Anyone can wear red lipstick. Here are a few tips for application!
Prep the area around your mouth by dabbing on a small amount of concealer. This step will prevent the color bleeding into the lines around your lips. Use a lip pencil or lipstick brush to line your natural lip line. If using a lip pencil, fill in your lips to help the color stay put. Apply your lipstick, preferably using a matte shade (more glossy means more bleeding). If a glossy look is desired, apply a small amount of clear gloss to the center bottom lip. A trick to avoid lipstick on your teeth is to put your finger in your mouth (act like you are eating icing off it!) and pull it straight out. The lipstick that would be on your teeth comes off on your finger and you just wipe it clean!
Remember to downplay the eyes and blush. A light pink blush and some mascara is great paired with red lips. If you have light skin, pick reds with pink or plum undertones. Women with darker skin can wear reds with brown undertones. Unsure where you fall? Ask the ladies at the counter to pick your shade.
I have a question regarding putting my finger in my mouth to avoid getting lipstick on my teeth. I may not be a make-up'ista' but I don't at all see the correlation here. If people just stopped eating lipstick we would have a simple, less sexually charge solution to solving make-up teeth.
ReplyDeleteCarrie, this is a great question. First, the finger technique is used to remove the excess lipstick on the inner rim of your lips (the excess that would end up all over your teeth). Secondly, this technique should likely be performed at home and alone, therefore removing any sexual innuendo that may be perceived inappropriate.
ReplyDeleteI just bought some VERY red lipstick: NARS Heat Wave, and I really like it once I've blotted most of it off. Am I just too chicken to wear it the way it was intended or did I buy the wrong shade? I'm trying to avoid looking like a crazy old lady, but I would like to try something a little different for me. Any tips, cousin?
ReplyDeleteCaroline,
ReplyDeleteNars Heat Wave has a good amount of orange as well as red. If the color is too bright, try working up to it by layering with a plum or deep red. Also, wearing dark colors or a bright scarf will draw some of the attention away. At the end of the day, sometimes you just have to jump. The first time I wore red lipstick, I felt like everyone was staring. This was not really happening, but I was self-conscious. Once you jump that hurdle, you begin to feel empowered. It will start to encourage the same confidence of your favorite outfit. You will be hooked!