Since joining TikTok, influencer and model Florence Oginni has established herself as a beauty guru. Her soft glam looks and step-by-step tutorials have drawn in a following of 152.2k. Using a platform that relies on quick turnaround times and even faster feedback, Florence has built a community that looks to her for their dose of clean, crisp and inspired makeup looks. Despite receiving boxes upon boxes of makeup gifting her tried and true pick for lipstick is from MAC Cosmetics.
When I sat down with the Toronto native to discuss mixing and matching MAC’s new lip pencils and remastered shades of the MACximal Sleek Satin Lipstick, I found her in her London apartment wearing MAC’s new “root for me” lip liner and a pouty gloss. I instantly started to scribble this look into my notepad before getting into Florence’s winter and fall-inspired lip combinations.
Lip Look #1
Lip Pencil: “Cork”
Lipstick: “Sitting Pretty”
When exploring a seasonal lip, Florence explains it’s safe to say the best place to start is nude. She achieves this by mixing the warm brown “cork” lip pencil with the pink hue of “sitting pretty” lipstick. Though darker skin tones tend to shy away from pink lips, the combination of brown and pink creates a neutral look for everyday wear.
Lip Look #2
Lip Pencil: “Chestnut”
Lipstick: “Guessing Game”
The next look every brown girl needs to have in her back pocket for fall and winter is a deep red lip. To achieve this Florence reaches for MAC’s cult favorite “chestnut” lip liner and follows up with the vampy shade of “guessing game.” This blackened red is a lot more red than expected- to frame this look to your liking Florence recommends using a brown liner to enhance or soften the pigment, making it versatile for holiday festivities, romantic evenings, and dinner parties alike. And if you don’t already have chestnut in your makeup bag—it’s a must-add!
Lip Look #3
Lip Pencil: “Root For Me”
Lipstick: “Espresso Yourself”
Florence next walked me through what she calls “The Fall Look,” but works great for winter, too. By pairing the purple-red “root for me” liner with “espresso yourself,” a blackened orange she creates an ombre effect reminiscent of the leaves changing. Root for me is a very versatile pencil she explains, it can be paired either with a bold lipstick or a gloss similar to the look Florence was sporting throughout our chat. This pencil is also great for girls who love a lip look but have no idea how to achieve it.
Lip Look #4
Lip Pencil: “Nightmoth”
Lipstick: “Truth Be Untold”
Lastly, Florence points out “nightmoth”, a deep purple liner so moody it almost looks black. Although she doesn’t regularly reach for dark lips paired with “truth be untold” lipstick it creates a very deep wearable brown shade. The trick here is controlling the lip products. First, it’s important to remember that the sharper the lip liner, the more precision it will yield. Second, apply greater pressure with the lipstick and pencil to achieve a more defined look. When trying new lip looks apply your lip liner and lipstick lightly so it’s easier to blend.
As our chat came to an end, Florence muses that MAC lipsticks inspire themselves so don’t be shy with your lip combinations. Black girls can wear unconventional colors; any look is wearable with brown liner. Recreate these gorgeous looks with Florence in this tutorial.
