The Perfect Red Lips
There’s no denying wearing a bold lip makes you feel 100 times more confident than usual. With so many options, we’ve narrowed it down to our favourites that are 100% smudge proof! We’ve also thrown in a few tips for perfecting your red lip so you’re sure to feel super confident all day and night.
The lipsticks with the best lasting power tend to be matte as they cling to the lips better, so we recommend going for a matte lipstick.
If you can get your hands on this, we really recommend the Sephora Matte Lip Cream in 01. It’s a deep red that suits everyone. I have seen this on so many skin tones and it looks amazing. It comes in liquid lipstick form, and the doefoot applicator makes application really easy. If you’re looking for a more accessible liquid lipstick alternative, the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lipstick in Hot Pepper is only £8.99 and has incredible lasting power.
MAC always have fantastic matte lipsticks in every colour. For reds, we recommend going for the classic best sellers such as Ruby Woo or Russian Red. Ruby Woo is a true blue toned red that is sure to catch everyone’s attention, whilst Russian Red is a deeper red, similar to the Sephora Lip Cream. A fantastic dupe for Russian Red would be NARS Cruella from their Velvet Matte Lip Pencil range. The beauty blogger’s favourite is a gorgeous burgundy red, and the pencil makes application nice and simple.
Finally, our top three tips for applying a red lip would be:
1. Use a lip liner – Red lips require some precise application, and it can be made a lot easier if you use a lipliner. There are plenty of good ones, from Rimmel to MAC, and you simply outline your lips and fill them in with the lipstick. It keeps the lipstick looking clean and the lipliner keeps the lipstick on even longer.
2. Keep your lips exfoliated – Using matte lipsticks like the ones we’ve recommended can highlight any dry patches on your lips, so make sure your lips are exfoliated. Then, apply some lipbalm whilst you’re doing the rest of your makeup, then dab it off with a tissue when it comes to applying your red lip.
3. Highlight – To make your lips look even fuller and kissable, use a highlighter on the cupid’s bow and dab a tiny bit onto the centre of your bottom lip to give the illusion of bigger lips.
Written by Catherine Sayer
