Red is bold. Sultry. Smoking hot. A red mouth says, "come hither" without having to use words. Red is also the color of Santa's onesie suit! So, in the holiday spirit (and with festive soirees in our very near future), Beauty Banter wants to offer a refresher course on how to wear a red lip right! (For last years how to wear red guide, click here).
Step 1: Exfoliate the lips - You can use a toothbrush and some paste to get the job done, or you can turn to an actual lip exfoliator (PTR makes a great one - click here for the rave review), to make your pucker smooth.
Step 2: Primer - I like to use foundation over my lips (trick of the trade, ladies). Yes, it looks a tad frightening at first, but once blended it acts as a face primer, actually filling in the tiny lines around your mouth. It also helps to combat the dreaded "bleeding lip" syndrome (you'll thank me later!). Just a dollop applied with a sponge (you can use your everyday foundation) and you're good to go.
Step 3: Choose your color - There is no "perfect red." If you want something fire engine, you have a gazillion hues to choose from. Prefer a more berry red and you've got another gazillion options. Then it's whether or not to use a matte lippy or a gloss... or both! I like to mix different reds together to create a stunning concoction of color. Depending on my mood, I'll go with bold (more fire engine), sultry (more deep, blood red), or even muted (just a hint of berry red). Some of my favorite Holiday Reds are: MAC's Classic Dame Mattene Lipstick, Cover Girl's 968 Ruby Rush, Stilla's Poppy, MAC's Red Romp Lip Glass, Chanel's Ruby Slipper, MAC's Party Line, Sephora's Limited-Edition Holiday Red with the Swarovski Crystal Case. Blend away!
**For a more precise application, use a lip brush and try lining your lips with the color, then blend inwards.**
Step 4: Blot - I have this trick that I do to remove excess lipstick from the inside of my lips. It may be a bit phallic, but I assure you, it works. Stick your finger into your mouth, suck, and pull it out. The excess red transfers from your lips to your finger (and to think, that could have been lipstick that stained your pearly whites... oh the embarrassment!)
Step 5: Vaseline - Yes, good old fashioned Vaseline! And no, not for your lips -- but for your teeth! Take a finger-full of Vaseline and smear it on your teeth. This will guarantee that any misguided red will not end up near your teeth. The petroleum jelly acts as a barrier and the red lipstick literally slides right off! It's an old red-carpet trick.
I'm wearing Cover Girl's 968 Ruby Red mixed with Sephora's Holiday Red. Good bling finishes the look - Ring by Skinny ($70.00).And that's it! Now, remember when wearing a red lip, there's really no need for a full face of makeup, maybe just some defined lashes. You want the focus point to be on your lips, and if you're lucky, you may just find yourself kissing that sexy certain someone (underneath the mistletoe)!
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4 comments:
Lovely post! I wasn't sure whether I could do the red lip thing, but I did it for Halloween and ever since then I couldn't stop wearing it whenever I got the chance. This guide has some very helpful tricks that'll definitely keep me and my red lipstick together longer. Great!
Here comes the red lipstick season! These are some great tips.
Got to try Vincent Longo - Americana. This lipstick is what I call “starter red”. It’s the perfect red for women who are scared of red. It won’t overwhelm you. It’s sheer and looks great on everyone. Many younger women who are trying red lipstick for the first time will really love this color. There are other benefits of this Vincent Longo lipstick, too. It is a lip stain, so it actually leaves a bit of red behind and never totally wears off and it won’t bleed out of your lip line. Also, it has SPF15 - always good to get the sun protection. And, it has a glossy finish, so it’s not matte and drying. And, of course it’s hypoallergenic! Love it! Got to try it! Go Americana!!
Hahaha I love your warning on how to remove the excess lipstick! Thanks for the tips and I'll be sure to try them the next time I wear red! Happy holidays!
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