Spring Red Lips Tutorial, inspired by Anna Sui

Spring Red Lips Tutorial, inspired by Anna SuiRed lips as seen at Anna Sui

Red lips as seen at Anna Sui; image sourced at harpersbazaar.com

If you follow me on Pinterest, you’ll already be aware of my love for the spring red lip. It’s such an unusual trend for the warmer seasons, yet when paired with a fresh face you start to wonder why it hasn’t always been a spring staple.

I’ve taken inspiration from Anna Sui’s red lips set against a pretty pastel face and soft waves, which takes away the edginess and replaces it with über-feminism. Don’t shy away from bold reds just because it’s spring; the pastels do the work to make it girly.

Products used:

  • Revlon Just Bitten Lipstain + Balm in Gothic
  • Clarins Ever Matte Foundation in Ivory, with No7’s foundation brush
  • Stila Convertible Colour in Lillium
  • Zara Eyeliner in Deco Rose
  • Daniel Sandler Eye Delight in Peach
  • Estée Lauder Sumptuous Bold Volume Lifting Mascara in Black (which, by the way, does dry out quite quickly – I said I’d confirm this in my post at the start of the month!)
  • The classic tub of Vaseline
One of the reasons I decided this tutorial would be a good one to do is because I’d just picked up a couple of samples of the Clarins Ever Matte foundation. A velvety matte finish is the perfect base for this type of look, as there’s already enough colour going on without adding dewy skin into the mix. Using short strokes with a foundation brush and concentrating on the t-zone will deliver the right finish, without the need for a powder. The Clarins formula is also incredibly lightweight without compromising on longevity, so I’d highly recommend this if you like a shine-free finish for daily wear.
As far as mascara goes, you’ll want to wear just a small amount to give definition to the eyes so that they can hold their own against the strong lip shade, without competing for attention.Stila Convertible Colour in Lillium
Stila Convertible Colour in Lillium

Stila's Convertible Colour review

I opted for Stila’s Convertible Colour as it’s a cream formula, which is by far the best way of building up a soft flush. Stila’s compact is densely pigmented, so go easy as you’re using it over a large area! Start by tapping the colour over your cheekbones, then blend over the temples, below the cheekbone and to the outer corners of the eyes.Stila's Convertible Colour test
Next, you want to add a bit of shimmer to the eyes. I layered Daniel Sandler’s Eye Delight in Peach over the Stila colour, giving the pastel shades a bit more depth. You could also dab a little white shimmer in the centre of the eyelids to make them stand out. In the inner rims of the eyes, use a white kohl eyeliner for a more intense effect, or a pale pink for a pared-down version.
As far as the eyebrows go, you want to leave them as natural as possible. I just slicked a little Vaseline over mine to keep them in place and roughly brushed them through with an eyebrow comb.
Red Lips Tutorial
Take your lip stain (I’ve used Revlon’s in Gothic) and dab the colour onto the lips, starting at the inner centre of the lip and blending out with your fingertips as you go. You don’t want the end result to be too slick – it’s more of a deep red flush blossoming from the centre of your lips.
Spring Red Lips Tutorial, inspired by Anna Sui
And there you have it! The more you layer the product, the more dramatic the effect, but hopefully I’ve show that this look can translate really easily into a feminine, everyday look.
What do you think of the red lips trend for spring? Does it belong to A/W lookbooks or will you be incorporating it into your summertime style?

You may also like...