Makeup: orange is set to be the hottest colour for lips in 2021

Overshadowed by the mask in recent months, lipstick is making a comeback in a colour we weren’t expecting: a flashy, bold orange — more vibrant than ever.

Lipstick isn’t dead yet! The pandemic has certainly meant it’s been out of the spotlight for a while, relegated to the background by mask wearing, but we haven’t seen the last of it.

It is even making a comeback in its most daring shade, a vivid orange that will not go unnoticed this summer. It remains to be seen if it will really get to be seen by the world live in the flesh, or if it will rather make a statement as the star product in beauty styling pix posted on social networks.

Natural vs extravagant

And yet, by all indications the global pandemic was at the root of a return to more natural makeup looks, with a smoothed-out but not overloaded complexion, lips that are shiny but not tinted, and a more distinct eye, but not overly made up. This penchant for going back to basics is directly linked to lockdowns and the implementation of working from home, as well as to the necessity of wearing a mask in public spaces.

Why spend time and effort on a sophisticated makeup look that no one will see? So now what does this return to a vibrant colour like this orange signify? The end of the pandemic? That seems somewhat further off. It seems more linked to a need for optimism, freshness and cheerfulness, in response to a gloomy period.

And there’s no denying it! These orange lips, these looks full of energy and daring, have a feelgood effect on us! We need them in order to indulge our dreams and escapism, like a travel enthusiast who seizes upon a photo of a paradisiacal landscape nestled at the other end of the planet in the midst of the covid era. In short, we hold on to what we can, and these vibrant colours are part of the little things that bring us comfort.

Followed by nearly 14,000 people on Instagram, Afnan Dano recently posted an ultra bright look, featuring fluorescent orange, from eyelids to lips that has sparked a host of positive reactions. A photo that makes us forget this complicated period … at least for a few seconds (and that’s not nothing).

And TikTok is also playing a role; the influencers keep coming, one after another to present their favorite orange lipstick, from pastel to fluorescent shades through orange reds — something for everyone.

The views on the hashtag “#orangelipstick” figure in the hundreds of thousands, and orange lipstick is making an appearance in many videos dedicated to spring 2021 trends.

Are ultra-pigmented tones making a comeback? 

With this springtime inspiration, one has to wonder if ultra-pigmented shades are set to be back in the spotlight after months of absence.

Not only are brands focusing on richly pigmented lipsticks and glosses on social media, but beauty influencers seem to have grown tired of natural beauty looks and are gradually returning to bolder looks.