Move over, red! Fuchsia lips are the statement lips of the moment and yes, you can wear them any time, even if you are a mom. Especially if you are a mom (because it takes less time to put on lipstick than it does to perfect your eye makeup).
Three fantastic ways for moms to pull of fuchsia lipstick:
Matte: A matte fuchsia lipstick or even a lip pencil (or both for real staying power). Why this finish? You can get the bold color without the likelihood of it smudging all over your face. Toddler kisses? No problem. Nothing on them, nothing on you, and you can go ahead and keep looking fabulous.
Be sure to test it out and check the mirror before going out in public, just to be sure. Most matte formulas are so dry, though, that they’re not going anywhere for a while, and when they do, it’s because you had to eat.
Good ones to try: NARS Funny Face, NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Addis Ababa, and NYX Sweet Pink Matte Lipstick
Sheer: Glosses and barely-there lipsticks are perfect for adding the hint of punchy color without the commitment and paranoia that people are staring at you from across the room.
If you’re more of the wallflower type, you may feel more comfortable in this formulation, at least at first. Beware of smudges and keep your gloss or lipstick on hand to reapply periodically.
Good ones to try: Tarte LipSurgence Natural Lip Stain in Amused (this may live up to its name and stick around more on some people, but in my experience, it wears more like a gloss), MAC Pink Poodle, and Milani Lip Flash Shimmer Gloss Pencil, and L’Oreal Infallible 8-HR Le Gloss
A stain: Get the most out of your creamy, bold lipstick you’d normally reserve for a night out sans kids by pressing it on with your finger to brighten up your lips. If you feel you’ve applied to much or that it’ll smudge as soon as your kid gets close, you can blot with a tissue and still have some leftover color there.
Of course, there are also stains on the market that will deposit color that will meld right into your lips and won’t budge.
Good ones to try: MAC Girl About Town (lipstick), Revlon Just Bitten Lip Balm Stain in Sweetheart, and NYC Smooch Proof 16 Hour Lip Stain in Forever Fuchsia
Even if you think you can’t pull off fuchsia because your undertones are too warm, take another look. There are some fuchsias out there with warmer red bases (sometimes with a blue sheen to keep the color firmly planted in the “fuchsia” group), so the category isn’t limited to bluish pinks.
Photo credit: NYX
