November 2006

Sounds intimidating, doesn’t it? Actually, flesh-tone lips are easy to pull off if you make sure they have a “tiny bit of rose” and some shine, says makeup artist Leslie Lopez, who used a nude lip pencil (Pout 34C, $12; sephora.com) and a clear, shimmery gloss (Lancôme Juicy Tubes, $16.50; at department stores) to create Kate Hudson’s nude lips. When choosing a nude lipstick, look for a sheer texture (try Tom Ford’s new Amber Nude Collection). “If it’s too opaque, it will wash you out,” says Lopez.

Playing the vamp isn’t easy. To prevent a goth disaster, Ji Baek of Rescue Beauty Lounge in N.Y.C. suggests wiping off one side of the application brush as you remove it from the bottle. Then apply the polish in three quick passes: one down the middle and two on either side. “The most common mistake is going over it again and again and making the polish too thick,” says Baek. Apply a second coat; when it’s dry, dip a pointy cotton swab in remover and clean up the edges.