As you may have gathered I have a rather obsessive love of coral make up! I am not entirely sure when it started but it seems to have really gained momentum over the past year. I think it may have begun with buying my first coral nail polish a few years back and it has gradually become – all things coral!
Coral or orange shades are such beautiful summery colours, which can give your skin a wonderful sun-kissed glow. A Coral Make Up Look can be soft and pretty, if you incorporate subtle peach shades or vibrant and punchy, by using the deeper more orangey-red shades.
At a Smashbox event I attended last year the make up artist went for a gorgeous coral make up look on me, which initially was a bit of a shock but I must admit I loved it! She made my eyes quite statementy, as well as adding a sweep of bright coral blush but she kept my lips fairly subtle – I think overall the look worked, really well!
The biggest leap for me in my personal make up journey was trying a bright coral lip – I actually bought my first coral lipstick on a whim! I was in MAC Cavendish for something completely other and left with a Vegas Volt lipstick and Lasting Sensation lip pencil. After wearing Vegas Volt once, I was hooked!
Most people I speak to are frightened of bright lipstick, especially coral or orange shades and I think this is because they are uncertain, of how to wear them. I thought I would share a few of my tips for wearing coral make up.
If you are just starting your Make Up journey, into all things coral then my advice is to perhaps start off with a coral or peach toned blush. I must admit I was a bit nervous when I bought my first coral blush, which is MAC’s Sheertone Blush in Peaches – I usually wear pink-toned blush but I have loved wearing Peaches!The blush is quite pigmented, so a little goes a long way. I apply my blush with an angled blush brush and gentle sweep it from the apple of my cheek, along my cheek bone.
Next off you can add a pop of Coral on your eyes but be careful with the shade you go for. Something a bit more subtle and shimmery will look more natural than a bright orange eye shadow {unless you are a ramp model!}. If I am wearing colour on my eyes I tend to keep the rest of my look more natural and opt for a nude lip. There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to make up – it just depends on how “out there” you want to be 
My favourite coral eyeshadow is from Smashbox in the colour Flamingo. It is a similar shade to the MAC shadow, used on the model, in the photo above, which is from the MAC Spring Summer Trends from 2013. Flamingo is a gorgeous coral with a lovely golden shimmer – the perfect summer colour for your eyes! This eye shadow is quite pigmented, so you can add a gentle sweep to your lids for a softer look or build up the colour for something a bit more dramatic. If I wear this shadow I usually just wear a bit of black liquid liner on my top lash line and black mascara on my lashes.
Nails are naturally the easiest way to add a pop of colour to your look without it being too in your face. I have quite a collection of coral nail polish shades but one of my all time favourites is this one, Tangerine by Essie. It is a vibrant orangey-red shade, which looks awesome on your hands or feet – I have blogged about it before here and here.
When it comes to a coral lip if you are hesitant about wearing a bright colour, then opt for a sheer coral lip gloss or lip balm. These will give you the pop of colour you are looking for without being OTT.
Above is a new favourite of mine the Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Tutti Fruitti, the colour, when applied, reminds me of orange ice lollys
If it is an out there bold lip you are looking for, then do not hold back! If I am doing a statement lip, I prefer to keep my eyeshadow more natural, with lashings of mascara and a sweep of colour on my cheeks. Above is my favourite coral lipstick Vegas Volt by MAC. A few other MAC coral lipsticks I am dying to try are Morange and Ravishing.
My tip when wearing any bright lipstick is to first go in with a lip pencil, which will help your lipstick last longer and stop the colour from bleeding. The lip pencil I use for my coral lipstick, is the one below Lasting Sensation also by MAC.
I know that trying new and different make up shades can be daunting but make up is meant to be fun and as long as you get the balance right anyone can wear coral! I thought I would share a video tutorial, by one of my favourite make up gurus, Lisa Elderidge. Hopefully this can help you incorporate coral into your everyday make up regime and give you a few hints and tips, as to what can work for you.
[youtube]http://youtu.be/YbKbuhyP__g[/youtube]
Do you wear coral make up? I would love you to share any of your favourite make up items in the comment section below.
LOVED this post! The coral trend is still as big as it was last year and I was never a fan but it really is growing on me. I already own the ColourBurst but I cannot wait to get that Essie colour – love it!
Hi Rayne thanks glad you enjoyed it! Another Essie nail polish on my radar is Cute As A Button – a slightly more pinky coral