By Gianna Bartolini ’15

Pucker up!

A trend that began late last spring and has carried into fall and winter 2014 is lipstick becoming an integral part of any girl’s daily make-up routine. In the past, many teenagers have shied away from the cosmetic, believing it to be necessary only for special occasions, or that it was reserved for old ladies. Other girls don’t wear it on the request of their boyfriend, so that he will not get it all over himself when the couple spends time together. These preconceptions, however, have begun to change.

The current trend, both in fashion and in makeup, is the 90s grunge/punk look. The dark, vampy shades of lipstick hitting the market right now can be attributed to this, along with celebrities like Lorde and Khloe Kardashian jumpstarting the look months ago. For a particularly gothic look, try a purple-toned dark red, flattering brown, or berry color that compliments your skin tone.

The grunge look is not for everyone, however, but if you’d still like to rock the lips, there are plenty of girly, or better said, less ‘hard core’ alternatives available. Bright reds, nude shades, and sweet peachy pinks are cute colors that look great on any girl.

As it is with all makeup, there are two keys to pulling off lipstick. To rock the bright colors, you have to find the right shade for your skin tone. If you find one you like and it doesn’t look quite right, it’s okay! Keep looking, for there are thousands to choose from! The final step is to have confidence. You are beautiful, and it doesn’t matter what other people think of you wearing makeup, but how you feel about yourself. If bright lipstick is how you want to express yourself, then so be it! Have faith that your inner beauty will shine through, and your outer beauty will reflect it.