Fresh-faced starlets show that deep burgundy, vampy lips have a place in summer, too

Despite her deep, full coverage, blackberry-painted pout, nobody could accuse Kate Bosworth of going gothic at May’s Met Ball. And she’s just one of several celebrities proving that this season a vampy almost-black lip can flatter any disposition—sunny or dark. It does, however, require the wearer to be “a little bit fashion-aware,” says Melanie Inglessis, celebrity makeup artist to Lea Michele, Olivia Wilde and Mia Wasikowska. “I think it takes a woman who has confidence to pull it off. You have to just own your look.”

While the powerful, dark blood-red tone may typically be a wintery, porcelain-skin look, it was prominent at the aforementioned gala, where Camilla Belle took hers to a retro place (helped in part by a soft wave in her hair and a shimmering silver frock) and Lana Del Rey evoked an Old Hollywood screen siren. But it’s not only appropriate for brunettes, evidenced by Bosworth and Inglessis’ propensity to ignore the “rules” of which shades and tones match up. “Makeup should be fun. That said, for dark lips, you definitely have to keep the rest of your makeup to a minimum.”

When striving for an summery deep lip, remember it will be the focal point of your whole look, but there are varying degrees one can experiment with. “Take baby steps—start with a stain and go from there,” advises Inglessis. “Keep it light with a great burgundy wine stain and press on the color with your ring finger—no liner needed. With really, really dark shades like Kate’s, the mouth has to be perfect, and not many women feel confident in that.” Try dabbing on a moisturizing lipstick like GloMinerals’ Bordeaux, Stila’s stain in Pomegranate or NARS’ chubby crayon-like Velvet Matte pencil in Train Bleu for more youthful alternatives to a high-maintenance lip lacquer and liner to ward off bleeding.

Additionally, “keep the rest of your makeup natural and muted. It will look very dated very fast if you do an eye, too. I would not do eye shadow, just a little mascara; I would barely do blush, or you’ll veer into a more retro ‘80s or ‘90s look.” Rooney Mara at the Met Ball is a perfect example of how a flawless complexion can brighten up a deep lip. Start by covering any blemishes using a pigmented moisturizer, and make sure your eyebrows are groomed and polished. “Like on Kate Bosworth, a dark mouth and beautiful eyebrows is pretty stunning.” The cheeks should be about the only other color on the face. “I like a peachy pink for summer or a little cream on the apple of the cheek to bring a freshness and dewiness to your skin and contrast with the dark lip.”