The holidays are upon us, and while we will all be wearing masks for most of our days and nights, many of us will get spruced up for at least one dinner, a family photo, or even a virtual cocktail party. Since it is almost universally agreed upon that red lipstick is one of the ultimate festive holiday adornments, I know that some of you will be trying it for those un-masked moments of celebration.
That said, if you aren’t used to wearing red lips, it can be quite jarring. Jarring like the physical embodiment of those memes that show “what I think I look like” and “what I actually look like.”
I have been working as a makeup artist for my entire adult life, yet there have been times when I’ve applied red lips to myself, shockingly reacted to my image in the mirror, and removed the offending color. If I did leave the house while wearing the red lipstick (obviously this is pre-pandemic,) I may have wondered if everyone noticed it, and if my fellow subway riders thought I was wearing So. Much. Makeup. Obviously I am just insane, and it has always looked perfectly normal, but because I know how you might feel trying a bold red lip, I have some suggestions on how to ease into this new look.
First things first. No matter what you read and where you read it, I am here to tell you that any skin tone can wear any red lip color–really any color at all. It is entirely a personal preference that can only be affected by the clothing tone that you are wearing. For example, it might not look particularly dashing to wear an orange-red lipstick while dressed in blue-red, but again, your preference. Something to consider is that blue-reds tend to make your teeth look whiter, but your skin tone more flushed. Orange-reds might cast a slight shadow on your teeth, but I find them to generally have a more classic feeling. I also like how lipsticks with less blue pigment stay on the lips–less traveling into fine lines. Speaking of traveling, if you are talking, laughing, kissing, dancing, or basically even breathing, you are going to need to touch up your red lips from time to time, so keep it handy. This is not the most low maintenance of looks.
I have an absolute treasure trove of red lipstick colors in my personal makeup stash. My every day lip is Aux Rouge Lip Boost by Gressa. My go-to fancy lip is Jeanne by Rouje (oh, that lovely packaging.) I like Beauty Counter Sheer Lipstick in Poppy or Wycon Mattificient in Rossetto (check out that low price!) for a change, and I stash the mini versions of Besame Cherry Red or Besame Red Velvet in my evening bag for touch ups. Chanel Rouge Allure Lipsticks in Passion, and Coromandel make the most chic and appreciated gifts, and Revlon Fire and Ice is a classic and affordable drugstore buy that even your grandmother might have worn.
After you get used to wearing a bolder red lip, you will soon realize that you can simply pull your hair into a ponytail or a bun and brush your lashes with some mascara to be ready for a night at the opera–or in 2020, a virtual champagne party.
Here are some of the suggestions that I give my clients when they ask about wearing a red lip:
TRY lining your lips with a neutral lip pencil that is one shade spicier than your skintone, such as KIKO Milano Morning Breeze, Everyday Nude, or True Kiss. Then apply the lipstick. This will make the red lip feel more neutral, but will still give you a pop of color.
TRY applying a clear lipgloss or emollient lip balm first, then apply the lipstick on top. This will give a translucence to the red that will make it feel more wearable.
TRY applying the lipstick to with the larger side of this lip brush. This will create less concentration of pigment, so the lip will appear more subtle.
TRY mixing your every-day lip color (even it’s a clear lip balm) 1:1 with your new red lipstick. Increase the amount of red every day until you no longer need your old faithful color. This will seamlessly transition you into a red lipstick devotee.
TRY applying the lipstick from the tube or with a brush, and then smudging the outer edge by tracing the outline of your lips with the pad of your ring finger. This is my favorite way to apply red lips, and gives an effortlessly chic finish.
Now that I have armed you with several ways to ease into a wearing red liptick, have some fun when you remove the mask, and give it a try! If you do, I want to see–post a photo and tag me!