True story: It was 1994. I was in my second year of college at Davis, and I’d become full-on obsessed with the idea of wearing a dark, almost black, matte red lipstick, but I couldn’t find the color at any of the drugstores in town.
It didn’t help that Davis was a small town out in the middle of nowhere. No, seriously, it’s pretty built up now (they have a Gap!), but back then it was just farms and cows as far as the eye could see.
Cutting-edge makeup (for the time) was not easy to track down.
Eventually, I realized that I probably wasn’t going to find what I wanted on a shelf. I was about to give up when, one day, inspiration struck!
With a black eyeliner, I lined and filled in my lips, and then layered my darkest red lipstick on top.
Eureka!!
I ended up rockin’ that look so hard to chem class, you don’t even know.
Today that same trick with eyeliner on my lips came in handy again while I was getting ready.
So, I’ve been wanting to try something like that Goth-ish look from Lorde’s Tennis Court video. In the video she wears a striking look with eyeshadow in a cat eye shape, with white liner on her lower water line and a dark, dramatically delicious purplish black lip.
Since there isn’t a lot of color on her eyes and cheeks, it puts the focus firmly on her lips.
Gah! I love it.
The eyes? Super easy. I used a few MAC neutral eyeshadow staples (Bamboo, Soba and Cork) to create the lifted, cat eye shape.
Wouldn’t you know it, though? The ONE TIME I needed the white eyeliner that I hardly ever use, I couldn’t find it, so I used a pale beige eyeliner on my water lines instead (Rimmel Scandaleyes in Nude).
I didn’t do much with my cheeks. Just some light contouring (using MAC Give Me Sun Bronzer) and highlighting (Becca Opal).
Last, but not least — the lips!
I really wanted them to look dark, almost black, so I ended up using — yup, you guessed it — an eyeliner, MAC’s Pro Longwear Eyeliner in Strong Willed ($19.50), a matte plummy black.
First, I prepped my lips with a lip balm to help the liner apply smoothly. Then, I lined and filled in my lips.
To get a crisp edge all the way around (really makes bold lips pop), I took MAC’s Chromagraphic Pencil in NW25/NC30 ($16), a flesh-colored multi-purpose liner, and outlined just outside my natural lip line. Then I carefully blended the edge with a pencil brush.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Ugh you make goth look so classic and wearable, I love it.
Thanks, Noon! Happy Friday. 🙂
I used a blue eyeliner with a pink to make my perfect purple lip color in ’96. I was in 11th grade. I made it like the ‘ombre’ thing they are doing now, where it was more purple on the outer bit. Loooved i
Ya know, I never thought to try blue liner! I will give that a go. 🙂
Did you ever wear dark purple lip liner with frosty beige lipstick? That was my jam in ’96.
Oh my gosh, I love this! You look absolutely amazing!
Thanks Vanessa! Do you ever wear dark lips like this?
Happy Friday!
I really want to try dark lips, but I’m worried about buying a lipstick that I won’t use very often (as you can see, I’m a little on the frugal side haha). I guess I could try the eye liner + lipstick combo.
I love your eye make-up in this look too, by the way. It goes so well with the lip!! 🙂 Squeeeee *excited*
This look is much more wearable than I thought!
Yup!
oh my god karen, i caught my breath when i saw the first picture! what beautiful makeup and beautiful photography, awesome!
to be honest, i’ve never seen the appeal of goth. you changed me with this post!
Hi Lena,
Thank you! Try the dark lip sometime (just wear it around the house for fun). You never know if you’ll love it!
Fierce, I love it.
Thanks, Meredith!
This look. is so. ROCKIN!!! I love how you experiment and bring us back in time to your old go-to looks, it’s all just so exciting, seriously- I am a very be-as-you-are person but sometimes I just think people who don’t wear makeup are missin out on fun stuff like this!!
Hi Rachel P,
Thanks lady! If you try this lip you have to send me a pic. I would love to see it!
I have to try it for sure! When I do, I’ll definitely send along a pic. This particular eye is something I do fairly frequently, but the lip is different and I gotta attack the look just right!
KAREN. I love this! I can’t for the life of me wear black lips (I always end up looking like an awkward goth), but on you — WOW.
Absolute, complete love! 😀 😀
This look is a big fat “YES.” Karen, you look so ~*cool*~ in this minimal goth look. I cannot wait to break out the vampy lip come fall. (Why is still sunny in the Bay Area??)
Whoaaa…Davis alumna here too! Yay! What a coincidence! =D
Haven’t worn lips that black out in a while–last time I tried something similar it was more of an ombre look–with plum in the center gradually darkening to black.
You look absolutely gorgeous here! A lot of others wouldn’t be able to pull this off with still looking classy.. But you do! I also love your hair here, it’s a great combination 🙂
U may b an evil genius! I will ponder while looking at your dark lips for awhile.
I absolutely love this look on you! I am a huge fan of dark lips!
I LOVE THIS!!! Do you have any recc’s for a drugstore purply-blue plum black like this one? I have Nightmoth and RiRi Heart’s MAC Talk That Talk but they are more red-wine blacks… you know what I mean? I’ve been obsessed with dark lips and did a dark emerald lip with Maybelline Eye Studio Master Smoky Shadow Pencil in Emerald Fury topped with a little fix plus prayed brush pat of L’Oreal
Infallible Eyeshadow in Golden Emerald. It was awesome!!!
I actually love this look on you and all the kitty rings 🙂
I usually just lurk, I mean look, around here. But I LOVE LOVE LOVE this look on you and just had to comment! You really work it, girl!!!! So awesome and “out there,” but still accessible. Totally cool. And I have to ask about your top. Love that too! Do tell where it’s from. Pretty please!!
This looks great on you. I thought Lorde’s look was a bit stark but it’s much more wearable on you. And I think your hair is cute like that. 🙂
Wow! I LOVE this look! Girl, you’re like a chameleon 🙂 and everything seems to suit you! Niiiiice…