Pink pouts are trending: how to find your summer shade

By Katie Wright

With summer in full swing lipstick has become the make-up must-have of the season.

The stats show how strong our need for lippy is, with No7 Beauty Company reporting a 61 per cent increase in sales in the second quarter of 2021, while the Boots website has seen a massive 731 per cent rise in searches for ‘lipstick’ compared to the same time last year.

Inspired by the spring/summer catwalks, pink is the shade to be seen in right now, with beauty buffs taking their cues from the Tom Ford and Versace shows, where models looked fabulous with fuchsia pouts, both matte and glossy.

“I absolutely love a bold lip and especially in the summer,” says celebrity make-up artist Bryony Blake. “We all have our go-to red lippy but what about pink? There are so many ways you can wear a bold pink lip.”

Aimee Connolly, make-up artist and founder of Sculpted by Aimee, agrees: “The great thing about statement lips such as the pinks on the SS21 catwalk is how you can really change up the tones to find a shade that suits you or the look you’re wearing.”

How can you find your perfect pink?

“The key to wearing bright pink lipstick is to ensure that it doesn’t wear you,” says Cliff Bashforth, managing director of Colour Me Beautiful.

As a rule of thumb, he recommends matching the undertone of your skin, whether warm or cool, to your lipstick: “Cooler skin tones look amazing in cerise or hot pinks, indeed in most shades from dusty rose to bright fuchsia, whilst warmer skin tones will always look their best in coral or salmon pinks.”

Not sure about your undertones? Generally, if you prefer gold jewellery you’ve got warm undertones, if you tend to wear silver, you’re cool. If you wear both, you may be neutral.

“For medium and olive skin tones, typically their skins are quite neutral which allows them to carry off most shades,” says Connolly. “That being said, a dusty brown hinted pink is a perfect match for their colouring without too much drama.

“For deep and dark skin tones, wearing a bold fuchsia colour is a gorgeous contrast to the skin which really makes the lips stand out. For a more subtle shade, opt for a warm toned pink or deep berry pink for that more natural look.”

How should you apply bright pink lipstick?

“I would apply my general tips for any statement lips to how best to wear a pink lip,” says Connolly. “For me, starting with lip liner is key as it not only outlines the shape but it also keeps the bleeding and smudging to a minimum.”

She advises using a liner that’s the same shade or slightly deeper, then filling in with your lipstick or gloss and neatening the edges: “As a final step, and one that is guaranteed to make your statement lip look clean and sharp, I like to correct around the edges with a flat brush and cream concealer.”

Nervous about uber-bright neon or fuchsia? Blake says: “If you’re new to bright pink, you can try patting it on with your finger by starting on the middle part of your bottom lip and keep patting until the whole lip is subtlety filled in. This powdered velvet lip is very popular at the moment and a great way for you to try a bright colour out.”

As for matte or gloss, the choice is yours, she adds: “Ultimately, for me it’s all about confidence. If you pop on a pink lipstick and it makes you feel fabulous and happy, then that’s the colour for you – wear it with pride!”