Nude is the ‘it’ shade of the season – but how do you wear it well in autumn and winter?
Cold weather poses a big challenge when it comes to a plump pout. Central heating inside, and freezing temperatures outside – not to mention the wind and rain – can take their toll on your lips, causing dry skin, cracking and flaking.
Due in no small part to Victoria Beckham’s latest beauty release, and her devotion to a sheer lip, the nude look is going to be big news this season; expect to add eleganza to your Christmas party looks with glitzy fashion, smoky eyes and barely-there lipstick.
But if you’re plumping for a nude lip, you need to take extra care of your skin now to create a flawless finish later.
Nude shades can be tricky to wear if you have dry patches, fine lines or chapped lips: they spotlight imperfections, particularly if you opt for a matte finish. Dry lips can also crush the staying power of your lipstick, so you’ll be constantly re-applying – and potentially making your lips even drier in the process.
To prep you for the trend, we’ve selected an edit of products to help you achieve smooth, moisturised and perfectly primed lips, ready for that flawless nude finish:
Restoring delicate tissue, minimising contour lines and helping to prevent the signs of ageing, Dermalogica’s daily lip treatment, Age Smart Renewal Lip Complex, can help to smooth rough and uneven lips. Its superior conditioning lasts hours beyond application and is ideal for wearing alone with a slick of gloss for ultra-natural lips – or as a smoothing primer before your nude lipstick application.
At night, Dermalogica’s Age Smart Nightly Lip Treatment works with the skin’s natural circadian rhythm (biological clock) to reduce the appearance of lip ageing. Smoothing the appearance of laugh and feather lines while you sleep, this rich overnight formula firms, hydrates and restores skin on and around the lips.
To plump and volumise the lips, Gatineau Defilift 3D Perfect Design Revolumising Lip Care dramatically plumps out and volumises the lips and fine vertical lines around the lip contour. A moisturising lip treatment to instantly add long-lasting volume, it contains lavender extract to smooth and strengthen the lips and shea butter to nourish and soften, so lips appear fuller, smoother and more defined.
Elemental Herbology’s Lip Nourish Plumping Balm is a solution to dry lips – with a subtly plumping effect. A natural balm to repair, rehydrate, soothe and protect, it has a silky smooth texture and glides onto lips.
New from Elemis, Ultra Conditioning Lip Balm is an instantly hydrating lip treatment with a biolipid complex and mango butter oil. Encapsulated hyaluronic acid acts as a magnet, drawing in water molecules to rehydrate; effective delivery and release of the hyaluronic acid molecules ensures that even the driest lips feel replenished, restored and hydrated.
Great for dry patches on the lips – as well as cheeks, cuticles, elbows and heels, Balance Me’s Stellar Beauty Balm is an intensely moisturising, replenishing and skin smoothing balm with body wide appeal and antioxidant protection to nourish and protect your skin around the clock. With shea, cocoa and mango butters, this balm is rich in essential fatty acids and vitamins to plump and nourish the lips. Its pocket-friendly, 10ml size is handy for keeping in your handbag, pocket or gym bag, too.
If you’re looking for a Christmas stocking filler with a nude-lip-twist, Gatineau’s Lip and Eye Cracker contains a tinted lip balm in Café, a brand-new shade, full of coconut oil and shea butter for intensive hydration and a flush of sheer colour. This cute and affordable Christmas cracker also contains Gatineau’s Collagene Expert Smoothing Eye Pads, a refreshing treat for tired eyes packed with collagen to plump and smooth fine lines and wrinkles. It’s the perfect Christmas – and New Year’s – party duo!
