And now that I’m actually old enough to be wearing the stuff…well, lipstick scares me. Although it defined icons like Marilyn Monroe and Christina Aguilera, I find the whole thing a bit stressful. There is a very fine line between looking glam like Gwen Stefani and looking like you’re just trying too hard to look glam like Gwen Stefani. And I always worry I’m in the latter category.

But I still want it! Lipstick is classic. And if it’s done right, it’s glamorous.

So how does one do it right? How do we college girls find the right lipstick to enhance our lips without making us look like a clown? I’ve been doing my research (OK, so it was for my own selfish reasons, but I’m sharing it with you now!) and I found some general lipstick guidelines for choosing the best shade and wearing it well.

Picking a Color: For everyday wear, choose a color that is only a few shades darker than your natural lip color.  Remember, your lips are naturally a few shades darker than your skin tone so if you’re testing a color on your hand (you know, to avoid germs…I’m a freak) keep that in mind.  Choosing a color this way will enhance your lips naturally and not scream, “I’m playing with my mom’s makeup bag!” In general, the lighter your skin tone, the lighter shade you should choose. 

If you are going for a less-neutral/more dramatic nighttime look, light skinned girls should go for pinky tones, medium tones should choose berry shades, and those with dark skin can go for deep browns or reds.  This article on eHow talks more about undertones and specific shades of colors, but in general the simple guidelines above work well.

Pick a Type: Lipstick comes in several different types like matte, long-lasting, liquid, metallic… Matte and long lasting lipsticks are great to provide a defined look, but if you are looking to make your lips appear fuller, a lipstick with shine or gloss will be a better choice.  Another option is a lip-stain, which provides intense, lasting color and shine.

Lip-liner: My girl New York is known for her beautiful lip-liner, but I’m guessing you don’t necessarily want to emulate her style.  Basically, most of us college-aged girls don’t need lip-liner.  Our lips are pretty full already, so lip liner isn’t necessary until we get old and our lips thin.  At this point lip-liner is just going to look ridiculous and over-the-top, so stay away.

Don’t be afraid to use some color on your lips. If you do it right – i.e. pick the right shade for your skin – you can look beautiful and glamorous just like Marilyn, Gwen…and your mom.