I really can’t say enough amazing things about Red Lipsticks! I love ’em, they are the easiest and fool proof way to achieve a glamorous look. Its bold, its daring and it screams ultra-lux! For today’s blog I will be talking about the best way to achieve the perfect red lips. With all of its glory, red lips are a bit tricky to handle. I never got into wearing red lipsticks until my mid-20s. As a kid I use to remember playing with my mom’s makeup collection. I remember playing with my mom’s Avon and Revlon lipsticks and most of them were vibrant reds. My cultural background is Pakistani, so in our tradition the bride always wears a bright red lip on her wedding day to symbolize the color of love. So because of that, most young women don’t really get to play around with red lips until they get hitched! It’s a cultural stigma to wear a bright red after one has matured, but why not break some rules? Red lipstick is always in the spotlight, whether it be summer or winter, red is always in season! All year around celebrities always wear a red pout on the runway, pairing a red lip with a classic cat eye is always in! So I guess you can say it’s a color you can wear all year around, and it’s been around for ages! So Lets get started! Prep your lips! It’s important to scrub your lips before applying any lip product, you need to buff away any dead skin from the lips with a gentle scrub. I generally use a mixture of olive oil and sugar as a scrub. It’s perfect and you don’t need to spend any money on a lip scrub. If you are lazy like me, you can try out a lip scrub from the Body Shop. I love the Body Shop Lip Exfoliate in Coconut, it makes my lips super soft and the scrub is less abrasive as compared to sugar. Next, you want to moisturize your lips. I love lip balm. It’s just as important to moisturize your skin as it is to scrub away dead skin cells. Use any generic lip balm that contains SPF for added sun protection. Line your Lips I always use a lip liner. It keeps my lipstick from feathering and it keeps my lipstick in place even after hours my lipstick has faded away. A lip liner stains your lips and provides an added color to the lips. You can use a lip liner that is close to your natural lip color or your can opt for a bright red lip liner for added pop of color. You can even tone down your lip color by using a lighter or warmed shade of lip liner. How to pick the perfect red? Most people will agree that cooler shades of red are better suited for paler skin tones, you can always go bold by going the opposite and choosing something that contrasts your skin tone. For me, I have an olive skin tone and I love going for a bright red lipstick. In my opinion, warmer reds are more suitable for mature adults since it gives more of a formal and grown up look. Whereas a brighter red is a little bit more fun and flirty. By far my all time favorite red lipstick I have ever come across that is super pigmented and has a moisturizing texture is Elf’s Essential Lipstick in Fearless. It’s a bright red lipstick with a slightly orangy tone to it. And guess what ladies, its only $1! How amazing is that? Beauty on a budget I must say. Another shade you can opt for a Glamourous Cosmetics lipstick in Shade 07. It’s a bright red but a bit more toned down as compared to the vibrant Fearless shade. Should you opt for high glossy finish, modern matte or subtle stain with your red. The best way to wear a red is with a semi-matte formula. Make it Last! The trick to making the lipstick last is to blot and reapply a few times. For an utter matte lip, use one layer of tissue and apply it on top of your lips then with a powder puff take your face powder and press it against your lips. The powder will create a matte texture and will take away all of the moisture to lock in the color. Pair your lips with a subtle face makeup, go for a light pink or coral blush and avoid heavy makeup at all costs! You don’t want to look like a clown. Every time I go for a red lip look I always pair it with mascara and a light coral blush. Make your lips the biggest statement on your face! Until next time, stay gorgeous!
This article is originally from Make Up Mew - a blog with authentic makeup reviews and tips!