BEAUTY: Ombre Lips Tutorial

Because sometimes one lip color just isn't enough.

WHAT YOU NEED

Light to Medium Purple Lipstick {Blackheart Beauty Lipstick in Violet}

Dark Purple Lip Liner or Eyeliner {Jordana Liquid Eyeliner Pencil in Purple Fix}

Clear Lip Gloss {Neutrogena Moisturizing Shine Gloss in Clear}

Lip Brush {ELF Retractable Lip Brush}

HOW TO DO IT

First, a lip-related PSA: 

For any bold lip look, I implore you to start by exfoliating your lips. I just rub a wet toothbrush over them. Otherwise, your awesome artwork is overshadowed by dead skin and lumps and we'll have to forever call you "Lumpy Lips" which is just so shameful. 

Thank you, this has been a lip-related PSA.

Start by applying the purple lipstick as you normally would. It's okay if the edges aren't perfect since we'll be messing with them later.

Next, outline your lips generously with the purple eyeliner (or lip liner, if you're lucky enough to have a source for colorful lip liners. If so, WHAT IS YOUR SECRET?!).

Use your lip brush to gently smudge the dark purple liner in toward the lipstick, using short strokes to blend. The goal is to lessen the harshness of the line you originally drew and make the two shades meld together peacefully so that you can't quite tell where one ends and the other begins. Think of this ombre lip as the makeup equivalent of Ice-T and Coco (the people, not the beverages) - you know, seamless, meant to be, etc. etc. 

You could stop here and call it a day (or a night - I'm all about options), and have a softer matte lip look (below), but I'm going to take it one step further because THAT IS WHAT I DO.

I applied a thin coat of clear lip gloss, using the gloss wand to further blend the shades.

Dramatic re-creation. Very pensive.

This version of the final look is a little darker and more blended than without the gloss. Like I said, I'm all about options. This version feels a little more "wearable" than the pre-gloss version, where the ombre is more pronounced, but your version of wearable is obviously up to you. Although, if you're reading a tutorial for a bright purple ombre lip then maybe you also don't care about blending in (unless it is blending in our lipstick in which case we care very much).

Would you wear an ombre lip? Is this just too much work for something that will eventually get lost in a bite of pizza? Are you already plotting other color combinations like I am? Gold and red are calling my name!

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