It’s no secret that I’m obsessed with a bright lip.
A red lip is my favourite trick for looking polished even when I’m hardly wearing makeup.
It wasn’t that long ago that I was nervous wearing a bright lip. I would try one on and then change my mind and take it off before I went out. Wearing a bright lip can take some getting used to but that’s all it is. Anyone can rock a red lip.
5 easy tips for perfect red lips
- Exfoliate your lips – Use your toothbrush to gently brush your lips to exfoliate any dead skin. Any rough surface on yourclips will appear magnified with red lipstick. You can also use a sugar scrub to exfoliate your lip.
- Prepare your lips – Use a balm to smooth your lips. My favourite is Maybelline Baby Lips
- Use a lipbrush – Don’t apply a bright red lip straight from the tube. You get a much better finish using a lip brush. You can use a lip pencil to outline your lips but I prefer to use a lip brush to line and fill in my lips with the lipstick. If I do use a pencil, I colour in my whole lip, not just do an outline. Then I apply a lipstick over the top of the lip pencil for a long wearing red lip.
- Reshape your lips – Bright colours accentuate the shape of your lips so don’t be afraid to create a more symmetrical lip line. It’s okay to colour a little outside the lines. Use your lip brush or pencil to even out your lips for a symmetrical shape.
- Blot & reapply – For a long wearing red lip, blot your lipstick with a tissue and apply a light second coat of lipstick. Some colours need more care than others, so pack a mirror in your purse. I have a fantastic lip brush from Sephora that’s in a case so you can do precise touch ups on the go.
Anyone can wear red lipstick. If you’re still not sure about it, I urge you to give it a try. Just remember to smile.
Do you love wearing red lipstick? What’s your favourite lippie?
PS. Here are my fave red lipsticks for day and night.
My current favorites are: L’oreal Colour Riche Balm-Caring Coral(lip balm not actual lipstick), and Mary Kay-Sunset.
Thanks for the tips Mindy! I love the colour riche lipsticks but I haven’t tried the balms
The L’oreal is more of a coral-y red, but with my red hair it’s hard to pull off a good red lip so I usually go for coral-y red or more orange-red
I’m a bit nervous about a red lip too… I feel much more comfortable in a fuchsia. Weird right? Looking gorgeous by the way!
Love a fuchsia lip too. Have you tried MAC Russian red? I think it would suit you x
I have a lot of favourite reds, but I think my favourite at the moment is MAC Lady Danger. Definitely not for the faint-hearted or the red lip beginner! Other top contenders would have to be BITE Beauty Tannin and Bramble, Givenchy Le Rouge in Grenat Initile and Illamasqua Howl. Being in Canadian winter right now means I haven’t worn reds as often as I’d like, but as the weather warms up and gets me out of my default of super casual warm clothes and cracked lips, I’ll get back into it for sure.
Lady Danger is a fave of mine too Rachel! Such a gorgeous orange-red, I had to work up to it but it’s always in my bag now. Haven’t tried any DITE products yet but I’ve heard lots of good things. Adding those to my beauty shopping list x
I always admire a bold lip of everyone else, however I ALWAYS chicken out before leaving the house. I think half the battle for me is finding a colour that suits my complexion, oh getting my fussy lips to behave (they’re either dry and cracked or over moisturised and get these weird blobby bit on them from lipbalm)
That was me! I swear the sugar scrub changed my lips. I hardly need to do it now (except maybe in winter) and my lips are much better. I started with a sheer red and worked my way up. I’m already writing next Monday’s post about my fave reds that turned me into a lipstick lover x
Hey there – what’s the lip colour you’re wearing? Have always been too nervous to try a red lip but think that one could work – it looks great on you!
Thanks Jeanine! It’s L’Oreal Shine Caress in Juliet. It’s a long lasting gloss and I also love Princess which is a more orange-red. If you’re nervous starting with a sheer red helps, like a Revlon Lip butter. I should do a post about my fave reds…