Summer Beauty 2011

Coral is a dubious color word, describing everything from creamy sherbet to stop sign red. But the true below-the-sea shade is vibrant red with a hot orange finish—and it's everywhere this season. "I like to think of coral as an off red," says Fiona Stiles, the makeup artist who created this look for Elizabeth Banks. "Women with lighter skin, like Alexa Chung, might want something with more pink in it. Someone with a darker complexion, like Solange Knowles, will look best in more orangey versions." Whichever formula you choose, it's best to be precise. "Before applying, I like to soften the lip line by patting foundation around the edges of the mouth," Stiles says. "That way, when I brush on the lipstick, I can create a crisper shape."