How to Pull Off Frosted Lips

Photo: Kenneth Willardt/Trunk Archive

If you’d asked me to name one trend that would never ever make a comeback, I’d have told you frosted lipstick. I spotted it on Daria Werbowy in Vogue Spain last summer, but editorial is not real life. Then it showed up on Rodarte’s fall 2014 runway and in Rihanna’s MAC ad. OK fine, still not enough for a comeback. But then my most stylish friend wore an icy plum lip out one night, and I realized that yes, frosted lipstick is officially back — and you can pull it off in real life, at least according to New York-based makeup artist Daniel Martin.

"Frosted lips are a total throwback to the ’80s — a decade of excess," says Martin. "Big hair and loads of makeup!" He’s seen frosted lips popping up in editorials and on the runway, but he is waiting for the final piece of the trend pie: a celebrity on the red carpet. "Frosted lips can look pasty, and metallics that are too flat, they don’t give any dimension to the lip at all," he says. "But new formulations are less metallic and more glittery and shimmery, making these textures new to a whole new generation."

There are certain tricks to finding a wearable shade. While lipsticks look cool in photos, Martin suggests trying a frosted gloss at night for a wet, shimmery effect. “Frosted lipstick tends to photograph lighter than it wears in person, so always go a bit deeper for depth and contrast.” For light to fair skin, he likes frosted pinks and champagne tones like Lancôme’s L’Absolu Nu 209 Beige Tulle ($30). If you have a medium skin tone, Martin says deep rust and coppery tones like NYX Glam Aqua Shine Lipstick in Jet Set ($6) are best. For dark skin, Martin suggests jewel tones in deep reds like Lipstick Queen The Metals in Wine Metal ($24) or cocoa tones for the most beautiful look. Personally, I think it doesn’t get much better than the new MAC Viva Glam Tinted Lipglass ($15) Rihanna is wearing in her new campaign.

Application is key for this style, as is complementary makeup. “You should always prep before wearing a focused lip,” says Martin. “Use a hot washcloth to scrub and remove dead skin from the lip. Soon after, apply your favorite lip balm.” Whatever you do, skip a frosted or shimmery eye. “You want to create contrast with the lip, so go more matte or even smoky when doing a frosted lip.” To complete the look, try sculpting your cheeks with a flush of color on the apples, and groom those eyebrows for a fresher take on the ’80s-inspired look.