Lipstick

[TartanTrousers]

I've never worn lipstick before, usually just a swipe of a neutral lip gloss or even Vaseline.

I have a glam event coming up where I'll be doing smokey eyes. What should I do about lipstick?

How do I find a shade right for me and is there anything else I need to get?

Thanks in advance

[LilaoftheGreenwood]

Thing is if you've never worn it, I think you need to experiment - does your budget stretch to £20 on the cheapish lipsticks (Make Up Academy and Sleek in Superdrug are both excellent) and see what works? Try one "nude" coloured that seems to look nice on your hand, as people's idea of nude is different, one pinky one, one browny/orangey one and one pillar box red one (do not fear the red) and see what works? NB I am caucasian, people with dark skin could recommend a different set of basics.

One or possibly two of these will be, YES!, the others will be argh, I look dead/like my mother/like a 5yo dressing up. When you try them, have the rest of the make-up on as well or it will be too much of a shock.

Some people positively swear by a lip liner and/or undercoat thing, I have never felt I needed one, your mileage may vary.

I do need non-chapped lips however or it all goes wrong. Lush do some lovely lip scrubs made of sugar which you can lick off, not that I ever use them just to do this.

People will recommend make-up counters, hm, mixed experience there. They see my dark hair and pale skin and try to put me in pink and it looks strange to me, it's a personality thing as well.

[LilaoftheGreenwood]

Oh also Barry M of course. Love the Barry M. None of them will be fantastic quality, but once you know your colour range you can invest in something more long-lasting. Saying that I've found some really good cheaper lipsticks, my current favourite was about £3 from HEMA of all places.

[Amytib]

For smokey eyes I would go for a nude lip, try nyx lip lingerie, they have stunning colours that you can swatch instore in boots or the collection lip creams are also really lovely. Definitely let your eyes stand out and go for a muted lip colour. Key thing is to try colours out instore. Maybelline have some lovely new mattes out and one has rose in the name which is a gorgeous colour.

[ZacharyQuack]

You could try a neutral lip liner under your gloss, to amp it up a bit.

Rimmel's Eastend Snob is a nice pink-brown, it's creamy enough to apply easily. Line the edges of your lips, then fill them in with the same liner, apply gloss over the top.