Red lipstick is getting plenty of lip service.

“It's huge right now,� said Alex Mendez-Kelley, owner of The MakeUp Bar. “This is one of the biggest seasons for red lipstick I've seen in a long time. It seems every other person wants a shade of red.�

It's a little bit of that “Mad Men� influence, a throw back to the glamorous 1960s, she said, but the modern woman wears red lipstick more as a power color than a sexy, old Hollywood glamour look.

“It's a color of confidence,� she said.

Many women, though, seem to lack confidence when shopping for or wearing red lipstick.

“I think it's the one thing that every woman can pull off,� Mendez-Kelley said. “It's the one thing that separates the women from the girls.�

Makeup artists say there's a red lipstick for every woman, from the television actress to the stay-at-home mother of four.

Jennifer Gordon, assistant cosmetics buyer for Balliets at Classen Curve, said she believes every woman should have a red lipstick that's right for her, that fits her personality and her comfort level.

“Red lips are the quickest way to look sophisticated and pulled together when you don't have a lot of time,� Gordon said. “You can smooth foundation across your face, a swipe of black eyeliner and two or there coats of black mascara and your red lipstick, and you look sophisticated, professional and sexy all at the same time.�

If you are doing a red lip, she said the best way to wear your face is with a medium amount of blush, a brighter, clean eye with strong black liner and lots of mascara.

When searching for a perfect red, makeup artists suggest women experiment with different red hues. Test a shade of lipstick that you like on the inside of your wrist, and then ask the cosmetics consultant for a recommendation. Look at both of those colors and see which looks best with your skin tone.

If you're unsure about wearing such a dramatic color, start with sheer lip gloss. Or use your finger to dab red lipstick on your lips for more of a stained effect. You can also apply lipstick from the tube, and then blot lips carefully so much of the color is removed.

If a dramatic lip is what you desire, line lips with red lip liner to extend wear and keep the lipstick from feathering.

Gordon suggests trying a safe red choice, maybe one that has more brown or blue to it, and then a bolder shade of red. Women often are surprised how gorgeous they are with a more dramatic color, she said.

“It's just lipstick. If you don't like it, it comes off,� she said.

Some makeup artists look at skin tone to determine a woman's best red; others look at natural lip color. Gordon said women with pinker lips tend to look better in a brighter, clear red. Women with more brown in their lips often like a burnt red. Women who have more bluish-gray or purplish lips look great in blue reds.

If you have any redness in your hair or you're freckled or pale and golden, consider red lipstick that's tomato-based, which is more yellow. It's going to complement your skin tone better, Mendez-Kelley said.

For redheads that are dark auburn and women with chestnut brown hair, russet reds are really pretty. Look for colors with a brick tone.

Women with olive skin, or anyone of color, can pull off blood, cherry red. These women usually look good in any red.

Lilly Stone, of Sooo Lilly Cosmetics, said red lipstick is beautiful any time of the year, day or night. Since it does bring more attention to a woman's face, it's important to conceal dark circles under eyes and even out skin tone with foundation.

Prepping lips makes application easier, too. Stone suggests exfoliating lips with a soft-bristled toothbrush to create a smooth base for color. Apply lip primer, then lipstick and liner, blotting if the color is too strong. For even longer wear, apply a second coat of lipstick.

“Red lips give a perfected look, a more polished look,� Stone said.

But it's not one of those lip colors you swipe on while sitting in your car at the stoplight.

“You can make mistakes with a red lipstick,� Mendez-Kelley said. “It is not a walk and talk color. You must look in the mirror when applying red lipstick.�

Show / Hide Comments