Heathrow Airport has just teamed up with World Duty Free - one of Europe’s leading travel retailers - to release its first “International Lipstick Colors of the Year” report, lifting the lid on beauty trends in the world’s 50 most stylish destinations, from Moscow to Sao Paulo, through London, Paris and New York. The variety of the results is somewhat surprising.
In London, for example, the colour du jour is "Caramel Nude" — the linchpin of the city’s easy-going makeup vibe (think off-duty model). Beauty lovers in the UK capital team their lippy with a strong, groomed brow and a flush of bronzer, with lightly tousled hair. The key is to not look like you’ve tried too hard.
Things couldn’t be more different over the pond in New York, where, according to the report, the classic "Bright Red" lip is still going strong. Polished, sassy and iconic, this is a look that women in the Big Apple are ‘dressing down’ with low-key eyes and a sleek blow-dry.
Glamorous Dubai calls for a sultry feminine aesthetic — which explains the popularity of "Rose Pink" in the UAE. Inspired by recent catwalk looks from Tom Ford and Yves Saint Laurent, this colour can easily be vamped up with a smudgy dark eye and big hair for extra attitude.
Asian skins require a slightly different hue, so it’s no surprise that "Sheer Coral" is the most popular lipstick shade for travellers going to Shanghai. Makeup fans out East are wearing this look with a bold cat eye and a stripe of bright colour underneath the bottom lashes.
Finally it’s over to Paris, where the low-key London approach is being given a French twist in the form of "Dusky Rose" lipstick. Parisian women, who hate to look too made up, are rocking this feminine shade with just a dot of blusher and beautifully clear skin.
To see download the report and see the most popular lipstick colours for travellers to the full 50 destinations, see here.
