to use any colour that’s bold! Orange, hot pink, purple, red or anything deep. Use colours and products that suit your comfort level,” says Jarman. (Insider tip: A more vibrant shade is easier to blend without losing the true colour of the lipstick. Be sure to avoid a lip gloss—they add too much shine for a stained look.)

Your step-by-step guide for creating the stained lip is on the next page…

Sexy lips: What’s the key to getting a perfect lip stain?

The trick to making your stained lip runway-worthy is to prevent it from looking like a mistake. “If you’re wearing this chic stained lip trend, have it come across as intentional, but keep the
rest of your face understated at the same time,” says Jarman. For the lip itself, you don’t want to over blend your colour or draw outside the lines. “Try to keep a defined crispness to the edge of your lips. Create the stain within your actual lip shape,” says Jarman.

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Sexy lips: How can you prevent the stained lip from looking too messy?

There’s nothing worse than seeing smudges in all the wrong places with a stained lip. “I love to see faded edges that appear clean and smooth, but also seeing the right amount of bleeding and an imperfect center is where the magic is at,” says Jarman. “In other words, feel free to keep the center of the lip a little less perfect and focus on the outer edges instead.”

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How can you craft a lip stain at home?

Using six easy makeup tips, Jarman explains her step-by-step process for achieving a perfectly stained lip at home without all the fuss.

1. Start by rounding up a few
different lipsticks in the same colour, but in varying degrees. (If you want a purple stain, choose a light purple and a dark purple lipstick.)

2. Contour the edges of your lips with a white or cream lip pencil and massage into lips. (This will help you maintain the stain on the lip area and not on your face.)

3. Select your lightest lipstick and dab onto lips near the liner without applying to the inner portion of your mouth. “You’re aiming for the center of your lips to appear the darkest, while the rest defuses outward to softer shades,” says Jarman.

4. Blend liner and lipstick outward (but not too far), adding extra product where needed to bring out the colour.

5. Choose your darkest lipstick and smear across the center of your lips.

6. Buff out the edges (between dark and light lipstick) with fingers, but keep the direct center of your lips bold and intact for a perfectly stained lip.

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