Zooey, Solange and January: Proof That We Should All Take on Tangerine …

Mon, 21 May 2012 3:47PM

If you’re busy stashing away your brightly coloured lipsticks, glosses and stains for the plum-lipped takeover ahead of winter, stop now, because there’s time to sneak in a bold lip before we convert to traditional winter hues. In case you didn’t know it, Primpettes, Tangerine was officially named Pantone’s Colour of The Year for 2012. We spotted the bold, orangey-red shade all over the Spring ’12 international runways and more recently on a string of celebrities on the red carpet. Considered an “autumnal hue” by the team over at Pantone, fortunately for us here in Oz, that means if we wear it, well, today, we’re bang on the money.

Think of it as the new red lip. It isn’t a shade for the fainthearted, since it’s guaranteed to garner some serious attention, but your chosen formulation will vary the results and finish. The best part about tangerine is that it works equally as well on brunettes and blonde-haired beauties alike, and all variations of skin tones. It picks up the warm undertones in your skin, and is softer than the traditional red which has strong blue-undertones, which can often look and feel quite stark, particularly if you aren’t used to wearing a bold lip colour.

Speaking of working it on the red rug, the proof is in the pudding. Or should I say on the celebrities. Here’s Zooey Deshchanel at today’s Billboard Music Awards …

and style icon-slash-DJ-slash bright lip extraordinaire Solange Knowles …

and light-haired, light-eyed lady January Jones who was ahead of her time, tackling the trend a few weeks back…

For the lowdown on what colours we should use and how we should wear them, we turned to colour guru Tony Baumann, Head of Artistry at Mecca Cosmetica, who stopped by for a quick chat to talk all things tangerine.

What shade will suit me?

For those with fair hair and lighter skin, Tony suggest wearing an almost coral-tangerine shade. It’s a little bit lighter and brighter and not too stark against a paler complexion. Mine (and Tony’s) favourite shade is Hourglass Femme Rouge Velvet Creme Lipstick in Muse, $45, Mecca Cosmetica. Primpettes, I love this shade. It meets the perfect balance between coral and red and is infused with vitamin E so it’s super-soft and hydrating yet also pays up when it comes to pigment. If you have darker hair and more of an olive skin tone, veer straight for the orange-almost-red tangerine – Tony recommends Nars Lipstick in Heatwave, $39, Mecca Cosmetica. “It’s a red-slash-tangerine and has that really tomato-y, orange undertone. Plus it’s a matte finish and my rule is that the brighter the colour, the more matte it should be, and the lighter the colour you can go for a little bit more sheen.”

How should I apply it?

Tony suggest for a really modern finish, using a lip brush or straight from the tube, apply the lipstick to the centre part of your lips, beginning in the cupid’s bow and blend it outwards so it’s a little bit more diffused and softer. If you like your lipstick structured, you can lightly go over with a lip pencil over the cupid’s bow and then just along the centre of the bottom lip for a clean, defined finish.

What should I wear if it’s my first time using such a bright lip colour?

The most important thing to do before you attempt a bold lip look like this is to try different shades until you find one that suits you and you are comfortable with. If you haven’t worn one before and it seems slightly scary, Tony recommends trying a  gloss like Stila Lip Glaze in Tangerine, $36, Mecca Cosmetica which provides a subtle hint of that orangey-red hue and leaves a high-shine, glossy finish.

What should I do with the rest of my makeup?

Keep it minimal, Primpettes. Since it’s all about the lips, you need to play down the eyes. Tony suggests you go for a flawless complexion and a touch of blush swirled onto the apples of your cheeks – that’s it. If you can go sans mascara, please do but if not, add lashings of lashes and dip into the liquid liner and go for that signature 1950s beauty look. Think Marilyn Monroe and Grace Kelly.

And last but not least, no lip colour, in particular a bold, rich-in-pigment shade like tangerine will both look luscious and stay in place if you don’t care for your lips. Eliza talks caring for your smackers here.

 So Primpettes, whaddya think? Set for the tangerine takeover?

Do you wear orange-toned lipstick?

Got a favourite?

Hayley x

Posted by: Hayley Bennett

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Tags: january jones, lipstick, makeup tips, nars, orange, solange knowles, stila, tangerine, tony baumann, zooey deschanel