How To Nail The Tauve Lips Trend
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What It Is
“Mauve is a classic colour – it has a uniquely universal appeal as it mimics the natural tone of the lips. Simply put, mauve is a cool pink with a hint of blue and a dash of brown. It’s an easy, effortless colour that best suits a rosier complexion, but can be worn by people with a golden skin tone if paired with a little bit of lip pencil. Tauve (a portmanteau of mauve and taupe) is a beautiful, updated evolution of the classic mauve. It’s cooler than the traditionally warmer nudes we’ve seen for a while, but it’s still comfortable and wearable. It’s a fresher take on nude lipstick.” – Dominic Skinner, director of make-up artistry at M·A·C
Why It’s Popular Right Now
“Tauve is having a moment, but the idea of a cool nude has been around forever. It had its glory days in the 90s, when it featured in runway shows, fashion magazines and beauty editorials. It’s that perfect muted shade that suits everyone and just makes the lips look very natural, but with a hint of sexiness. Think your lips, but better. One of the reasons why many celebrities, make-up artists and influencers are loving tauve so much is because that vintage supermodel look is having a huge comeback.” – Claudia Neacsu, make-up artist
When To Wear It
“Autumn is the perfect time to try tauve. It complements the cooler weather, the darker evenings and the fresher colour palette we see in the autumn/winter fashion.” – Dominic
“Tauve works well for both day and night. For a more casual finish, try blending the edges. For a sharper effect, go for a crisp, brown lip line.” – Claudia
Prada; Anastasia Beverly Hills
Application Tips
Choose The Right Lip Liner
“Due to the blue undertone of a colour like tauve, it’s best to pair it with a lip pencil that can bridge the gap between the coolness of the lip shade and the warmth of the skin. Or just apply a little wash of mauve over your favourite nude lip combo to cool it down and give it a tauve-like finish.” – Dominic
Pair It With Complementary Eye Make-Up
“Being such a versatile neutral, tauve can be worn with many different eye looks. It works with a super clean eye and just mascara, as well as a simple wash of metallic silver or soft grey. I also think it looks great with olive tones. Otherwise, if you’re going for a monochromatic look, match the same shade of tauve on your eyelids.” – Claudia
Experiment With Mixing Shades
“To get the right shade, I’ve been using M·A·C’s Lipsticks in ‘Modesty’, ‘Kinda Soar-Ta’ and ‘Soar’, outlining it with a cool greige lip pencil like ‘Stone’ or ‘Whirl’. Layering a mauve over your favourite nude lip combo is another great way of getting the tauve effect.” – Dominic
“I’d typically create tauve by applying the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder Duo in ‘Taupe’ on top of the brand’s Lip Liner in ‘Muted Mauve’. Layering the taupe shade on top of the mauve creates the illusion of a shadow, making my lips look so much fuller while transitioning into the mauve. It creates a sexy, almost ombré effect.” – Claudia
Consider The Impact Of Texture
“Creamy textures work best with this lipstick shade, making the lips look full, flawless and real.” – Dominic
“My personal favourite finish for this shade is a soft velvet matte (not a drying one). And if you want to take your look to the next level, you can also apply the same lipstick shade on your cheeks as blush for a cohesive, tonal look.” –Claudia
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