For every bright red or creamy nude lipstick, there's a ton of deep scarlets, violets and browns out there just waiting to be tried out.

A vampy dark lip is perfect on the red carpet, but for a night down the pub it definitely takes some extra confidence. That said though, once you've gone for a darker shade you won't look back.

If you're considering swapping to a darker colour, follow these tips to ensure you apply it like a pro.

1. Choose the right shade for your skin tone
Giving the colour a test drive before you buy it is key – avoid any shades that made you look washed out or tired. Generally, olive-skinned girls should go for livelier shades like reddish-browns and vibrant purples, while paler skinned girls can get away with cooler, inkier tones.

 

2. Don't let it thin your lips
One reason many women shy away from darker colours is the fear it'll make their lips look thinner. This is a common problem, but it's easily solved. Either try an ombre look, or use concealer for a simple fix – using your lip brush, gently apply some concealer to the outer edges of your lips after applying your lipstick. This will clean up smudges and give the illusion of a fuller lip.

 

3. Go for a long-lasting lippy
Smeared violet lipstick is not a good look – a bold lip needs to look flawless, and smudges are more visible with darker colours. Go for a long-lasting lipstick and ensure extra staying power by lining your lips and using concealer on the edges.

 

4. Apply it with a brush
Avoid having to start over again and again by applying your lippy carefully with a lip brush. Move from each outer corner inward to the centre of the lips and then fill in any gaps.

 

5. Forget about lip gloss
​Dark lips have enough 'oomph' without piling on lip gloss. And using gloss only reduces the staying power of your lippy, so leave it out when working a darker colour.