Bright Brigade

I've been quite shy when it comes to putting bold lip colors, but I recently gathered up the courage to try on a few. And with this new-found liking to bright lippies, I proposed a beauty story to my boss in Manila Bulletin on these eye-popping lipsticks. I hope this photos below inspire you to try something new ;) Here they are below:

HOT PINK - Fuchsia pink lips shows that you have a playful sweet side. Blue undertones whitens your teeth as well. On model: Shu Uemura pink collection in PK369.

Try: M.A.C. Lip Gloss in Crazy Haute, Glorietta; Shu Uemura Pink collection in PK 369, Power Plant Mall; The Body Shop lipstick in 69, The Podium.

FIERY RED - Powerful confident women love having red-colored lips. A fire-engine red is your safest bet that matches all skin tones. On model: Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited in 128.

Try: Elianto Spa Lipstick in Royal Red, available in most SM malls; ModelCo lipstick in True Red, Beauty Bar, Power Plant Mall; Max Factor Silk Gloss in Cashmere Red, available in most SM department stores.

HAPPY ORANGE - Orange lips might be too much to handle, but do try going a notch lower with sexy coral shades. On model: Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited in 581.

Try: Max Factor lipstick in Pearl Orange, available in most SM department stores; Guerlain Rouge in Gina, Rustan’s Makati; Revlon Crème Gloss in Crush on Coral, available in most SM department stores.

URBAN PURPLE - Go for sexy goth in dark or acid purple tints—a refreshing fun option to your usual dark wine red lips. On model: Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited in Purple 050.

Try: M.A.C. lipstick in Purple Rite and M.A.C. lip gloss in Fierce & Fabulous, both available in Glorietta; The Face Shop Color Shimmer Lipstick in PP403, available in most Robinsons malls.

So, which lip color will you try? ;)

*Photography by DIX; Makeup by Ding Espinosa of Shu Uemura; Hairstyling by Elaine Ganuelas for L'Oreal Professionnel; Model: Sai Manzano of Victo Rio

The Naked Truth on Sweet Pink Lips

I know, I know ... another post related to Emma Watson. But I promise, this will be my last on the teen actress. Not only do I love her dress, but I am also quite enamored with her pinkish nude puckers. Something about this natural-looking shade speaks of flirty innocence. Don't you agree?

Photo courtesy of Yahoo.com

Last night, I went through my box of press releases and found these new lippies that are quite similar to Emma's. Do take note that nude or light colors look best on plump or thick lips. If you have thin lips, then it's recommended that you go for more color. As for how you to pull off these nude-colored tints? Avoid looking pale and ghostly by picking shades that are more pinkish or coral, for a healthier hue. Here is my pink list:

Guerlain L'Rouge Jewel Lipstick Compact, P2350, comes with a secret mirror panel for quick touch-ups. It has powdered ruby (a natural color booster), Vitamin A that stimulates the epidermis growth, and wild mango butter that keeps skin hydrated. My choices? 4 Gentiane (rosy beige), and 6 Garance (pink beige).

Lancome Color Fever Sweet Bitten Lips, P1295, is their latest offering composed of a collection of different beige hues. Take your pick from six rich, light-infused blushed beiges (from left to right): 254 Fairly Beige, 256 Kissing Lips Peach, 258 A Little Beige Crush, 262 Pure Bitten Lips, 264 Urban Beige, 266 Brown Lust. My personal fave would be 256, simply because it has more pink undertones for a healthier-looking pout.

Shu Uemura Pink Collection Rouge Unlimited in PK323, P1350, now has pink hybrid pigments which help you achieve the purest of pinks. I've always been a fan of this Japanese brand. Their lipsticks are light enough for day wear, but strong and build-able enough for nights out.

Shiseido Smoothing Lip Pencil in (top) RD702 Anemone in soft greyish pink, and (bottom) RS303 Mauve in blushing rose. The Anemone would look better on fair-skinned ladies, while the Mauve one is perfect for those with a darker skin tone. Oh, and it comes with a lip brush which can be used to apply lipstick or gloss. For best results, apply light-colored or clear gloss.

M.A.C.'s latest collection, Colour Craft, also has a nice pinkish flesh-toned lipstick called Madly Creative—pearly pink neutral, P950. It comes in a shimmer texture for sexier glossy-looking puckers.

Bobbi Brown Lip Crayon Trio, P1650, makes for easy application. A lipstick in the form of a pencil, these crayons come in semi-matte finish, non-drying (has castor seed oil and shea butter) and can last all day. The set comes with a sharpener as well. This photo doesn't do justice to the colors; all three of them fall under the pink beige category with names such as Naked Pink, Pink Raspberry and New Sugar Blush.

Lastly, I got this tip from Style.com:

Ready to get naked? There's nothing indecent about it, at least not when it comes to a flesh-tone lip color. Instead of splurging on a new lipstick, makeup artists sometimes dab concealer over balm-coated lips using their finger. The result? Creamy nude lips! —Polly Blitzer

So, ladies, which pink nude are you eyeing? ;)

*Availability: Bobbi Brown at Rustan's; Guerlain at Rustan's; Lancome at Rustan's and Greenbelt 5; M.A.C. at Rustan's Shangri-la Plaza mall and Glorietta; Shu Uemura at all Rustan's and Greenbelt 5; Shiseido at Rustan's, most SM Department stores, Power Plant Mall, Greenbelt 5 and Glorietta.