With all the buzz surrounding the release of MAC's Mattene collection and the launch of Lancome's P.S. Kiss, I've been thinking about how to make the matte lip look current. Even I was apprehensive about doing mattes again after their last reign of terror in the early 90s, so I figured others must share some of the same fears. After all, we've all been hooked on gloss for so long that a matte lip almost seems foreign.

And let's not forget the horrible miscarriage of matte that we saw on the Valentino runway last year; it embodied everything that was wrong with the matte lip trend last time around, from harsh eyes to dead-looking skin.

So here are some Do's and Don'ts, complete with runway inspiration, for making the new matte lipsticks work:

• DO keep skin fresh and natural; choose a dewy, satiny foundation or a tinted moisturizer. Inspiration: Chado Ralph Rucci Fall '07.



• DON'T use a super-matte foundation unless you're specifically going for a "vintage glam" look a la Dita von Teese. Inspiration: Tuleh Spring '07.



• DO take advantage of luminizers and finely textured shimmer powders to bring light and warmth to the face. Inspiration: Peter Som Fall '07.



• DON'T forget blush! Matte lipstick can tend to suck the life out of your cheeks somehow, so give them a dusting of a neutral blush to keep your face balanced. Inspiration: Rag & Bone Spring '07.



• DO play up matte's vintage cool factor with a swipe of black liquid liner. Inspiration: Nanette Lepore Spring '08.



• DO turn any lipstick into a matte by blotting and dusting with a little powder. Inspiration: Proenza Schouler Spring '07.



• DO blot well and leave the edges of your lips undefined for a softer, more romantic take on matte. Inspiration: Peter Som Spring '07.