January Jones rocking the tangerine colour lipstick. Photo: Getty
Every year, tastemakers the world over hold out for the gang of colour technicians at Pantone, the global authority on colour, to make a call on what they predict is going to be the hue of the year. In 2011, it was all about Honeysuckle, a part fuchsia, part red-pink, while this year, the experts set their sights on a powerful red-based orange that goes by the name of Tangerine Tango.
Although fashion and interiors are normally the first to capitalise on the trend, it usually doesn’t take long for the beauty world to catch on with tangerine lipstick fast taking over from red as the runway staple at this year’s spring summer 2012 shows. And to top things off, a few months back, beauty powerhouse Sephora announced it was teaming up with Pantone to create a seasonal makeup collection designed to celebrate the chosen hue, complete with all the basics, such as eye liner, blush and nail enamel.
When it comes to cracking colour codes, warm shades, such as red and orange, are traditionally symbolic of power, but they’re also said to be handy at helping to fire up energy levels. So, while a wash of tangerine on the lids may seem a tad daunting, you owe it to yourself to try a slick of orange-red on the nails before working your way up to the pucker before winter is out.
Now, get the look with…
1. Rimmel London Kate Moss Lasting Finish Lipstick in #12, $11.95, from pharmacies. 
2. Nars Lipstick in Heat Wave, $45, from meccacosmetica.com.au
3. ck one color Pure Color Lipstick in Little Liar, $35, that you can work back if you need to, with ck one's Brainiac, also pictured.
Both from myer.com.au
Although there are no rules when it comes to wearing lipstick, the most flattering way to wear tangerine right now is with a creamy, semi-matte finish. If you’re new to colour, you can start by applying the product as a tint, using your ring finger to press the product into the skin for a subtle stain. As for the rest of your makeup, you want to keep the skin looking dewy with a liquid highlighter (try: Clarins Instant Light Complexion Perfector, $50, from adorebeauty.com.au) blended along the top of the cheekbone and the temples, before finishing with a generous amount of mascara.
