Red lipstick is classic and never seems to go out of style. Through the years, their have been iconic shots of many celebrities with perfect red pouts – Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, Scarlett Johansson, and Gwen Stefani readily come to mind. When you mention red lipstick, some people picture Stop sign red, others watermelon red and still others Target logo red. Red lipstick comes in so many varieties to complement different skin tones and styles. The secrets to confidently wearing red lipstick lie in finding the right shade for your skin tone, applying it correctly and toning down the rest of your makeup.
Here are some tips for wearing red lipstick:
Tip 1: Red lipstick is a bold statement, so you need to play down the rest of your face.
Red lips make give your features a pop. To avoid looking garish or clownish, you need to make sure the rest of your makeup is subtle. Pair the red lipstick with the lightest possible eye makeup. If you can, try to go for only mascara (black for brunettes, brown for blondes and redheads) on both top and bottom to open up your eyes. Avoid eyeliner or use it sparingly.
Tip 2: Find the right shade for you, not what your friend or favorite star is wearing.
Red lipstick really needs to work with the person-wearing-it’s skin tone. Some fashion magazines give detailed descriptions of blue-reds, pink reds and yellow-reds that work for certain skin tones. But it is not just color that makes a difference, the type of lipstick or gloss makes a difference too. The same shade may look good on me in a gloss and awful in a matte. The only way to know if a particular shade works for you is to try it, and I suggest trying a lot of them. You may also try blending a couple of shades or types for effect. This is why Sephora is so popular. You can go in there and sample 100 shades of red from dozens of makeup lines to find the right one or two.
Tip 3: Paint your lips like a masterpiece; don’t just apply the shade.
Red lipstick should never be applied casually. It needs to be precise. Using a lip liner helps, but can look silly if it doesn’t match correctly. So, be careful to purchase ones that complement each other or use a lip brush to create an outline using the lipstick itself. One trick some use to create more pop and avoid “bleeding” is to use concealer around the lip edge to make the red pop. Others use a nude lip liner. Draw the outline of your lips, and then fill it in lightly with the liner. If you make a mistake, use makeup remover on a Q-tip to wipe it off and avoid smearing. Then, apply a smooth, even cost of lipstick either out of the tube or using the brush. Remove any excess lipstick be placing a tissue between your lips, then pressing them together.
Tip 4: Touch up regularly.
Red lipstick doesn’t fade or smear more than other shades; it just looks like it does because red lips (even faded ones) draw attention. So, it is a good idea to check your lipstick often to see if it is fading, the color has bled outside your lips, and it looks uneven. Reapply when needed (usually ever few hours). You chose a red shade to look sophisticated, don’t let your look meld into sloppy.
