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Whoever said that being lippy was a bad thing didn't know the power of a good red lip
The iconic red pout is as easy to create as swiping on some luscious lipstick. It’s the one makeup look that can instantly elevate your entire appearance. While the classic ruby red lip is an evening staple, a modern way of wearing it is to give it a more casual approach for daytime use.
But finding the right shade of red can be intimidating. The perfect shade can brighten the complexion whereas the wrong shade can make you look pale.
If you find the options intimidating, start with the basics: Do you need red with a cool, warm or neutral undertone? Then decide on the formula or texture: long-wearing, moisturising or gloss?
You’ll need to take your own skintone and lip pigmentation into consideration. For example, women who find that red lipsticks tend to turn bright pink (blue tones) on them should look at warmer toned red lipsticks (orange tones) for a little colour correction.
Always test out red lipsticks before buying. As a first and firm rule, never ever go by the name alone. One company’s scarlet will be another’s cranberry.
You’ll also want to check for texture and pigmentation. This is something else you simply can’t determine by looks or name alone. Whether in a bullet, tube or liquid format, any of them can be sheer or opaque, glossy or matte.
And don’t place too much importance on price. There are some really great drugstore products available that will perform brilliantly and offer great value, especially if you’re just starting to experiment with red lips.
Before applying a red lipstick, you’ll want to prep your lips by exfoliating and moisturising them. Exfoliation can be done easily by buffing them with a towel or cotton bud or using a dedicated lip exfoliator – any of these will do the job. Your lip moisturiser will need to be hydrating but not too slip-y, or else your lip product will slide right off. Live Clean’s (www.live-clean.com ) organic Lovely Lips ($4.29) is ideal for this purpose, as it moisturises and protects, but leaves a perfect surface for the lipstick to adhere to.
For a modern red mouth, forget all the rules you’ve heard about applying red lipstick. Don’t worry about making an absolutely precise line, which can actually look old-fashioned. You can keep the edges soft to make this more wearable for everyday. If you feel you need a lipliner to prevent bleeding, dab or blot on some red lipstick first, then use your lipliner to buff in around the edges, using light, feathery strokes. Never ever draw a continuous line, which looks terribly harsh. You want your lipliner to melt into your lipstick. Then finish off by adding on more lipstick to ensure everything’s blended in seamlessly.
If you have a lot of redness around your mouth – the chin and nose area – you’ll want to conceal that. A red lip that’s surrounded by redness can look muddy and messy.
Don’t be afraid to use your lipstick as a stain. Simply dab the lipstick lightly onto your lips to impart a tint of colour. This is a great way to get used to red lips if you find the colour intimidating, and is a brilliant way to quickly add colour when you’re out without a mirror.
To make your lipstick last longer, either use a stain or a long-lasting formula. If you don’t have either, you’ll need to work through a few steps to make your traditional lipstick last the night. Start by using a lip brush and apply the product in multiple, thin layers. Really work in the first layer, getting beyond the superficial top level and into the little creases and crevices. Blot lightly, then repeat with another application with the lip brush. After that you’ll have an excellent base which should last through hours of chatting and eating, and reapplication will be easy and manageable straight from the bullet.
Read on for recommendations (including swatches) of warm, cool and neutral red lipsticks.
While neutral-toned red lipsticks will suit most skintones, they’re also the trickiest to find. But a classic red lip can brighten up the entire face, perking up any ashiness and warming up the face.
Warm-toned red lipsticks are orange-based and are well-suited for people with yellow or olive undertones. They can range from bright fiery tomato to warm tropical coral and really help warm up the complexion.
Cool-toned lipsticks sit especially well with skintones that have pink undertones but can also work with most colourings depending on the shade. These lipsticks are blue-based and enter into the berry, wine and burgundy spectrum of red. With more yellowy skintones they can really help lift sallowness and bring a brightness to the face. They have the added benefit of making teeth look whiter and brighter.
These red lip products are almost universally flattering. They aren’t as opaque as the other recommended lipsticks and will blend in well with your own skintone and lips’ natural pigmentation. They’re easy to apply and more forgiving of a casual approach, so they’re great for holidays when you want a more throwaway look or for young girls who are just getting into makeup.