I’m not exaggerating when I say that lipstick is the single makeup item that brings the most joy to my life. It has magical, instant makeover powers that work for everyone. A slick of colour will instantly perk up your complexion and make you feel more polished and put together. Diving in to deeper shades of lipstick is one of my most favourite things about the cooler months, though admittedly I’ll happily sport a burgundy lip in the height of summer too.
Season after season, the beauty looks at the Dolce & Gabbana shows never fail to disappoint. And while this season’s woman was still perpetually beautiful, elegant and sexy, this time she exuded a sense of something deeper. Backstage, images of iconic mothers covered the mood boards; Italian muse, Monica Belucci in full pregnancy bloom, Jackie O with her Kennedy brood and charming shots of bombshells, Sophia Loren and Jane Birkin with their children. This is the designer duo’s ultimate homage “la mamma.”
Most makeup enthusiasts will know that contouring has been having something of a moment of late. And of course we have Mrs. Kardashian-West and the reams of Youtubers with their copycat makeup tutorials to thank for bringing extreme face sculpting to the masses. But let’s be honest, most normal women have neither the time nor the patience to facet their faces like a princess-cut diamond before popping to the grocery store.
Matte lipstick has never been an easy choice for me. The chalky textures and the quick drying, pasty formulas have me reaching for a cleansing wipe quicker than you can say, “pass the lip balm.” There’s always that fear that a lack of sheen will highlight every fault and unsightly line around the mouth. But I love bold, high-impact lip colours and to be honest these just pack more of a punch in matte formulas.
As a beauty editor, I’m a little embarrassed to admit that I was quite late jumping on the bronzer bandwagon. Being naturally olive-skinned, I never thought that I needed it and the faux orange tinge of primitive bronzers of yesteryear never really appealed to me. But bronzing powders have come a long way of late, and thankfully so have I.
