Red lipstick has an attention-grabbing, sensational background story. It may now be a “powerful symbol of female beauty and sexuality” but in the past was accused and blamed for deceiving men and undermining class (yep!). Here on WMC we like to think of it as something empowering that attracts the attention to the mouth and the words that come out. Therefore, in our very first makeup insert I would like to share a few of my favourite shades and brands that I’ve tried and tested and are hot all year round! But first, some ‘rules’ that go hand in hand with red lipstick:
“There’s a shade of red for every woman”
Audrey Hepburn
- When choosing your red you need to have in mind that there are many colour shades suited for various skin tones. Therefore, a general rule is fair toned skin should go for true reds with no orange tones, medium toned skin for pink/orange reds whilst darker toned skin should go for darker shades.
- If you are going to wear red lipstick make sure your outfit ‘compliments’ it. A busy outfit will only make it look cheap and trashy and we don’t want that. Opt for solid black, for a smart look or if you want to look a bit funkier pair it up with a leather bomber jacket, white T-shirt and a pair of jeans.
- Use a lip liner the same shade as the lipstick because you want to lock your lipstick on your lips and not get it smudged on the outside of your mouth!
- CAREFUL it doesn’t transfer on your teeth! To avoid this, make sure you blot your lips with a clean tissue after application or apply some translucent powder. You also want to take care it doesn’t ‘bleed’ so, apply some concealer around the border of your mouth to help prevent this from happening.
- Tone everything down when wearing red lipstick! You must always have in mind that it should be paired with the lightest possible eye makeup. A bit of mascara and beige eyeshadow will let your lips take centre stage.
So here are my favourite Reds:
An all-time favourite for many is Chanel Rouge Allure in Pirate – a classic red with blue undertones. An intense, long-wearing lip colour with full coverage and a satin finish. €37.50
Possibly one of the most famous red lipstick shades is MAC Red – a vivid bright bluish-red. Creamy lipstick formula with a soft feel, medium-to-full buildable coverage and a satin finish. €19.50
My current favourite is Inglot 429 – a solid super matte lipstick for any occasion. Long lasting formula which provides the ideal matte and smooth finish. €11.00
My last suggestion for this insert will have to be a new addition to the family of reds and it is Clinique Pop™ Lip Shadow Crimson Pop – a weightless matte powder that delivers bold, highly pigmented lip colour. €23.50
Tip
To prolong wear of your lipstick, make sure you apply a primer base (PREP + PRIME LIP by MAC or HOLDON LIP PRIMER by Inglot) beforehand and right before your lipstick application dub it with a tissue to remove any excess. You can also apply some makeup to neutralise the colour of your lips and also prolong wear. See you soon!
