Lipstick Shades For Smokey Eyes

How do you make your smoky eyes even more impressive? By choosing the perfect colour for your lips. It has to be sexy. It has to be trendy and wearable. It has to be flattering. Let's see which colours deliver it all.

Nude Lips

The nude lip is the sexy addition to a dark, sultry eye. Although it looks amazing on catwalk and magazine covers, it might not work in real life. A nude lip is high-maintenance although it may not seem to be. Choose a nude lipstick with a hint of a vibrant hue in it. It will make you look much prettier than a pure, colourless one. Finish off your lips by applying a clear gloss over your lipstick. The result is fresh and beautiful. This works especially well for smokey eye looks that use a lot of colour, since the clear gloss adds polish but won't compete with the eye shadow colour. For more inspiration browse through some of Kate Moss' smokey looks: she does a nude mouth like no other. 

Try YSL Rouge Volupte #4 Sweet Honey, Estee Lauder Nude Velvet Lipstick or Revlon Matte Lipstick in Nude Attitude.

Pink Lips

A pale pink colour adds a splash of sweet colour to lips that balances a smokey eye perfectly. Usually rose or baby pink is very flattering and probably the best solution if you want that really pretty effect. Diane Kruger does it to perfection. Her choice is a soft satin mouth with a bit of sheen. But this season even a stronger, fuchsia-tinted mouth goes. A touch of pink colour works especially well with pale grey smokey eye makeup. Choose natural lip balms for the uber-laid back effect, lipstick for the strong, but not overpowering look and last but not least pinkish lip glosses for that extra-glittery tint. 

Try Dior Lipstick in Tulip Pink, Guerlain Rouge G de Guerlain in Rose Innocent or Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupté Perle in N116 Milky Pink. 

Peach Lips

A pale peach looks gorgeous with smokey eyes, especially for women with warm skin tones. Victoria Beckham, a smokey eyes expert, is faithful to her trademark mouth: a peachy nude. She simply knows that you can get the sixties drama and effect, while still looking healthy, by adding a dash of peach to your lip colour. Pair them with your golden, grey or browns as well as classic black smokey eyes for a look that’s both sultry and healthy. The softened and pastel shades as well as the shimmery and sparkling shades will bring out the most of your look and is my favourite option for a smokey eye. Try a peach coloured lip gloss for a soft, subtle lip look.

Try Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture #24, Lancome 'Summer 2012' Ultra Shiny Lip Gloss Vanlla Sand or NARS Sheer Lipstick – Barbarella.

Red Lips

One of the additional and beloved options to crown your smokey eyes is to adopt that glamorous Vintage inspired makeup look that encourages everyone to pair their dark tinted eyes with fiery red lips for guaranteed success. First, you’ll need to choose the right red. As overwhelming as that may sound, it’s actually quite easy when you know your undertones. If your undertones are warm (there’s a yellow or golden undertone to your skin, you tan to a golden brown colour, your veins are green, you look best in gold, etc.), then a red with a yellow or golden base works best. If your undertones are cool (there’s a red or blue undertone to your skin, your veins are blue, you look best in silver, etc.) then a red with a blue base works best. If you’re olive toned (neither yellow nor blue undertones) try a red with neutral undertones. Choose from the light and glittery reds as well as wine and darker shades for the desired effect. The key to avoid looking overdone is to follow Leighton Meester's lead and pair a smokey eye with dewy, powder-free skin and sheer ruby lipstick. If your confidence in wearing red is still waning, try a light red lip that works well with your natural colouring. This can also help balance an extremely dramatic or very dark smoky eye. 

Try or Rimmel Kate Moss Lipstick Collection 01, MAC'S Lady Danger or Clarins 'Rouge Prodige' Lipstick

Dark Goth Lips

Vampy dark lips are all the rage right now and they make a great smokey eye companion. The Met Gala was a veritable sea of dark mouths: Camilla Belle, Kate Bosworth, Lana Del Rey, Jessica Alba, and Rachel Zoe all looked incredible in the colour. The result was rich and alluring and ever since that night, gothic mouths have been everywhere. It seems a strong lip colour is where it’s at for a sexy evening look! Think wine-stained lips in deep burgundy and plum shades. Just like when you choose a red lip colour, pay attention to your skin tone. If you’re fair, look at pinky berry tones. And if you’re a bit more golden or olive try a shade in a creamier brick red colour. A tip: to avoid looking "old lady-ish" make it a bit shimmery and glossy but just in the middle of the mouth. Also, make sure you define your lips with a matching lipliner for the perfect gothic pout.

Try MAC’s Dark Side, Dior Addict Extreme In Black Tie or Revlon’s Black Cherry.

This season, both pale and stronger lips can be combined with smokey eyes. So explore the options and keep on asking yourself, "Does it make me look good?" It's now up to you to choose the ones that flatter you because at the end of the day, that's what really matters.