This Is How White and Black Lipsticks Can Transform Your Color Collection

If you've been pondering over your lipstick collection lately and seeing lots of options you wore for a while but are totally over today, stop yourself before tossing those forgotten tubes. We have the easiest solution to give those not-quite-right shades a second life (or even add a little pizzazz to your favorite everyday red or nude).

So what's the trick? Adding two unexpected colors to your lipstick collection: white and black. Yep, you read that right! Those striking and sort-of-weird shades that you've been seeing on red carpets, runways, and all over your Instagram and were maybe too shy to try on their own will be the stars of your makeup kit. Are you rolling your eyes? We don't blame you. We did at first as well, but once the education team at Make Up For Ever showed us how swiping on a few coats of white over red gave it a milky pink finish and how a top coat of black can turn a nude into a sexy mauve, we were sold — and you will be, too.

Scroll ahead to see how applying the black and white in the new Artist Rouge collection (on sale at Sephora.com on July 22 and on MakeUpForEver.com and Sephora stores on Aug. 5) on top of three shades had totally life-altering results.