Red Lips are for Everyone

February 5, 2017

Red lips are a look that anyone can pull off. Yes, this is a fact. It can make your teeth look whiter and pull an entire look together. It can be worn on a full face of makeup or alone with nothing else on the face. As a makeup artist, I cannot tell you how many times clients have told me that they love the look of red lips, but they cannot, for one reason or another, pull it off. Whether it be the application, the maintenance or simply finding the right color or formula, it seems a daunting challenge for so many women.

Preparation is key to getting the perfect red lip. In any makeup application, what is under that product is your number one culprit when things go awry. Starting with well exfoliated and hydrated lips are the essential for any bold lip, well any lip color choice really. The Lip Scrub, from Sara Happ is an exfoliating and hydrating gem. Made with food grade ingredients and in 10 delicious flavors, this scrub uses a range of oils and sugars to perfectly prepare your lips for a sanguine pucker.

Now, the right shade of red makes the look really effortless to pull off. Just because red lips are for everyone, doesn't mean that every red is right for everyone. Have you ever played with reds? They start at a true red and can pull either warm and orangy or cool with blue undertones. Not every shade works with every skin undertone and even hair color. In short, like undertones work more easily together. If you have overwhelmingly warm skin or hair, err on the side of the orangy reds. If your skin is more fair, cool, especially if you are also a brunette, try a blue-based red. Always start with a true red and go from there. I pooled my trusted colleagues and have compiled a list of favorites to try.

Angela Woodward says she loves these because they are long lasting and non drying.

Temptu Color True in Imperial Red

Tarte Tartiest Lip Paints in Bae

This newer formulation from Makeup forever combines long wear with the option of high shine.

Makeup Forever Aqua Rouge in Iconic Red

This orangy red is bold and combines long wear and easy application in a lip crayon. I love a pop of this in the center of the lip when I have a blue or true red on. GlosstonePro_RedKiss

Glo Minerals Suede Matte Crayon in Crush

Liquid Lipsticks are the newest addition to long wearing lip color. The soft applicator can make them easy to apply and the color is highly pigmenting and long wearing. Note- a little bit goes a very long way. Margina Dennis says try a lip brush and start in the center of your lips. Pro Lindsay Gonzales is a fan of the Stila and Brandy Rich has used The Jeffree Star on bridal clients who's lip color have lasted through the night.

Stila Liquid Lipstick in Fiery

Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipstick in Redrum

If a lipstick seems daunting, I suggest a red lip-gloss. Pigment in glosses can vary, and I have had numerous clients really love the easy and gorgeous pop of color a gloss can offer. They are also easy to apply and maintain.

Gleam Lip Radiance by Melanie Mills in Unstoppable offers a full coverage color and high shine. They are hydrating and highly pigmented and all around beautiful. If you want depth of color and a hydrating formula this is well worth a try.

Mehron Glosstone in Red Kiss is a more traditional gloss, but is is non sticky and glides on with more of a hint of true red. I may have had to put in on while typing this...it does feel amazing on.

Technique is the final piece of this puzzle.

Try a lip primer. Makeup Artist, Angela Woodward suggests Urban Decay Ozone, though a bit drying, is a multipurpose makeup primer pencil will help lock on your red lip.

Makeup artists unanimously agree on one technique. Pro MUA, Margina Dennis, suggests you fill in your entire lip with a long wearing red lip-liner and then add your lipstick on top. This will create a seamless base that will help when your lipstick begins to wear. Suzanne Minskey add that this will also prevent bleeding and feathering of the lipstick.

Stila Long Wear Lip-liner in Passionate and Makeup Forever Aqua Lip Waterproof lip liner pencil in Red or Orange Red are great long-wear options.

Make sure you sketch the lip liner in both directions to create a more symmetrical shape. Start at the cupids bow and once that is done sketch from the outer corners and work in. Repeat on the bottom by beginning in the center and then work from the outer corners in again.

(My personal secret is to use a lip stain as a base if you want something a little different) I love the Stila Lip and Cheek Stain and the Benetint from Benefit Cosmetics. These are beautiful under a blue-based red lipstick or a Red Lip-gloss.

Try different formulations. As you can see from the section above, there are a lot of amazing and innovative brands, shades and formulations available. You might find a long wear formula easy or you might find them drying. The benefits of intense pigment and long wear with the new liquid lipsticks could resonate with you or you might find them hard to apply(They are my favorite). You might love the ease of a lip crayon or you might love a creamy classic red. You might love the high shine and hint of red with a gloss; they are a great place to start. You might want to keep it classic with a vintage inspired matte red. The key is that there is a world of solutions to the problems that might keep you from trying a red lip.

Finish the look. If there are any mistakes, you can go aroung the edges of the lip with a concealer or dual finish powder. Graftobian dual finish powder foundation is my favorite product to edge a red lip. It will additionally help keep the red from feathering or bleeding.

Practice. Then practice some more. The one common thread that I find when clients share their makeup struggles is that they try something once, maybe twice and if it doesn't work they stop. They assume the technique isn't for them.

Red lips are for everyone. They can be worn every day and yet be different every day. Remember, explore, play and practice. Find your red and show it off.