Wearing Red Lipstick

Red lips!

Scary for some and a thrill for others...here's some tips about picking out and wearing a red lipstick (and Christmas is a perfect time to do it!)

Generally when considering wearing a red you have 3 kinds - berry or wine red, true red or a orange red (some may say coral).

Here are examples,

Berry:





Berry can work on just about anyone, it looks great on dark, medium and fair skinned women. It is a very popular look this fall and winter. When considering a bold berry lip, go neutral on the eyes but soft like you see Emma Stone doing above. Such a dark lip can look severe so the eyes can soften the look. Go try it!

True Red:





Always classic. This has been beautiful since the 1920's and it still is. True red is an eye catcher for sure. The true red lip is beautifully coupled by a simple black eye liner "cat eye" as a nice retro throw-back. When wearing true red I would suggest a subtle eye without a lot of dark shadow but a strong eyeliner is great. If you do too much eye makeup you will look like a clown. This is also a great opportunity for fake eye lashes!

Finally, the Orange or Coral Red:

















This is a softer look so it is possible to do a little more on the eyes. Because orange is a warm tone, this isn't as much of a winter look as it is spring and summer but it can be done well in winter. Orange does not do well on everyone but there probably is a shade out there for you that you could find with some trial and error - it just is not as full proof as I feel a berry red is. This one will take more research and more trying if you want it.

Some tips on wearing bright lips. First, they will be bright and if you are not accustomed to red lips, it may shock you but that's the point. There is nothing subtle about red lips so if you are scared or want subtle, this is not the look for you. Second, when doing your makeup spread your foundation across your lips before you apply lipstick (and for red lips I do recommend lipstick, not gloss). Using a lip liner is also helpful to keep lipstick on and to give you a guide when you are filling it in. I suggest using a liner slightly darker than your lipstick shade for some good contouring. You can use a lip pencil the same color but don't go lighter.

Go for it some time this holiday season! Red is always striking, try it for a holiday party or Christmas Eve!

~Lindsay