By Saskia Kemsley
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Some of us crave the summer sun and relish in its freckle-forming glory. Others, like myself, delight in the darker months, when colour palettes turn distinctly autumnal and otherwise pallid complexions become luminescent in the hazy moonlight.
The vampire aesthetic has never been more popular than in the 90s. Close cousins with Wiccan-core, it’s filled to the brim with dramatic reds, deep burgundies, lilacs, purples, forest greens and – of course – pitch black. Yet recent years have witnessed its quiet comeback, as Zillennials yearn for Twihard nostalgia.
Anything that brings shadow-slinking drama is welcome, and essential contemporary reference points include Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1998), Charmed (1999), True Blood (2009) and Twilight (2008). Vampire-inspired looks borrow from goth denominations, naturally, but have a softer, vignette-tinted finish. The modern vampire is more romantic than deathly, tinged with rose petals and red wine.
While some vampire enthusiasts may delight in bat-like winged eyeliner and darker than night hair dye, I believe in the power of a vampy lip. You could leave the house entirely bare-faced but for a deep berry gloss and still comfortably look and feel like a vintage-inspired vampire.
Fragrance layering may be in, but vampy lipsticks require a return to lipstick layering.
You won’t get your dream shade on your very first try, but layering with balms, glosses, and liners helps to create vampire-approved depth, while building on colour will certainly help you achieve aesthetic perfection. My favourite, daytime-appropriate look while testing a series of lipsticks came from combining e.l.f’s O FACE Satin Lipstick in Own It with Gisou’s latest honey-infused lip oil in Milky Mocha.
Keen to sink your teeth into my other top picks? Keep scrolling for the full edit.
