When choosing makeup during the summer, I am uncontrollably drawn to light, sheeny textures, nude tones, championing the skin and minimilism. Something about winter triggers an entirely antithetical impulse. Along with my porridge and generously proportioned knits, I want rich, cocooning textures and more opaque, dramatic finishes.
Above all, as if in an attempt to combat dark mornings and short days, I want colour; the equivalent of a summer bouquet on my face. Too much colour veers into a sort of manic, clownish look, but you can absolutely and always get away with an intensely pigmented lipstick.
It finishes a simple or casual outfit, looks like a marker of effort when in fact you’ve made very little, and is simply cheering to wear. With the improvements in cosmetic science even within the last five years, lip colour has come a very long way, and there are plenty of intensely pigmented lipsticks to bring colour to wintry days this season.
November to January, all limitations lift, and a deep, rich burgundy is completely acceptable day wear. Nars Audacious lipsticks are among the most beautifully formulated you can buy – deliciously creamy, incredibly comfortable to wear, and with kick-in-the-face pigment.
Audacious Spiked Lipstick in Siouxsie (number 1 in photograph; €31 at Brown Thomas), with its ridged bullet and limited edition red casing is a triumph, but the powerful burgundy dances along the line of dark chocolate, and in low light, can look almost black.
If you want a deep lipstick that is a little more muted, Marc Jacobs Beauty Le Marc Lip Frost Lipstick (2, €29.50 at Harvey Nichols Dundrum) is a deep, frosted chocolate that can be used as a top coat to deepen other lipsticks.
For a throbbing red, you cannot beat Chanel, and Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet No5 (3, €37 at Brown Thomas) is a limited edition lipstick in red packaging (which is thrilling) for Christmas. It is comfortable, dewy on the lips and outrageously red.
For a red (or at least reddish) that is a little bit different and a delicious contrast to the winter weather, try Sisley le Phyto Rouge in Orange Acapulco (4, €43 at Brown Thomas). The range offers a number of more conventional colours, but this rich, sizzling orange is unusual, bright and beautiful.
If you find a deep pink easier to wear than red shades, YSL Rouge Pur Couture The Slim Lipstick in No 8 Contrary Fuchsia (5, €35.50) is perfect. These lipsticks are described as having a leather matte finish. Buttery, smooth, and without the tight, pinching sensation that some matte lipsticks entail, these angular bullets are easy to apply and to wear.
L'Oréal Paris Color Riche Matte Addiction in Plum Tuxedo (6, €11.99 at Boots) is a brand bestseller for a reason. It is supremely wearable, with just the right blend of pink and blue tones to give a fresh pop of impressive colour without being too loud. It brings out blue and green eyes with particular panache, and makes a perfect winter staple in your makeup bag.
