When it comes to makeup we can sometimes get stuck in a bit of a rut, wearing the same palette of 'safe' colours we know suit us. We've all done it, opting for a new take on our favourite nude lippie and in turn, leaving ourselves with a makeup bag full of 10 variations of the same shade.
While there's nothing wrong with this - in fact, we're big advocates for having a staple beauty lineup of products you know suit you down to a T - but we've decided to flip things up a bit and try out some lip hues that are a little more outside our comfort zone and a few of us were pleasantly surprised.
From bright purples to deep chocolatey browns, here's what happened when we slicked on the lipsticks we'd never usually wear...
'Stepping out of my comfort zone from a classic nude to a deep brown was a pleasant surprise. The creamy formula hydrated my lips and the metallic sheen really made my eyes pop!' - Emma, Social Assistant Urban Decay Vice Metalized Lipstick in Conspiracy, £15'Whenever I wear lipstick, I only ever opt for a variation of pink - be it a dusty pastel or bashful fuchsia. Purple isn't a colour I would have even considered and while I'm not saying i'll be applying it on a daily basis, I'll definitely have this in my handbag. It works wonders for sun-kissed skin and totally upped the ante of my look. This one's a winner.' - Ana, Design Intern Lipstick Queen Silver Screen Lipstick in Purple, £35'I normally reach for a classic red so I was initially out of my comfort zone with this vibrant pop of colour. Not only did it accentuate my tan but my teeth were definitely looking a brighter shade of pearly white. Possibly the most satisfying lipstick to apply so if you fancy being a bit more bold with your lip shades this summer, i would definitely recommend it!' - Lucy, PR & Marketing Manager Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Fiore, £16'Classic red is usually the only colour I tend to wear on my lips and although that's quite punchy as it is, slicking on this vibrant, practically illuminous orange was a total change-up for me. Credit where credit's due, Illamasqua's formula is probably one of the most highly pigmented lipsticks I've applied and it stayed put. I wouldn't say this will replace red, but I definitely wouldn't say no to applying it again and i was pleasantly surprised with the finished result!' - Alice, Beauty Editor Illamasqua Liquid Lipstick in Embers, £19.50
'Being a nude kind of girl (with lipstick that is..) I felt just a bit blue at the prospect of trying this shade, but it turns out that being blue might just be my new thing. Urban Decay's Vice Lipstick is a dream to apply and has some serious staying power. Best of all I channelled a vampy side that I guess I've been covering up with my go-to neutrals.' - Juliet, Head of Social & Digital Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in Heroine, £15'Never going bolder than a brown nude - and even that's daring for me - this was definitely outside of my comfort zone. However, I was pleasantly surprise at how wearable this actually was. Yes it's dramatic, and no, I wouldn't wear it daily but it has proved to me that more than just a nude lips suits me!' - Coryn, Brand Campaign Manager Collection Lasting Colour Lipstick in Blackberry Fool, £2.99