Peach, coral, orange—whatever you call it, this optimistic lip is having a big moment. (P.S. See the tree budding leaves behind me? So exciting.)
This spring, the beauty world has found favor with the coral lip. I confess to drooling over a few photos on Pinterest featuring models sporting subtle eye makeup and bright orange lips—but I was skeptical that I could pull it off myself. My go-to lip colors lean towards dusty rose and “wine-stained” hues—and if the stars are aligned, I can rock a classic red lip. Nevertheless, I decided to take the risk!
A note on the lipstick I choose: I would like to tell you that I carefully selected a particular tangerine lipstick based on how that shade flattered my warm-ish complexion or complemented my eyes. (I do like talking about color temperature and makeup). My decision process went a little differently, however.
1. I wanted a lipstick that was mostly natural (no parabens, no phthalates, no mineral oil, etc.)—easy enough these days.
2. I wanted this “green” lipstick to be 100% vegan-friendly, meaning no animal testing and no animal ingredients (including beeswax). Because I was searching for some shade of coral/orange on top of these other requirements, my options were a bit limited.
I was pretty happy to find Josie Maran’s Argan Love Your Lips Hydrating Lipstick in “Coral Delight.” The lipstick is coated in a thick, clear balm that serves to leave lips hydrated. I like the idea—and the lipstick is less-drying than probably any of its conventional counterparts—but the “shawl” of balm makes applying the color evenly a bit challenging. I used a lipstick brush, but still had a bit of trouble getting a precise lipline. (I should also note that I didn’t use a lipliner, which may or may not have something to do with this outcome). I came to think of this lipstick as more of a richly pigmented, glossy balm—lovely for medium coverage and casual wear.
Keep the rest of your face simple and allow your bold lip to be the center of attention.
To wear: For me, orange lipstick conjures wearing pastel dresses, sitting on a café a patio on a sunny afternoon, or taking a relaxed stroll down the boardwalk. With that mindset, I wanted to keep the rest of my makeup easygoing. I also wanted to make sure it didn’t clash with my orange lips (which meant avoiding anything too pink).
On my face: I applied an even layer of mineral powder over my entire face then gave my cheeks a little pop with blush in a dusty peach hue. For my eyes, I kept things simple and swiped on a skin-toned eyeshadow and lined my upper lashes with a thin, black liquid line. I softly lined by bottom lash line with a matte, black pencil. I followed with two coats of mascara.
On my lips: I don’t have a lip liner that doesn’t clash with my orange lipstick, so I did my best with a stiff lip brush following these guidelines.
Perhaps taking these photos was just an excuse to get outside! Yay!
Do you think you’ll try an orange lip this spring?
What are your favorite bee-free lippies?
Photos: Mary Hood
