Red stands for power, confidence, danger, strength, fire and spirit – qualities which every woman has as well. A strong and bold colour, the red lipstick has graced the lips of many powerful women over the years. From Marilyn Monroe to Taylor Swift, this colour has stood at the very helm of all lipsticks.
For most women, red lipstick is something our grandmothers knew too, long before nudes and lip stains and the rest were born. Back in the age when makeup was all about kajal and lipstick, red lipstick wasn’t just a choice, it was a religion. Decades later, the red lipstick still continues its reign (with some competition from balms, glosses and stains albeit). A lot of us have dreamed of carrying off the red lipstick look but don’t know where to start.
Here’s how you too can sport a look centred on red lipstick:
Tone Everything Else Down
The most important thing to remember if you are planning to go red is to tone down the rest of your look. Let’s start with the outfit. You’ll want your lips to be the star of the look, so opt for softer colours for your outfit. My personal favourite is a soft nude shade that draws focus to the lips and looks extremely elegant. If you are not a fan of nude/earth tones, opt for monochromes or soft pastels with flowing silhouettes to create a glamorous, sophisticated look, ala Taylor Swift. For inspiration, check out any of her videos in the album – Red. You just can’t go wrong with this one.
Easy On The Eye Makeup
A common mistake most women make is, heavily shadowing/lining the eyes in this look. Big fail ladies! Keep your eye makeup to a bare minimum and lightly mascara your lashes, fill out your brows and use a soft shimmery eye shadow in muted gold or beige tones. This brightens your eyes and brings out the redness of the lips.
Jewels
If you have been following divas that rocked this look, you will observe that all of them either wear minimal jewellery with this look or none at all. Go for bare ears if you can afford to, and sport a nice statement neckpiece or choker that pairs well with your outfit. If you are a fan of bracelets/bangles, you could also wear them instead and skip the neckpiece. The idea is to keep the look understated yet glam.
Hair
There is no severe rule on the kind of hair that you can pair with the look; wear something that you will be comfortable in instead of looking stuck with. Soft waves or curls look great as do loose knots. Pick a style that you know will look good on you. If you are planning to take the look a step further, opt for a styled bouffant and some muted jewellery to make it vintage.
And…The Lips!
The market is flooded with red lipsticks, with each trying to outdo the other. However, there are a few heroes who stand out for their rich colour payoff, high pigmentation and great staying power.
Here are a few recommended red lipsticks:
- MAC Ruby Woo – Probably the best red ever, it delivers solid colour payoff and looks good on almost every woman. It is, however, a little drying on the lips
- L’Oreal Moist Matte Flaming Red – A bright, bold red (this one is not for the weak-hearted) worn by Aishwarya Rai during Cannes
- MAC Russian Red – A true Hollywood red.
- Bobbi Brown Creamy Matte Lip Red Carpet – A soft creamy lipstick that settles into a balm
MAC Ruby Woo L’Oreal Moist Matte Flaming Red Bobbi Brown Creamy Matte Lip Red Carpet
There are plenty more great choices, but we have only stated here some tried shades which are recommended by many women worldwide.
Before you wear your lipstick, make sure you scrub your lips of all the dry and chapped skin and thoroughly moisturise with a nice balm. Line your lips with a lip liner and fill in with a brush or apply the lipstick directly.
Most importantly…When it comes to red lipstick, your attitude is everything. So walk tall, be confident and smile. After all, your lips are the focus here!
Rachel has a deep passion for wellness and beauty and regularly writes on wellness, skincare and travel. Rachel can be found on Instagram @cookielibrary