Lip Service 💋 #5: Balance, Baby—The Art of Visual Weight

or how to ace your make up and styling every time.

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Ciao, beauty!

A few days ago, as I was getting ready for a dinner party, something about my makeup just wasn’t sitting right. I had strayed from my usual minimal look, opting for depth and drama—darker tones around my eyes, shimmer on my high points, and a poppy red across my cheeks and lips. Yet, despite an hour of meticulous application, it felt…off. The balance wasn’t there, and I couldn’t quite put my finger on why.

It all came down to visual weight—the way different elements of makeup pull focus and shape our perception.

💡 The Beauty Breakdown: How Visual Weight Shapes Your Makeup?

Step One: Determine Your Natural Visual Weight

So, what is visual weight, and why does it matter?

In design, fashion, and makeup, visual weight refers to how much an element grabs the eye. Think of it as the “volume” of your features—how much contrast, depth, or presence they naturally carry. Understanding your own visual weight helps you craft makeup looks that enhance you, rather than compete with you.

But you might be wondering how do I know what weighting my features have? Here are some markers to help guide you:

Low Visual Weight

Your features are soft, light, or low-contrast.

• Light hair, brows, lashes, and skin (think Scandinavian or redhead coloring)

• Soft eye color (light blue, hazel, grey)

• Delicate facial features (fine bone structure, narrow lips or nose)

You might find: Bold, dark colors overpower your face quickly. You look most harmonious with soft washes of color, diffused lines, and a “your skin but better” glow.

Medium Visual Weight

You have contrast, but it’s not extreme.

• Medium to dark hair with lighter skin, or even-toned skin/hair combos

• Naturally defined brows and eyes, but not high-contrast

• Balanced or rounded features

You might find: You can play with drama—but only if it’s intentional. Too much in too many places can make the face feel crowded or weighed down. You shine with blended depth and smart focal points.

High Visual Weight

Your features have strong natural presence and contrast.

• Dark hair, lashes, and brows with pale or very deep skin

• Defined bone structure, larger eyes or lips

• High facial contrast (like deep brown eyes with fair skin)

You might find: Your face can carry bold looks easily. Graphic liner, intense lips, and sculpted shapes often feel “just right” rather than “too much.”

Step Two: Understanding What Adds Visual Weight in Makeup

Once you know your baseline, it’s time to learn what adds or subtracts visual weight so you can build balance.

• Dark vs. Light: Dark colors add depth and draw the eye in, while lighter tones recede or soften.

• Matte vs. Shimmer: Shimmer reflects light and attracts attention, matte absorbs it and creates structure.

• Shape & Lines: Sharp lines (like winged liner or overlined lips) demand more focus than blended edges.

• Color Saturation: A sheer tint? Light. A full pigment lipstick or cobalt shadow? Heavy.

• Focal Points: Your face can only have one or two main focal areas before the look feels chaotic. Decide what you want to lead.

That night, I had unknowingly overloaded my look with too much visual weight everywhere—dark eyes, bright lips, and high-shine highlights all competing for attention. Additionally, as someone with medium visual weight (dark hair and brows but softer facial features), I was working against my natural contrast rather than with it. I had gone too dark, too heavy, and my face struggled to balance it all.

The solution? Adjusting visual weight strategically to create balance rather than competition.

Instead of overloading every feature, I needed to redistribute the visual weight to let my face carry the look more harmoniously. Since I naturally have medium visual weight, I needed to enhance rather than overpower my features.

Here’s how I could have refined the look:

• Softening one element: Opting for a diffused, muted lip stain instead of a bold red would have allowed my eyes to remain the focal point.

• Refining depth: Blending out my darker eye makeup for a softer, lifted effect rather than a harsh, graphic structure would have made the drama feel more intentional.

• Controlling shimmer: Instead of highlighting so broadly, strategically placing shimmer on just my cheekbones or inner eyes would have enhanced my features without overwhelming them.

