Advertising Feature: A Make-Up Lesson in Mastering the Statement Lip

Want to know the quickest and easiest way to take your look from everyday to event-ready? Add a statement lip. Follow our easy steps and find expert tips from Partner & Make-Up Artist, Sophie Hamedani is on hand to offer her advice on how to create a statement red lip look, which she recommends for ‘any occasion where the dress code calls for glamour.’ 

An all-day event requires a longwearing foundation that won’t look heavy on your skin. Sophie opted to use the Dior Forever Matte Foundation, which she explains ‘has a matte finish, without being overly powdery or dehydrating. Plus, this innovative foundation tightens your pores for an even complexion and is designed to stay put on your skin for 24 hours, so you can enjoy a special day without worrying about any touch ups.’

Next, brighten under your eyes and cover any small imperfections with the Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat High Cover concealer. The new product from the iconic beauty house features all the best qualities of the original Touche Éclat, but is enriched with Vitamin E, caffeine and calendula extract to offer a higher coverage that lasts all day.

A delicate blend of natural colours will add subtle definition to your eyes and make your lip colour really pop. Sophie used the new Urban Decay Naked Reloaded Palette to create this look, mixing shades Blur and Bucked and softly blending up to the crease of the eyelid and under the bottom lash line for added definition. Sophie recommends ‘dampening a fluffy eyeshadow brush before you apply – this will help you pick up more product on the brush and avoid any eyeshadow dropping or smudging.’

Finish your eyes with a generous coat of Hourglass Caution Extreme Lash Mascara in black. Sophie loves the innovative wand, which ‘is designed with a dense bristled side to give volume, a shorter bristled side for bottom lashes and a tapered end to reach the inner corners of your eyes.’  

Before you apply your lipstick, Sophie advises to prep your pout with a scrub and balm which will help your lipstick to glide on. A statement lip is all about precision. Sophie explains: ‘I began by carefully sketching my desired lip shape with a sharp lip pencil and then filled in the shape with the pencil to create a base for the lipstick.’ Apply MAC VIVA GLAM I* all over your lips either straight from the bullet or with a lip brush for cleaner application. ‘If you go wrong, simply dip a cotton bud into micellar water or concealer to easily fix any mistakes’ says Sophie. She chose to use MAC VIVA GLAM I for this look, saying ‘the warm red shade is universally flattering and the matte finish will last on your lips throughout the day.’

*M·A·C Cosmetics’ charitable campaign, VIVA GLAM has raised has raised over $500 million since its inception in 1994, exclusively through the sale of M·A·C VIVA GLAM lip products. VIVA GLAM funds support healthy futures and equal rights for women and girls, and the LGBTQ+ communities while maintaining its decades-long support for those living with HIV/AIDS. The full recommended retail price (RRP) (less VAT) of VIVA GLAM Lipstick is donated to organisations that support the health and rights of people of All Ages, All Races and All Genders. M·A·C Cosmetics will make grants to non-profit organisations they believe can make a meaningful impact on health, rights and equality