A bold lip is a look loved by many A-listers, but it can be surprisingly hard to wear for those of us without a crack team of professionals whose job it is to make us look perfect 24/7.

Gossip Girl star Leighton Meester's orange-red pout at the MTV Movie Awards earlier this month looked gorgeous teamed with her spring-fresh face and slightly bronzed cheeks; a look that was bang on trend, according to celebrity makeup artist Matt Rezaiyan.

Speaking to reporters, he commented: "This summer's makeup trend is all about colour which makes doing makeup even more fun, so don't be afraid of going bold with the eyes and if you are more of a lip kind of girl, no problem, just tone down the eyes and maximise on the lips.

"Try colours you have never done before like a bright pink, a coral, a tangerine orange, anything that you thought you never could get away with, you totally can this summer."

If you're not brave enough to go for a full-on pop of scarlet, tangerine or fuchsia, try a lip stain in the same colour family for a pretty, bitten look.

"We have seen celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Scarlett Johansson and Rooney Mara even wearing these pops of colour, so definitely don't go shy on that," added Matt.

Want to take the plunge? Make sure your lips are in good condition before applying the colour, because dry skin can make your lipstick look flaky. Try scrubbing your pout with an old toothbrush and hydrate the skin with a lip balm, leaving it to sink in for a few minutes before you start with the colour.

Once you've slicked on your knock-out shade, leave the rest of your face simple so as to make your pout the main focus.

Leighton told reporters that she prefers a little eye makeup and clean skin when she wears a bold lip shade.

"I like to ... not have to worry about wiping creases and worrying about things running," she added.