If a fair-haired gal can rock black lips in daylight, then so can you. But no matter what your coloring, Rivas recommends taking a few precautionary measures before venturing into dark territory.
Start by pressing a tissue against your lips to absorb any excess moisture and dusting face powder over your pucker so that the product adheres properly. Then, outline and fill your lip area completely with a lip liner. "This will create a 'stain' and help your lipstick stay in stay in place," explains Rivas.
With its creamy, easy-to-apply consistency, this pencil makes lining your lips -- and ensuring your lip color's staying power -- a breeze. "If you have trouble with feathering due to fine lines around the mouth, you can add a lip primer like M.A.C Cosmetics Prep + Prime Lip slightly above the lip line to help fill in the fine lines and act as an "adhesive" for your lip color," says Rivas.
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A Pout That Shouts
There's no doubt that black lips make a bold statement. To allow them to truly be heard, keep your eye makeup to a minimum.
Alternatively, for an edgier evening look, pair black lips with full eye makeup -- with extra focus on your lashes. "Curl your lashes and apply a healthy coat of black mascara to top and bottom lashes to really open up the eyes," suggests Rivas. Or, "if you're looking for something more dramatic, this would be the perfect time for false lashes."
