It may not be every day that we wear a red lip but when we do, we want it to look as perfect as possible. I personally don’t do a red lip as often as I wish when doing glam with a client or on set of a photoshoot. Which I’m working on something super amazing for Valentine’s Day, hence why I’m posting this before hand. Working in the cosmetic industry, you will see a huge sky rocket in sales, right before Valentine’s Day, of lipsticks that are in any shade of red!
You may not think you can pull off a red lipstick, but I’m sorry to say it… but you are very wrong. There’s so many shades that it is freakin’ insane. I guess after experimenting with these for going on eight years, I’ve definitely found my “safe zone”. Which is normally a blue based red. Why, you may ask? A blue based red tends to have a slighter more cool tone to it, making the teeth look super super white as if you just had a $500 bleaching session at the dentist. I also tend to go for more of a velvet-matte finish. not a sheen. I feel like most “matte” lipsticks can leave the lips looking like raisins. *shoulder shrug*
I would pair this with more minimal makeup since these tend to be more bold. You don’t want to be rocking a bold lip AND a bold eye… That’s totally not a good idea, it appears to be a lot going on. I would pair a bold lip with maybe a little bronzer, a couple of coats of mascara, light blush and well groomed, fluffy eyebrows. Makeup that looks more undone, as if you just woke up like this. I’ll post my favorite blue based red lipstick below.
Charlotte Tilbury matte revolution lipstick - red carpet red $34
I seriously love that red lipstick so much. It has the most beautiful texture on the lips. They’re moisturizing and comfortable while still being a matte finish, which believe it or not, is actually very hard to find in a lipstick formula. They are typically either shiny or heavy feeling… leaving your lips looking like literal raisins. Although, Charlotte Tilbury is a luxury brand and some of you may not be able to afford it, I’ll post some other beautiful colors below! Also, this brand is rather difficult to find with it being on the newer side. You can find it in select Sephora, Bloomingdales and Nordstrom stores, just keep your fingers crossed while shopping!
NARS velvet matte lip pencil - cruella $27
Maybelline superstay liquid lipstick - pioneer $9
Fenty stunner lip paint - uncensored $24
How to make your red lipstick last all day
I am not a huge fan of liquid lipsticks because they can be drying and leaving your lips feeling like it too. Although, I have learned so many more tricks and tips for using them. I’ll share them with you guys, of course!
Start with a lip liner. My all time favorite red lip liner that I have found works with so many different ones is: MACs lip pencil in the shade “Cherry.” Begin outlining the natural shape of the lips. Once that is complete, fill in with the lip pencil.
Take your liquid lipstick and apply a small bit to the center of the lips and use your finger to blend. I adore brushes but just like Charlotte Tilbury (who I learned this from), blending with your finger is pushing the product into the skin, meaning more longevity.
If you aren’t using a liquid lipstick, follow step one that is above. Then, use a brush. You can get the same effect as a liquid lipstick when you apply a layer with a brush, blot with a tissue and reapply. I do this about three times and it lasts nearly all damn day. I’ve ate and my traditional lipstick was still perfectly in place.
Lastly… tissues will be your best friend. Keep a couple in your bag so you can blot away any grease, food, frozen yogurt - whatever you’ve eaten. Blotting makes it easy to reapply, that way you have a smooth surface!