BrandAlley

The summer’s nearly over and we’re looking forward to some of the gorgeous trends to come in autumn. Nature’s autumnal palette is AW12’s inspiration, with beauty looks drawing on berry tones and earthy hues. Our favourite beauty trend to come in AW? The statement berrylicious lips that make teeth look Hollywood white.

As a bold shade, berry lips can be quite intimidating. But this dark stain is actually very versatile to wear. Whether your pale or olive skinned, there is a shade for you. With lips so daring, it’s best to keep the rest of this look simple with really natural make-up. Keep your eyes light with just a lick of mascara and some brow shaping for daywear and add some kohl liner for night like Alexa Chung does here.

It’s important to make the colour stay put, there’s nothing worse than a smudged lip colour especially when it’s this dark to detract from the sophistication so clever application is imperative. Start by treating the lips with a good moisturiser like carmex (we love it in cherry, it smells divine!). Be sure to blot after you’ve used this to ensure the excess comes off and you’re not starting with a wet base. Define your lip line with a shade similar to your lipstick. This will help the colour stay within the lines and enhance the beautiful shape. Pay particular attention to the cupids bow but be careful not to draw over your lip line or you’ll get the dreaded ‘street girl’ look J-Lo tried in her video.

Match the lip colour to your skin tone. With shades ranging from plum, purple, raspberry, grape and every other berry hue, there is something for everyone. Colour the entire lip in with a pencil and then carefully use a lip brush to build up the colour. To lock it in and ensure you don’t need to retouch throughout the day, finish with lipcote. Whether matt or glossy, this look is sexy, sultry and utterly decadent fitting perfectly with the opulence trend for AW12.