Color of the Moment: Getting that Nina Ricci F/W 2011 Milky-Salmon Lip!

Remember the gorgeous creamy-salmon lip color on the Nina Ricci F/W 2011 catwalk 

every magazine editor was raving about?

Pat McGrath just disclosed the formula. 

Mix concealer with a coral shade to get that perfect blend. I used MAC NW25 (it's more pink than an NC, and it has the best opacity and texture for the lips) with 2 coral-ey colors. One is more peach and one is more pink. It just depends on your skin tone and preference.

I tried all kinds of lip concealers, nude lipsticks, etc. MAC NW25 + Revlon Kiss Me Coral Super Lustrous Lipstick (bottom swatch) is a win.

If orange is not your thing, and you want to lean a little closer to pink, Rimmel's Pink Fame Color Show-Off Lipstick (hot coral-pink at top-left) gives an even brighter, pinker dupe when paired with a concealer. Replace the Revlon with this if you want a really true-to-catwalk version.

I do recommend using a paler or deeper concealer depending on your skin tone, and to always choose a slightly salmon shade regardless of whether your skin is warm or cool. It should not be too deep or dark or the effect is spoilt. 

To mimic the matte texture that McGrath did (and I did not), layer a single-ply of tissue over your lips, and dust over with translucent powder before applying another layer. You might want to scrape some product into a small jar and pre-mixing it so that you have a consistent shade for touching up.

Pair with bronzed skin for best effect!

Lip Mix: Getting Revlon Stormy Pink and Peach Petal to Work!

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss in Peach Petal (left), Revlon Matte Lipstick in Stormy Pink (right)

Anyone would tell you these look like 2 of the most gorgeous shades in existence. Peach Petal has been likened to MAC's Underage and Florabundance Lipglass, and Stormy Pink to Pink Nouveau.

But after I picked these up, I found the textures to be really hard to work with. 

Peach Petal tends to settle into every single groove and line on your lip, where they show up as ghastly lines of milky beige. Stormy Pink is so low in pigmentation and opacity that you need to layer several times for the color to build up to any sort of intensity. And by then, it's become cakey and uneven. 

So it suddenly struck me that I should try layering them together. 

It's still not 100% foolproof (it still sinks into lines just a smidgen), but you get a nice semi-sheer candy pink which is just a tad less blue toned and more creamy than Stormy Pink, and more even and wearable than either shade.
It even reminds me a bit of a deeper and glossier version of MAC's Viva Glam Gaga.

Lip Mix of the Day: Revlon Pink Pout + MAC Lavender Wind Lipglass

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Pink Pout is a beautiful and affordable soft-mauve which is sheerer than you would expect most matte lipsticks to be. And on some skins, it can look a little chalky and washed out.

Lavender Wind (Limited Edition**), like most other interesting, shimmery, sheer glosses, can sort of disappear on the lips, making you wonder what the whole point was in the first place. **MAC Oyster Girl is a nice replacement if you don’t have Lavender Wind. It’s also a nicer gloss on its own anyway.

So I just layered the translucent shimmer gloss over the matte lipstick. Recommended if you’re ready to graduate from barely there cool-toned lip products, but not quite sure about full-on lip color yet.