A red lip oozes sex appeal, confidence and sophistication: this we all know. But this season at Fashion Week, we saw the idea of a statement lip go totally over to the dark side - at Emanuel Ungaro and Giles, models swaggered down the catwalk with black, opaque, painted pouts. Flying in the face of delicate, barely-there beauty, these dark lips had gothic glamour in spades. Forget what you know about grunge being dead - it's well and truly alive, and prettier than ever.
Ungaro's girl was perhaps more for beginners - instead of black, the lip colour was a deep, deep purple - MAC's Smoked Purple Lipstick (£15.50), to be exact. Mixed with their Currant Lip Liner (£12.50), it made for a matte finish with sharp contours that brought out the girls' Cupid's bows. Whereas at Giles, they pulled no punches. Black, lacquered, defined lips ruled the catwalk, paired with a fresh complexion and neat brows. Early adopters to the trend in the mainstream include Kylie Jenner, who's snapped many a selfie with a blacker-than-black pout. If you fancy trialling the trend yourself, here's the skinny on nailing it:
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As with any dark colour, your lips will need a bit of TLC before taking this shade. Exfoliate with a sugar scrub or cotton bud to remove flaky dead skin, then apply a light lip oil and leave to sink in.
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Applying concealer or foundation over your lips will help cancel our your natural lip colour if you want a truer dark hue.
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To keep it haute and pretty, take a leaf out of Giles' books and keep everything else pared back: no liner, just lots of fluffy mascara.
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Go for a radiant, dewy complexion rather than a matte finish so it looks youthful and fresh, and steer clear of bold blush.
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Plump for just-pinched cheeks and a light swoosh of bronzer to ensure your complexion doesn't look too flat - dark colours need to be teamed with a little warmth to avoid any overtones of gothic pallor. Still need pointers? Check out this tutorial from beauty guru Michelle Phan - you're welcome...