How To Rock an Orange Lip For Spring


Now that Spring has finally sprung, it’s time to embrace all the colorful makeup trends of the season. One of the more popular looks? Bright orange lipstick, as seen on Dancing With the Stars competitor Karina Smirnoff at this past weekend’s MTV Movie Awards. Sure, it looks cute on the red carpet—but can you really pull it off for everyday wear?

Totally—as long as you let your bold lip color make the statement and keep the rest of your look more low-key. “Usually, when I have the lips as the focus, I always play down the rest of the face,” says New York City-based makeup artist Joanna Dee.

“Super-bright orange shades are fun and dramatic and can work well on everyone,” says makeup artist Jayme J. While most shades of orange are universally flattering, deeper burnt oranges (with some brown in them) and super-shimmery (think gold and bronze) oranges typically work better on darker skin tones.

Need some help figuring out the best orange for your pout? We’ve rounded up our favorite citrus-inspired shades that look good on every skin tone:

1. M.A.C. Lipstick in Lady Danger, $16, maccosmetics.com
This red-orange shade will easily stand in for your go-to red. “It’s a classic evening color,” says Jayme.

2. Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Tutti Frutti, $8, ulta.com
If you’re still a little unsure about the trend but want to give your lips a hint of orange color, try this sheer coral tinted lip balm from Revlon.

3. BITE Matte Crème Lip Crayon in Clementine, $24, sephora.com
This limited-edition lip color is vibrant and matte. Its rich texture makes it extra-moisturizing—and did we mention it smells citrus-y, too?

4. NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Timanfaya, $25, sephora.com
This new mandarin orange shade from NARS was seen all over the runways for spring 2014. It has a pretty shimmer and goes on super smooth.

5. Obsessive Compulsive Stained Gloss Lip Tar in Androgyne, $18, occmakeup.com
This vivid tangerine lip color is both a gloss and a stain, so it’ll stay on all day long. It’s also 100 percent vegan and made with hydrating organic hemp oil and soy-derived vitamin E.

6. Lime Crime Opaque Lipstick in My Beautiful Rocket, $18, limecrime.com
Indulge your more adventurous side with this opaque creamsicle color. It’s been worn by fearlessly colorful celebs like Nicki Minaj and Lady Gaga.

More from Women’s Health:
Get Glossy Coral Lips in 15 Seconds 
4 Beauty Trends with Major Benefits 
The Simple Two-Step Trick for a Perfect Bold Lip