Trending Now: Power Lips

Lipstick is the most impactful piece of makeup in your kit. A single swipe from a bullet can brighten your face, change up your look and take you from drab to daring, especially if that lipstick is a bold colour like orange or berry. The new power lips trend includes bold shades of lipstick colours like classic red, and more of-the-moment shades like brown and burgundy and are the focal point of your beauty look. Rocking an opaque hue of red lipstick is the perfect accessory for that suit hanging in your closet when you want to make a fashionable statement at work. So, if you’re ready to make an impact with your makeup, follow along with this lipstick tutorial and step-by-step breakdown with makeup artist Brianna Bisson (@briannabissonmakeup) as we demo how to wear the power lips trend in three must-try shades.

The Power Lips Trend: Red Lipstick

It’s no secret that red lipstick will never go out of style—it’s a classic for a reason. but it’s also super-tricky to apply. Thanks to its vibrant hue, it can show any mistake if applied without precision. Follow these steps to get the perfect red lip every time.

Step 1: Before applying your lipstick, prep your pout by using a lip scrub. Using L’Oréal Paris Pure-Sugar Scrub with Coffee will help your lipstick go on smoothly and remove any dry skin that would take away from your overall lip look.

Step 2: Once your lips are smooth and flake-free, you want to go in with a lip liner. Lip liner will help keep your lipstick in place by preventing bleeding, but it also helps to create a crisp, fine line for lipstick application. Try L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Matte Lip Liner in In-Matte-Uated With You —a creamy, neutral red that will flatter all skin tones. Begin at your Cupid’s bow and, using small strokes, slowly draw around the edge of your lips to determine the shape of your look. Once you have the border of your lips done, fill in some of your lips with the liner. This will act as a base for your lipstick to help keep it in place.

Step 3: Once you’ve completed your liner, it’s time to apply your lipstick. If you want a rich, pigmented finish, try a hydrating lipstick formula like L’Oréal Paris L’Oréal Paris Infallible 2-Step Lip Colour in Infallible Red. The formula gives you a creamy application but it’s also long-wearing.

Step 4: If you want to crisp up the line of your lipstick, once you’re done applying your red lipstick, use a cotton bud with a bit of concealer and run it along the edge of your lip line so it’s precise and perfectly smooth.

The Power Lips Trend: Burgundy Lipstick

Wearing a burgundy lip is similar to rocking a red one: It takes precision and patience to get the colour just right. Thankfully, with the right tools and tricks, you can do a makeup-artist-level application. Read on to get the 411 on bold burgundy lips.

Step 1: Opaque, dark lipsticks can highlight any dry patches or chapped skin, so use a scrub like L’Oréal Paris Pure-Sugar Scrub with Coffee prior to application.

Step 2: Once your pucker is clean and smooth, you’re ready for lipstick. If using a regular bullet of lipstick, you might want to pair it with a lip liner to bump up the longevity of the formula, but if you’re using a liquid lipstick like L’Oréal Paris Infallible 2-Step Lip Colour, you can skip the liner altogether.

Step 3: For dark and moody maroon lips, try a burgundy lipstick shade like L’Oréal Paris Infallible 2-Step Lip Colour in Cherry Noir. Starting at your Cupid’s bow, use the doe-foot applicator to paint on a precise line following the natural shape of your lips. The formula will go on wet, but once it dries down, your lips will be fade-free for up to 24 hours. Paint all around your lips until your pout is fully covered and you’re happy with how it looks.

Step 4: If your liquid lipstick has dried, you’re ready for gloss. A glossy finish will add dimension and make your lips appear fuller. L’Oréal Paris L’Oréal Paris Infallible 2-Step Lip Colour comes with a gloss on the other side of the tube, so just flip the lipstick over. Run the gloss over your lips for non-sticky, glasslike shine that won’t compromise the wear of your lipstick.

The Power Lips Trend: Brown Lipstick

The brown lipstick trend of the ’90s has come full circle, arriving back on the beauty scene and offering a nice alternative to classic shades like nude and red. You can get a trendsetting brown lipstick look with a few key products and these foolproof steps.

Step 1: Prep your lips with L’Oréal Paris Pure-Sugar Scrub with Coffee or buff off any rough surfaces with a lip brush for a smooth canvas.

Step 2: Next, reach for your trusty lip liner. A pencil liner will help keep your lipstick in place (no feathering here!) and boost its longevity. Using L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Matte Lip Liner in Matte-ing Call, draw along the edge of your natural lip line to get the desired shape. If you want to make your lips appear fuller, rest the pencil just outside your natural lip line.

Step 3: Once your liner is on, select your shade. To nail the power lips trend, go for deep, rich brown like L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Ultra-Matte Lipstick in Sienna Supreme. Using the lipstick straight from the tube or a lip brush, apply the shade over your lip liner. Once you’ve finished, you can clean up any wobbly edges or uneven areas with a tissue or a cotton bud.

Whether you go for red, brown or burgundy (or try all three), rocking the power lips trend is sure to give you a boost of confidence and make you feel like you can conquer your day in style.