10 Ways to use GOSH 'Darling' (or any other 'Too Pale' Lipsticks)

/ 23 comments
Way back when I first started blogging...ok, so almost one year ago, I saw a few people nattering on about GOSH 'Darling'. How it had been one of those products everyone had loved for a while, then 90% of them realised it didn't really work for them. A few ended up in blog sales, in the bin, collecting dust...Jane over at Modesty Brown was kind enough to send me hers after I commented that my Superdrug didn't stock it and I was curious to try it out. Now, since I'm not *super* pale, I can't rock the pale lippies straight from the bullet, so I started playing with GOSH 'Darling' to see how exactly I could use pale lipsticks with them making me look awful...

[[ TOP: Barry M 145 + GOSH 'Darling'. BOTTOM: 17 'New Black' + GOSH 'Darling' ]]

1. To pale down dark lipsticks.
Once Autumn/ Winter is over, my lips rarely see dark shades until they come back 'on trend' 12 months later. A great way to get some use from them all year around is to mix them with a pale lipstick to make a shade which is wearable.

2. To make bright lipsticks more pastel.
I'm sure we've all done it - bought a bright lippy which doesn't quite suit us or we don't have the balls to wear. Instead of giving it away, turn it into a pastel by mixing it with a pale lipstick. Perfect for Spring/ Summer!

[[ Topshop 'Crushed Berry' and 'Neon Rose' cream blushes mixed with GOSH 'Darling' ]]

3. To tone down cream blush.
Occasionally I spot cream blushes which I know I would have to blend into oblivion for them to work with my skintone. Instead of passing said cream blushers by, I mix them with a pale lippy to make them more wearable. If you use a gloss finish/ moisturising lipstick, it makes the cream blush easier to blend into your skin, too.

4. To highlight cheekbones.
If you're not such a pro at blending, only use a lipstick a few shades lighter than your foundation, otherwise you might end up looking like Adam Ant. Otherwise, mix the lippy with your foundation and then apply it.

5. To highlight the centre of the lips.
Dab the pale colour into the centre of the lips to make them instantly look fuller and more youthful.

[[ OCC 'Hoochie' and 'Anime' lip tars mixed with GOSH 'Darling' ]]

6. To mix with liptars.
Sometimes I just don't feel like wearing 'Hoochie' and 'Anime' in their full eye blindingly bright glory, I apply my pale lippy and then rub the tiniest amount of lip tar into them for a less, um...neon effect.

7. To mix with pigments.
In general I'm not a huge fan of wearing dry pigments on the lips, but mixing a little with a moisturising lipstick results in a comfortable, soft finish. You can of course, also wear the resulting mix as a cream blush or highlighter.

8. With a tan, bronzer, gloss and metallic eyes.
The best way to counteract the 'dead lips' effect of a pale lipstick is to make sure the rest of your face looks anything but dead! The most effective way is to tan or wear a foundation a *touch* deeper than your regular choice (blend, blend, blend), matte bronzer under your cheekbones, shimmery bronzer over your cheekbones and a metallic eyeshadow look with natural looking lashes and well polished eyebrows. A touch of warm, neutral gloss would also help! Think Versace and Kisa.

[[ Lips - MAC 'Honeylove' and GOSH 'Darling' ]]

9. With dark smokey eyes, gloss and a deep contour.
My favourite way of all ten - pale lipstick right from the tube with eyes as dark as possible. I LOVE dramatic looks and this is perfect for a night out. Wear your usual foundation, a matte contour under the cheekbones/ jawline (if you like), a hint of cream blush over the apples of the cheeks (the slightest amount), dark eyeshadow in any style, defined eyebrows and heavy mascara. Top off with your lipstick and neutral gloss. Think Diane Von-Furstenburg and Gucci.

10. In a 'retro' kinda way.
Pale lips were big news in the sixties and seventies. The sixties saw deep, defined creases, bold eyeliner and falsies galore finished with pale lips (think Twiggy) and the style has started coming back recently - probably thanks to Adele. The seventies saw polished skin, glowing highlights, pale coloured eyeshadow, pink/ peach cheeks and pale lips (think NARS...then keep thinking NARS.)

I also use Barry M 'Palest Lavender', Barry M 'Marshmallow' and MAC 'Creme d'Nude' in these same ten ways :) How do you use pale lipstick? Which do you own?

(P.S) Sorry about how sketchy my pics have gotten recently, I keep playing with camera settings and either not putting them back before blog pics or messing with them even more!

23 comments:

  1. Great post :D Gosh Darling looks really awful on me, I never thought to mix it with pigments, though, so that could be fun :D

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  2. Great tips - I have a few super pale lipsticks that I'm not convinced suit me so I'll definitely be trying them mixed with brights and dark lipsticks. x

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  3. These are the best tips I've ever read! I've always had a problem with my lipsticks being too light and now I can wear em again. Thanks so much!

