This Is the One Thing That’s Keeping You From Pulling Off Those Gothic Lipstick Shades

Remember when the only lipstick shades you had to choose from were pink, red, and nude? Lord knows I love a red lip, but sometimes a girl gets bored with looking “natural” and “pretty.” Luckily for us grown-up goth girls, once-niche shades like black, purple, and blue are becoming commonplace, meaning more choices and better formulas.

Beauty nerd favorites MAC Cosmetics and Urban Decay recently released lines including the most wearable versions of these gothic shades yet. MAC’s Bangin’ Brilliant collection includes hundreds of unconventional shades from pastel yellow to cool gray, and Urban Decay’s Vice collection features greens, blues, and purples in six finishes from matte to metallic.

Related: Lily Collins Does Summer Goth Perfectly

These high-end options have intense color saturation in vastly superior textures, but like any dark lipstick, they can still be difficult to apply cleanly and avoid smearing. So how do you get your summer goth on without looking like the Joker or like you’ve recently had sexual relations with a Smurf?

Although it might sound dated, lip liner is the one thing that has changed my dark lipstick game. Clear lip liner, specifically.

Related: Trending Now: Blackish Lipstick and Nail Polish. Would You Wear It?

I’ve always thought of liner as something from my mom’s generation, but clear lip liner is the perfect way to anchor more intense shades and make sure they don’t bleed or feather. I use Lipstick Queen Invisible Liner ($18) as a primer applied over the whole lip to extend wear and keep color within the lines, but if smearing is your primary concern, just trace around the natural lip line to keep that shocking purple from ending up on your chin. The best part is that you can’t really screw up application, since the product is clear. (And there’s no danger of ending up with just a ring of color around your lips like with regular liners.)

Also good are Urban Decay’s 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil in Ozone ($20) or the e.l.f. Lip Lock Pencil ($3) for a budget option. Once you’ve got your base in place, here are a few of my favorite options for witchy lipstick shades to experiment with this summer.

Urban Decay Lipstick in Pandemonium, ($17)

This true, warm purple goes on smoothly while still providing a matte finish (and just a touch of shimmer). Like with many of the gothier shades, it can take a few coats to get opaque coverage, but the clear liner will help grab the color and keep it in place once you’ve achieved saturation. The whole range of purples in the Vice line is worth checking out — plus they have fun names like “Vanity Kills,” which is a lighter lavender shade. (Photo: Urban Decay Cosmetics)

Estée Lauder’s Mattified Lipstick in the Storm, ($22)

Part of the Estée Edit’s Mattified collection, this bright blue/green seems a little out of place for the 70-year-old beauty brand, but it’s the truest and best formulated blue I’ve ever worn, and it has a pretty turquoise-gradient packaging to match. It’s infused with “conditioning oils,” keeping it from being as drying as many other bold mattes. (Photo: Estée Lauder)

MAC Lipstick in Halsey, ($17)

This collaboration with pop star and edgy beauty innovator Halsey delivered a slate gray matte shade that’s totally unique. It kind of makes me feel like a sexy robot. (Photo: MAC Cosmetics)

Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Intense Lipstick in Satin Black, ($20)

Black lipstick is perhaps the hardest shade to apply cleanly, and any gothy girl worth her mettle will swear by her personal favorite. Since my ride-or-die black, MAC’s Hautecore, is currently only available on Ebay, give this satin finish shade from Make Up For Ever a shot — it applies with a smooth, almost glossy finish, although, again, it may take a few coats to reach maximum opacity. (Photo: Make Up For Ever)

Smashbox Be Legendary Cream Lipstick in Witchy, ($21)

Maybe you’re not quite ready for purple or black, but you can dip your toe in the summer goth wading pool by trying a “deep burgundy,” like this cream shade from Smashbox. And yes, I’ll admit it, I was partly enticed by the name.

It’s also good to exfoliate your lips with a scrub or toothbrush before application, as vivid darks will show every flake. Remember, the only thing you need to rock the newest dark lipstick trends is confidence! And also the clear lip liner I mentioned before. (Photo: Smashbox)

Let’s keep in touch! Follow Yahoo Beauty on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.