You could opt for a creamy nude or sheer gloss—but why not start 2010 with a bang? “Red lips are eternally chic and especially festive during the holidays,” says celebrity makeup artist Troy Surratt.

If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, you might even play with violet or gold: “Being bold colors like red, they still read as holiday,” says M.A.C Pro senior artist Keri Blair. (Just keep in mind that a standout pucker goes best with neutral eye makeup.)

No matter what shade of lipstick you opt for, however, here are some tips to ensure your color stays put until the clock strikes twelve.

1. Create a Smooth Canvas. “Our lips tend to get try during the winter months; if you’re wearing a bold lip it’s mandatory to prime the lip for a seamless application,” says Gina Brooke, artistic director for Shu Uemura.

“Make sure lips aren’t dry or chapped by gently exfoliating with a soft toothbrush or a sugar scrub,” says Mara Levarre, Mariah Carey’s makeup artist. “Follow with a tiny bit of balm, but not too much or else lips will look greasy.”

2. Use Lip Liner. “Pick a color the same tone as your lips to give fullness to the mouth,” says Levarre. A nude liner will also ensure that—should your lipstick fade throughout the night—you won’t be left with a dark, telltale outline.

3. Layer Your Color. For triple coverage, apply a stain the same color as your lipstick (”A stain won’t rub off during parties,” says makeup artist Mai Quynh, who works with Megan Fox, Miley Cyrus, and Kristen Stewart). Layer your lipstick and a similarly tinted gloss over top for extra staying power.

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“Metallics are making a huge statement this season,” says M.A.C Pro senior artist Keri Blair, who created a gold lip (among other sparkly looks) for ELLE.com’s New Year’s Eve photo feature. Other evidence of the trend appeared at Christian Siriano’s fall 2009 show, where makeup artist Polly Osmond created a similarly golden pout using Mehron Metallic Powder.

“We originally tried gold leaf but it was a nightmare and nearly impossible to get halfway decent,” says Osmond, who instead mixed the Mehron product with water and painted it onto the lip. According to Blair, you can also apply the pigment dry, pressing the loose particles on a freshly glossed surface.

Bear in mind that theatrical pigment can be messy. To get a gold pout without the drama try a premixed product (think gold lipstick or rosy-hued, gold-flecked gloss). Ones to try: Dolce & Gabbana Shine Lipstick in Gold and M.A.C Dazzleglass in Girl’s Delight.

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If, when you think of brown lipstick, visions of Drew Barrymore and Courtney Love in the 1990s come to mind, think again. “Back then, the trend was heavy and matte,” says makeup artist Matin. “Now, there are more textures available—you can wear a sheer, glossy brown that looks more natural.”

Matin says cool browns are most flattering: “Warm browns—like orange or brick tinted ones—look beautiful on some girls, but if you don’t have white teeth they can be detrimental to your smile.”

Instead, makeup artist Gucci Westman says to go for a mauve-tinted brown. “There’s a bluish purple undertone to it,” says the Revlon global artistic director, who applied Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Chocolate Velvet on models at Richard Chai’s spring 2010 show. “I always love how it looks, and it works with just about every skin tone.”

View more brown lipstick from Richard Chai’s spring 2010 show

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