Red lip is a quintessence of chic. It is the most stunning, yet daunting shade to wear. I read articles advising us to wear this particular red with this or that skin tone and I used to believe that. Red is universal, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Yes some shades are harder to pull off but it's all in confidence, believe me! Red lip used to be my signature look. That is until I started my journey with blogging. I can't close myself to one shade anymore and I am obsessed with lipsticks, so you may not see me wearing red that often anymore. What hasn't changed is my love for a statement lip. Whatever I do, my lips are always larger than life. I don't mean that in a sense of size (someone just inject me with fillers already!) but metaphorically. Red is and should be about statement lip. It's about showing the world the gorgeous and confident you. I hope with this little post I can convince you to wearing red more often and when better to start than Christmas.
If you follow beauty launches, you'll know Jeffree Star Holiday Collection launched recently at Beauty Bay and I managed to snatch two perfect reds. These two shades couldn't be different if they tried. Checkmate is a stunning opaque vibrant red with some orange tones. It will brighten any complexion and looks stunning on pale. This is the red I will be wearing Christmas Day or any other day for the foreseeable future. That is, if I don't swap it for Designer Blood, a gorgeous deep red with some brown tones mixed in for good measure. If you're into your dark lips, this one's after your heart. It is stunning! They are quite reasonably priced at £16.00 a pop and aren't overly scented as some shades in JS range.
Staying on topic of liquid lipsticks, because, well I'm obsessed, there's the most beautiful dark brick red on the market and it's Jouer Lip Creme in Brique. There was a time not so long ago, that I sported it non stop for weeks. Perfect muted statement lip that took me through autumn and will look beautifully on both pale and darker skin tones. Super lasting formula, matte opaque finish and a sweet scent should be enough to sweep you of your feet. This beauty will set you back by £16.00 and is available through Cult Beauty.
Over £15 range may not be for everyone and thankfully NYX knows that!. Their Soft Matte range is reasonably priced at only £5.50 a pop and NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Amsterdam is a gorgeous coral red. It is not a liquid lipstick and therefore not as long lasting, but it's super comfy on the lip, doesn't bleed and it's easy to top up in between Christmas meals. What I love about it is a sweet vanilla cupcake scent the range is sporting. At this price point it would be a sin, not to give it a go.
Moving on from liquids, there cannot be a red lip post without a mention of MAC Russian Red. The most classic red out there that will suit virtually anyone. It's a true red, tone or two lighter that Jouer Brique. Absolutely stunning matte finish that's truly long lasting. The scent is your cult MAC vanilla and for any fan of MAC out there, you know what I mean when I say, it's how you recognise a lipstick. I personally love MAC matte formulas. Don't get me wrong there are better out there but I have a sentiment to MAC lippies and a drawer full of them. Check out my post on my MAC lipstick collection HERE. MAC lippies are currently priced at £15.50.
Talking about brilliant matte formulas, the second favourite is whatever Urban Decay does to their lipsticks as man, it just works! I love Gwen Stefani for Urban Decay in 714. It is a quintessence of true red, if there's one. It's a true statement red, perfect to pair up with a classic eye or a smokey if you're feeling adventurous. I personally LOVE IT and it is my most worn red! You can still grab one for yourself through Feel Unique and it's priced at £16.00.
Lastly a non matte fave of mine. Clinique Pop Lip Colour & Primer in Cherry Pop is a firm favourite. The formula is creamy and super comfortable to wear. It glides on the lip and has a lovely glossy finish. It's not super long lasting, in fact, not at all but with it's pinky red shade it's a definite cutie. If pinky reds are more your style - this is the one for you. Clinique lippies are priced at £16.00 and I have a whole post about them, so just CLICK HERE.
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| From left: Designer Blood, Amsterdam, Brique, Cherry Pop, Russian Red, 714, Checkmate, Vamp, 714, Lovely nr 3 (without flash) |
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| From left: Designer Blood, Amsterdam, Brique, Cherry Pop, Russian Red, 714, Checkmate, Vamp, 714, Lovely nr 3 (with flash) |
There is no red lip without a lip liner. Some formulas may look like you can skip this step, but I highly recommend it. Lip liners are a must with a statement lip for couple of reasons. First it's the possibility of smudging and bleeding. Yes, your formula might be matte but what happens when you eat? Lip liner can stop your lipstick from going absolutely everywhere! Lastly and most importantly its the line itself. You want your red lip to stand out and that means a perfect lip contour. Yes steady hand is important but with a lip liner, you give yourself a fighting chance. Line your lips with a sharp (can't stress it enough how important it is to keep your liner sharp!) lip liner and filling in will be a few second job. If you're feeling pro go directly from the bullet but I always recommend a lip brush when working with strong colours. Good brush will give you more flexibility and will make the lines sharper and cleaner. Below you'll find some of my fave red lip liners:
Starting with the darkest, Primark's PS... Lip Liner Pencil in Vamp is a gorgeous deep berry red. It's surprisingly long lasting and formula doesn't stray too much from way more expensive liners. At £1.00 a pop you may as well just but them all ;)
I've mentioned UD 714 lipstick above but I also own the Gwen Stefani for Urban Decay Lip Liner in 714 and OMG it is the perfect liner. It is a reason I don't buy anymore red liners. This one does me quite fine and suits most reds mentioned above. At £14.00 it is substantially pricier than Primark though, but I love it nevertheless.
Lastly the newest addition to my collection, it is Lovely Perfect Line in 3. This is priced at probably £1.00-£2.00 a pop but not available in UK. I mention it here because it's a perfect liner to be paired with orange red and coral red lippies. As you can see from a swatch it is a lot lighter than the rest, so it'll pair nicely with less pigmented shades for example.
That's it from me and I hope you now feel ready to go out and rock that red lip this Christmas and for the years to come! I realise this post is filled with more pricier lippies on the market but I have a similar post from last holiday season, where I concentrated on more drugstore brands and that price range, so if you're interested, just CLICK HERE.
Thank You For Reading,
Love
Dorota X
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