Makeup isn’t just about individual choices—it’s about how all elements interact. Understanding your own natural visual weight allows you to create looks that feel effortless, balanced, and uniquely yours.

A makeup moment that feels just right—eyes take center stage while everything else stays soft and diffused. No contour, just a hint of peachy blush for balance.

Pro Tip: Balance Is Key

Visual weight isn’t a rule—it’s a rhythm. You can absolutely wear a dark eye and a bold lip, but think about pacing and placement. If your features are medium-weight, for example, go bold on one area and soft elsewhere to avoid overwhelming your natural structure.

Makeup isn’t just about the products—it’s about the interplay between shadow, shape, color, and light. Understanding your natural visual weight lets you design looks that don’t just sit on your face—they belong to it.

✨ Beauty Rx: Soshe Beauty Precision Eyeliner

All thoughts, opinions, and cheeky commentary are entirely my own. Every product featured here was purchased with my own money—no sponsorships, no freebies, just honest-to-glow reviews.

When I say I have watery eyes, I mean it. And no, it’s not just me crying—I swear.

For years, I’ve been on the never-ending hunt for the perfect brown eyeliner. Not the “brown” that’s really just a slightly warmer black, not the chalky, dry formulas that drag across the lid, and definitely not the ones that promise to be smudge-proof but vanish at the first sign of moisture. I needed a true brown, one that stayed put on my water-sensitive eyes without irritation, flaking, or melting into raccoon territory by midday.

Enter Soshe Beauty Precision Eyeliner in Lovesick.

This liner is everything. A rich, deep brown—not too warm, not too blackened—with a smooth, ultra-fine tip that makes precision effortless. It glides on like silk and sets down to a soft matte finish that doesn’t budge.

And when I say it doesn’t smudge, I mean not even through a full-blown Paddington in Peru-induced sob session (which, yes, I embarrassingly cried through).

If you’ve been looking for the perfect brown liner that won’t betray you the moment your eyes water, this is the one.

💄 The Gloss Report: Color Analysis

Alongside visual weighting, seasonal color analysis has taken over Asian beauty and fashion media. If you’ve spent any time on beauty TikTok, Xiaohongshu, or YouTube, you’ve likely seen videos of individuals being "draped" in different colored fabrics to determine which tones best enhance their complexion. The process, rooted in color theory, assigns people to seasonal categories—Spring, Summer, Autumn, or Winter—based on undertone, contrast, and depth.

In places like Korea and Japan, seasonal color analysis has become a staple of personal styling, influencing not just fashion and makeup choices, but even hair color and eyewear. Some brands have even begun releasing lipsticks, foundations, and eyeshadows based on seasonal palettes to help consumers shop more effectively for their "correct" colors.

While I love having color guidelines to help structure outfits and makeup choices, I also think strictly adhering to them can feel limiting. Makeup and fashion should be creative and fun, a means of self-expression rather than rigid rules. While it's helpful to know which colors naturally flatter your complexion, it’s just as important to experiment and wear what makes you feel confident—even if it breaks the "rules."

At the end of the day, personal style should be about what makes you feel your best, not just what fits into a predetermined category. At the end of the day, personal style should be about what makes you feel your best, not just what fits into a predetermined category. Color theory is a tool, not a rulebook. So, if you've been told a bright orange-red lip isn't in your palette but it makes you feel unstoppable? Wear it anyway.

💋 Final Touch

Have you ever played with visual weight in your makeup? What techniques helped you find your perfect balance? 💄✨

Until next time—keep your skin dewy and your lips glossy.

TTFN,

💋✨ Lauren

Disclaimer: All opinions expressed in Lip Service are my own and do not reflect the views of my employer or any affiliated brands. My insights are based on personal experience, research, and a lifelong obsession with beauty—no corporate influence, just real talk. Also, I’m not a dermatologist—so while I love sharing skincare tips and product recs, always consult a professional for personalized advice.