From the runways to the red carpets, the spring makeup shade of the moment is purple. Feminine and flirty, purple adds a fun splash of color to your eyes or lips. Read on for Stylelist's tips and tricks from leading beauty experts on how to rock the purple trend.
- by Melissa Goldberg
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PURPLE LIP RULE: GO BLUE!
Blue counteracts yellow in your teeth, making for a bright white smile – so always look for blue-based purples. "Consider any purple lipsticks with brown undertones to be rotten grapes and avoid them like the plague. Think fruit when picking your shade of purple – old fruit starting to brown is bad!" advises Jamie Kern Lima, creator of IT Cosmetics.
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PURPLE LIPS FOR FAIR SKIN
Go with a deep magenta or berry shade for a stunning contrast against light skin, see here on Anna Paquin. "Avoid pastels and iridescent purples. On pale skin, these light purples will make you look like you're freezing," says Jamie Kern Lima.
TRY THE TREND:
Laura Geller Lipstick in Frostbit, $15
Lancôme Color Fever Lipstick in Rock Icon Fuschia, $25
Jason Merritt, Getty Images
PURPLE LIPS FOR MEDIUM SKIN
Jeweled berry tones enrich the pigment in medium and olive skin, which pulls off more vibrant color beautifully - as seen on Zac Posen's Spring 2009 runway, and on actress Camille Belle. Be careful not to go too dark, as it can be aging, and "avoid pastels like lilac, it will just wash you out," says Celebrity Makeup Artist Trish McEvoy.
TRY THE TREND:
L'Oréal Colour Riche Lipcolour in Raspberries, $7.99
Sue Devitt Balanced Matte Lipstick in New York, $20
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PURPLE LIPS FOR DARK SKIN
Your deep complexion can pull off dark plums beautifully, says New York Makeup Artist Kimara Ahnert. To modernize your look, slick vaseline or plum lipgloss over your lipcolor for a sexy, shiny lip-lacquered look, see here on actress Taraji P. Henson.
TRY THE TREND:
MAC Lustreglass in Trance Plant, $14
Milani Velvet Lipstick in Chic, $4.99
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LEERY OF PURPLE LIPS?
If you want to try purple on your lips in a subtle way, apply a smidge of purple eyeshadow to your lips and then top with your favorite blue-based lipgloss. The color will absorb a gentle purple tint without straying too far away from your usual shade, says Celebrity Beauty Expert Eva Scrivo.
TRY THE TREND:
IT Cosmetics My Youthful Smile Lipgloss in Signature Blue, $32
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WHAT TO PAIR WITH PURPLE LIPS?
Sweep a touch of rosiness to your cheekbones with a natural blush and keep the eye neutral, advises Trish McEvoy. If you want to add a touch of color to the eye, define with just aubergine eyeliner (seen here on actress Thandie Newton). "Stay away from bright colored eye makeup!" warns Jamie Kern Lima.
TRY THE TREND:
Trish McEvoy Perfect Blush in Natural, $20
Paul & Joe Beaute Pencil Eye Liner in Aubergine, $16
Gary Gershoff, WireImage
PURPLE EYES - HOW-TO APPLY
Light and vibrant shades of purple eye shadow should be applied with a large eyeshadow brush in a sweeping motion over the lids so that you deposit sheer color. You can also apply these tones up into the crease and finish with a cream or soft shimmer on the brow bone for a pretty eye-opening look. Deep shades of plum are best applied in the crease, outer corners of the eyes and/or smudged along the lash line.
From top left: Queen Latifah, model from Erin Fetherston's Spring 2009 fashion, January Jones, Blake Lively.
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PURPLE SHADOWS FOR BLUE EYES
Blend a light violet all over the lid - as seen here on Amy Adams and Katie Holmes -- and then apply a brown-plum to your crease and along the lashline so that the deep shade sits right next to your blue eyes. The mix of plum and brown brings out blue eyes beautifully, and "you'll look like you walked off the runway, not like you walked out of the 80s," says Jamie Kern Lima.
TRY THE TREND:
Paula Dorf Eye Color Glimmer in Tranquility, $21
MAC Eye Shadow in Shale, $14.50
Steve Granitz, WireImage | Dave Hogan, Getty Images
PURPLE SHADOWS FOR GREEN & HAZEL EYES
"You were born for this trend – own it! Purple makes your hazel eyes pop more than any other color," says Jamie Kern Lima. A silver-toned purple will additionally bring out the whites of your eyes, which will make your eyes sparkle, suggests Trish McEvoy. Here, hazel-eyed Faith Hill sizzles in plum shadow.
TRY THE TREND:
Too Faced Single Eye Shadow in Glamazon, $16
Smashbox Cosmetics Single Eye Shadow in Spellbound, $16
Kevin Mazur, WireImage
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