Matte Lips for Spring

You guys know I’m obsessed with nude lipstick, but I’m going for a new look this spring. While I love a pale pink lip and gloss, my makeup artist tried out this matte lip color, Dolce Vita from NARS on me recently and I’m obsessed with the look. Matte lips really balance out the glowy, shimmery skin that I usually go for on the rest of my face during this time of year. Also, a lighter berry color is the perfect pop for spring, before the heat of summer sets in when I’ll be going for more punchy corals and orange-reds.

Matte lipstick can be a little tricky to wear, and the look can be a bit 90s if you go too dark, and dry out your lips if you don’t hydrate them first. Read below for a few tips on how to wear matte lipstick this spring, plus shop my favorite shades!

1) Exfoliate – This is the most important step to having your lips look luscious while wearing matte lipstick. The matte texture isn’t very forgiving in hiding chapped lips, so make sure to remove any excess skin by using a lip scrub (this sugar scrub by Fresh is my favorite because it conditions your lips too, which helps in the next step)
2) Moisturize – This step is also crucial in making matte lips look good, because once you exfoliate your lips the new skin underneath will get dry quickly if you don’t add moisture, and then your lipstick will have trouble staying on. Make sure to use a moisturizing lip balm (love this one by Clarins) right away.
3) Wait! – Don’t apply your lipstick immediately after applying your lip balm, or it will slide right off. Allow your lips to fully absorb it – finish up your hair or mascara while you wait! I recommend about 10 mins or so.
4) Apply Liner – Matte lipstick tends to stay put much longer than regular lipstick, which is both a blessing but a curse if you make a mistake while applying and it can be a pain to redo. Make sure you define your lips with a liner first to get the right shape, then apply your matte lipstick and voilá!