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  4. These are actually really good ways to use Darling up! Do you have green in your hair now? It looks great!

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  5. I have GOSH Darling, which looks absolutely hideous on my by itself, but I reckon I've used it in pretty much all the ways you've mentioned here save the highlighting your cheeks tip and the one about wearing it with bronzer. I usually mix it with a dark red lipstick I have to make a more manageable-for-daytime colour.

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  6. such an amazing post, thank you! i got darling around that time too, was a bit of an umm okay everyone.. moment when i realised it wasn't that great :) xx

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  7. That's such a good idea! I don't have any light lippies like this, because I got rid of them, but I have ones that I know I can't really wear alone so I'll definitely try mixing them! Thanks for such a great post xxx

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  8. You're so right, I bought Gosh because everyone raved about it and then it was a flop for me - it's in my blog sale right now! If it doesn't sell maybe I'll try out these tips and keep it! I love the smokey eye look you've done there - it looks perfect - I can never get mine to look like that, always ends up a mess! Gem x

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  9. I love that smokey eye look with a nude lip, classic, also what blush are you using it really finishes off the look x

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  10. Great post! I have a couple of pale lipsticks that are hidden away due to them looking awful on me, I will definitely try some of your tips :) xxx

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  11. Great list! I'll have to try a couple of these. I don't buy pale lipsticks and glosses myself but sometimes get them in sets. I have pale skin but my lips are so pigmented 'nude' lipsticks and anything more than a couple of shades lighter than my natural colour just looks bizarre on me. I look best with bright lips, it's just a fact!

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  12. What a great post, you've given me lots of great ideas! I first bought gosh darling because of the hype and then tried to make it work for me...but I don't know if it ever did. Nice blog!

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  13. @ Robyn, tbh I think it looks awful on everyone haha. Not the colour, more the finish of it! Hope you get some good results with pigments :)

    @ Lily, its a great way to rediscover old favourites/ make nice shades with ones you aren't fond of!

    @ Ailah, so glad you found this post helpful!

    @ Aoife, definitely, I think for most people it isn't wearable straight from the tube. Yeah, I have green through my fringe and on the tips :)

    @ Julia M, it's great for mixing with bold/ dark colour to make them wearable :)

    @ Sophie, thanks! Haha, I couldn't believe everyone went mad for it when it came out - it's so pale and most people hate 'concealer lips'.

    @ Kim, love mixing lippies! You can make some stunning colours you wouldn't expect.

    @ Gem, ha, I've seen a few in blog sales :S I think pale lippies are great to have just for mixing with others, though! Thanks, I love smokey eyes!

    @ Stravadorskiy, thanks!

    @ Lori, thanks! I think the blush was Topshop 'Neon Rose' mixed with GOSH 'Darling'.

    @ Gemx, thanks, hope they help!

    @ Julianne, thanks! Some people do suit bold better than pale/ neutral. I think there's a nude lippy out there for everyone, though :)

    @ Vida, thanks! Hope the ideas work out for you :D

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  14. This is great, thanks! x

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  15. It's so obvious, I feel like an idiot for not thinking of it myself. Thanks for all the tips!

    Ali x

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  16. thaanks! I have too pale lipstick too, it's NYX round lipstick in orange soda. I used it as lip concealer to re-shape my upper lip^^

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  17. Thanks for the great tips, I also own Gosh Darling but I can't make it work on me at all. And you look great in that last pic, loving the super smokey eyes!

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  18. Actually, very pale girls often can't rock the extremely nude lip. The lip colors you can pull off have much more to do with lip color and tone, with skin tone being secondary. Not skin color. For instance, I'm extraordinarily pale, but my lips are a reddy-brownish pink, and I look like a corpse with lips that pale. I need a rosier pink or red. But this list of ways to work with nudes is quite genius. x

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  19. @ Rachel, glad it was helpful :)

    @ Ali, haha, no problem!

    @ Lina Kim, that's a good way to use pale lippies, too!

    @ Makeup and Macaroons, thanks, glad you found the ideas handy!

    @ Esther, pale girls can and do rock the extremely nude lip so long as the rest of their make-up isn't 'dead'. When I give pale girls nude lips, I make sure they have glowing skin, flushed cheeks and clear, fresh eyes. In general, rosy or slightly coloured nude lippies will look livelier on everyone - whatever their natural lip colour is.

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  20. What a clever idea! Brilliant post and great swatches. Am loving the look of the Topshop Neon Rose cream blush!
    Thank you x

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  21. I do have a couple of pale lipsticks and lipglosses. While I like the shades themselves, I find them too pale for my overall look. I shall try with the ways you have suggested. :)

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  22. I definitely need to try mixing my Creme d'Nude with some brighter lipsticks! Great post.

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