Everyone loves a classic red lip. But not every red hue flatters our Asian skin tones. On social media, beauty creators are swapping red lip liners for brown ones in a bid to make the red lip look more flattering.

According to makeup artist, Lasalle Lee, many beauty brands have beautiful red lip colour options for every skin tone, from “red to orange-y red to brown-reds”, so using a brown lip liner prior might not be needed.

How to achieve the look:

However, Lee does add that for perfect-looking red lips, a lip liner and lip colour are always a must.

But instead of a brown lip liner, makeup artist Larry Yeo, suggests using a liner in a deeper red hue than your chosen red lip colour. “This will add a touch of contrast and make your red lip colour pop more, as that distinctive line will create a ‘clean cut’ from the skin to the lips, allowing your lip colour to look more polished.”

The ideal combo:

• Bobbi Brown Lip Pencil in Red, $46 

+ Christian Louboutin Rouge Louboutin Matte Fluid Lip Colour in Suzi Folk, $134

Whether it’s a little gloss on your cupid’s bow or lining your lips outside of your natural lip line, getting a fuller looking pout instantly doesn’t require a trip to your aesthetic doctor and dermatologist.

How to achieve the look:

Both Lee and Yeo share that achieving this lip look requires all three lip products – liner, colour and gloss.

For a natural looking lip shape, Yeo suggests using a brown-pink lip liner to redefine your lips. “Something a bit more flushed than your natural lip tone, which you can blend the colour in with your fingertip so it looks natural.”

And if you’re unsure how much you should “over-line” your lips, Yeo recommends starting by just extending the line just above your natural cupid’s bow or a little more curved at the lower lip areas.

But if you’re a pro, then go ahead and follow Lee’s tips: Begin by concealing the original outline of your lip with foundation or concealer, then line the lip shape with a lip liner in the same shade as your chosen lip colour. Fill in the colour and apply your lip colour over. To finish, do two coats of gloss, but only at the body of your lips, being extra careful to avoid the corners.

The ideal combo:

• Laura Mercier Longwear Lip Liner in Saffron, $37

+ Gucci Rouge de Beaute Brillant Lipstick in 215 Julie Blush, $60

+ Dior Lip Maximizer in 012 Rosewood, $57

We’ve seen it all over TikTok – the hashtag #glossylips currently has over 392.2 million views, OTT glossy lips are back with a vengeance, especially now that mask-wear is a thing of the past (well, almost). But too much gloss all over can make you look like you’ve just inhaled a plate of char kway teow, and not in a good way.

How to achieve the look:

When applying your gloss, Lee suggests to only apply it on the inner part of your lips, avoiding the corners as it can make it look like you’ve just eaten and forgo to wipe your mouth clean.

Yeo also adds that you should always apply gloss from the centre of your lips, gliding outwards. “If you start from the corner and apply your gloss inwards, the gloss will pool around your lips resulting in a drool-like finish, which is not what you’d want.”

Alternatively, Lee advises dusting a little loose powder over your lip colour (don’t forget to remove the excess by lightly pressing lips together over a piece of tissue before that), prior to applying your gloss. “Apply the gloss at the inner lips and gently press your lips together allows the gloss to spread over the lips naturally and adhere better.”

For an added wow factor, Lee also says to use a gloss with a glitter finish as it gives an “extra shine to make lips even more pouty and glossy”.

The ideal combo:

• Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss Top Coat in 774 Excitation, $52

+ your favourite lip colour

A trend that’s something straight out of the ‘90s beauty playbook. But no one wants to turn back time, unless it’s to regain our lost youth. So here’s how you can take this ‘90s trend into 2023.

How to achieve the look:

Yeo suggests using a true brown lip liner to define the lips. Then with your fingertip, blend out the line before applying a deep burgundy lip colour to modernise the look.

For newbies, Yeo recommends starting with a translucent brown lip colour, like Charlotte Tilbury’s Hyaluronic Happikiss Lipstick Gloss Balm in Passion Kiss. “It’s a bit of a deeper translucent of brown but with a berry tone, which makes it easier to transit into a full brown shade later on if you’re still unsure.”

The beauty of the choc lip trend is that you can opt for a matte, cream or glossy finish. Though Lee does add that with many Singapore girls tending to have dry and chapped lips, a matte look might not flatter as it will only enhance your lips’ dryness. So if you’re a matte kind of girl, don’t forget to do a lip scrub and use a lip balm before you pucker up.

Alternatively, Yeo’s secret tip to navigating dry lips when attempting this look is to use a full coverage lipstick then dab a hydrating lip oil – try Estee Lauder’s Pure Color Envy Nighttime Rescue Lip Oil-Serum, over.

The ideal combo:

• M.A.C Cosmetics Lip Liner in Chestnut, $35

+ Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Lipstick in 118 Burning Clay, $35

Move over MLBB, TikTok beauty creators are opting for lips that look natural and healthy. Just like the no-makeup-makeup look takes effort, so does this lip trend.

How to achieve the look:

Because everyone’s base lip colour is different, choosing the ride shade is important, says Lee. In addition, it’s also important to ensure that lips are supple when nailing this look. To achieve this, Lee recommends exfoliating your lips weekly with the Fresh Sugar Lip Polish Exfoliator, followed by the Fresh Sugar Recovery Lip Mask Advanced Therapy to lock in moisture to get lips uber soft.

For best results, Yeo says to apply your lip balm the night before and at least 30 minutes before attempting this lip look.

And just like what we’ve seen on social media, a lip stain or lip tint paired with gloss works best. Yeo suggests applying your lip tint at the centre of your lips, then using a fluffy eye shadow brush, blend the colour outwards to cover the lips – think of how you would blend out eye shadow on your lids.

“Make sure that the colour is gently brushed over the lip line as well, because you want to bring that flush out, and appearing like it’s oozing out of the lip line,” says Yeo. Leave the colour to set, before gently pressing a tissue over the lips to blot off any excess. Finish by applying your favourite gloss – one with some sparkle or glitter works best, onto the centre of your lips. Then with your fingertip, gently blend the gloss out for the perfect kiss-me pout.

The ideal combo:

• Etude Fixing Tint Lipstick, $20.90

+ Dear Dahlia Blooming Edition Glass Shine Topper, $42

Text: Vanessa Chia/HerWorld

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