<b>By Takiya Smith</b>

Spring is here and with the welcomed season comes a new palette of colors for sure! Everything from lip color to blush and mascara to eyeshadow has hit the runway with bursts of color and pops of pizazz. Fashion, with it’s bold and funky brights, offers a foundation for playful, yet realistic make-up, from trendy and unique to everyday cool.

With each season, a new color takes center stage, and with color, one key feature comes along. This season, lips are all the rage with everything from electrifying pinks to softer hues, shades and shimmers. Bold lips also take a turn with unexpected pops of orange tones and neutral nudes.

Not totally new, but making it’s mark this season, is the comeback of the “ombre” lip. The fun and creativity begins here, with lined lips, a base color over and beneath the liner and a softer, lighter color on the center. The blended, yet eye-catching effect offers a sultry and pouty lip, with dual tone accents.

To help maintain a soft, supple application as well as hold your perfect pout, apply a light coat of lip balm, Vaseline or Chapstick. To help set color, dab concealer on your lips prior to applying liner and color. In addition to or sans lip color, a lip pencil, in your favorite color can also be used alone to give a matte look or underneath color for boldness and longevity.

For more information, questions or comments, visit my blog at www.blb-boutiques.com.