The one trend bringing some unity to the diverse and eclectic looks at Monday night's Met Gala was the almost universally adopted dark lip. From those feeling a little shy and going for a glossy plum, to those feeling bold enough to embrace matte, burgundy tones, all eyes were on the perfectly painted pouts of the A List.
A movement we reported (and celebrated, as we love a statement lip here at Grazia Daily) back after Fashion Week, when models at Giles and Emanuel Ungaro worked gothic, dark lips, we're excited to see it taking hold on the red carpet.
For too long has the dark lip had connotations of being overly gothic or being just for the colder months, but its springtime embracing by the cream of the Hollywood crop looks set to change that. It's easy to idolise a trend on the catwalk, but in real-life practice it can be harder. Yet, as usual normcore starlets like Carey Mulligan and Clare Danes proved, this is a look that's got legs.
When chatting to makeup maestro Sharon Dowsett recently, she told us that you can even blend black eyeshadow into your favourite purple lipstick to add a gothic tinge, or use a sparkly eyeshadow to give it a slightly more 3-D effect.
As our spectrum shows, all the strongest looks from the night involved a bold lip. Katy Perry went for a muted but still strong bugundy, Amanda Seyfried plumped for a sheeny plum, and our favourite, Lily Alridge won hands-down with her almost-black pout. Not feeling that bold? Ease yourself in with a tinted balm like By Terry's Baume de Rose Nutri-Coleur in Fig Fiction (£35.50) which gives you some sheer colour, then work up to a lipstick.
Our favourite for the brave is NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Train Bleu (£17.50). Prep lips by scrubbing with a cotton bud first to ensure a smooth canvas, then apply a light lip balm. Dabbing concealer over your lips first will help the colour to go on a truer shade, as it removes your natural lip colour a little. Experiment and see what suits you best - it's the only shade to wear this season.