I say 'new' because red lips have been around forever, obviously. Think old Hollywood glamour. Even black and white movies; the women were wearing red. But every few years or so, the trend seems to reappear. Magazines and fashion shows blast red lips across the media, trying to re-invent the colors and style of wearing red lips. Well I'm here to say, red lips are red lips and they will always be, your basic red lips. It does not need to be a trend; red lips are classic and timeless. All ages can pull it off (the correct red for your skin tone, clearly).
My mother has only ever worn bright pinks or deep reds. Her fair skin tone, light freckles and auburn-blonde hair has made it an easy beauty do of hers. For all of my Irish Dancing events, my sisters and I wore hot red lips. This is what we did. So I guess from an early age, red lips were in my genes.
A couple of years ago, I bought a red stain lip gloss by CoverGirl. I still have it in my lip gloss pouch today. I got really bold when I traveled to Amsterdam last fall and decided to wear out the flaming, red hot lipstick. Needless to say, I got a lot of compliments. And so can you! But only if it is worn right. I was then successful in persuading my roommate to purchase a deep, brick red lipstick for her tiny little pout. Her beige-olive tone skin and bright blue eyes made this color stand out beautifully! Success.
And so how do you wear a red lipstick correctly for your skin tone and lips? Well let us discuss...
For fair skin tones: you want to purchase a 'blue' red. This means a red that is bright and pops in color. Think apple red. Bright as candy or red licorice. For mine, I love CoverGirl Outlast Double Lipshine in Candy Apple, $8.99. In a double tube, one end delivers the colored stain while the other end of the tube is a high-shine clear gloss, to finish the look. Said to last up to 10 hours, this stain truly stays on your lips, but only the gloss needs application throughout the night.
For beige to light olive skin tones: find a bit deeper red compared to the apple red. Look for something similar to brick red or wine, which may have a tinge of orange (but don't go too orange)! Try Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick, $7.99 in Wine with Everything or Teak Rose. The great thing about this product is how smooth the lipstick is; it isn't cakey or dry and goes on easily, making sure you stay inside the lines of your lips. Don't be afraid to really put on the coats, because with this product, you do have to re-apply multiple times.
Deep olive or darker skin tones: plum reds and more plum reds, that is what you want! Although the fad right now are bright pinks and fuchsias, red is still a staple. But for even darker skin tones, a plum red or a rich purple red is really the way to go. Try Maybelline New York Superstay Lipcolor, $9.49 in Ruby, Violet or Cabernet. Also another 2 tubed lipstain, the color is long-lasting with the other tube a conditioning balm to give you hydration and finish.
Putting on a colored lipstick can be tricky, and is quite an art form. Take your time, you may make mistakes, but that is OK. You are learning! Keep a q-tip handy to finish the lines. If you are brave enough, use a very light lipliner to help you stay within the edges of your lips. Also, foundation or concealer on your lips before the lipstick or stain will help the color stay and will thus, prevent the color from bleeding into the cracks of your lips.
Another point to remember is to keep the rest of your makeup simple when wearing red lips! Don't do any heavy eye shadow or dark, bronzed cheeks. Do a very elegant black eyeliner (do a 60's cat-eye for a bolder night), and very faint pink cheeks. Dab on some illuminator to your cheekbones if you feel up for it. Otherwise, clean and simple.
The great thing about purchasing these beauty finds at Walgreens or Rite Aid is the return policy. Even if you have opened and/or tried the product, and you still don't approve or like, you can bring back the product with your receipt and try again! Sometimes it is the luck of the draw, so be patient and find that perfect color for you. Don't settle. And with great return policies at places like Walgreens and Rite Aid, you can't really go wrong. Be sure to check within how many days you can return; I believe it is between 21-30 days. But don't quote me.
Pucker up! Good luck. Love,
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