If there is one makeup trend from this year so far that I've been loving, it's monochromatic makeup. Wearing one color all over your face might sound a little blah, but using your lipstick as blush to create that monochromatic look has to be the trendiest lazy girl hack ever. Browns or pinks are the obvious choice and, while they're pretty, I'm personally excited about not having to stick to the more traditional colors! I'm *still* drooling over Olivia Munn's all-orange look from the Oscar's this year.
By now I'm sure your interest has been piqued and perhaps you're thinking, "But I'm not really gifted at makeup, how can I achieve this ultra-cool makeup trend?" Just use your lip color as your blush! But please hold before you go swiping that red lipstick all other your face and getting clown vibes; I have a nifty tip I picked up from Gato, Maybelline's head makeup artist, backstage at the Naeem Khan show during Fashion Week. Instead of applying directly to your face and having to blend like crazy which would probably just end in ruining the rest of your makeup and looking like you just stepped in from the cold, put the lipstick on your hand first and use a stippling brush. Here's exactly how to get that monochromatic look with just one product.
1. Pick A Lipstick
Pick a color that you feel looks good with your skin tone, since it'll be pretty much all over your face. Also keep in mind that lipsticks have different finishes: A glossy lip will give you dewy skin and a matte lip will give the same finish on your face. Matte lipstick tends to have a more traditional blush like effect, but using a glossy finish means you can definitely skip a highlighter.
2. Put Lipstick On Your Lips
Having the lipstick on when you apply the blush will make it easier to gauge how much color you should be putting on your cheeks. I chose Maybelline Color Sensational Creamy Matte lipstick in Divine Wine.
Want more beauty tips? Check out the playlist below and subscribe to Bustle on YouTube.
3. Spread Some Lipstick On The Back Of Your Hands
Putting the lipstick on your hand first helps warm it up and blend easier onto your cheeks.
4. Swirl Your Stippling Brush Into The Lipstick
Use a light hand when you're loading your brush with color. You can always layer on more, but it's hard to take color away. A fair warning: Most darker lipsticks have a tendency to stain so don't use your fanciest, white bristled brush! It will wash off but might leave a colored tint on your tools. I'm using the e.l.f Stipple Brush— it's only four bucks, so I felt good about reserving it for lipstick blush.
5. Blend Onto Cheeks
Gently apply the color onto the apple of your cheeks, stippling and blending as you go.
6. Touch Up With Fingers
The lipstick straight from the brush will probably look clown-like so use the warmth of your fingers to blend the color into your cheeks.
And that's it! My beauty-loving-lazy-girl heart is swooning.
Images: Emily Geraghty/Bustle
