How to use red lipstick

After accompanying my friend to buy some toys for Christmas recently, we ended up walking around the beauty section while waiting for the gifts to get wrapped. We decided it was time to treat ourselves to something nice for the holidays. Some sort of Christmas present for ourselves, and it had to be the perfect shade of red lipstick that we could use throughout the holidays.

Red lipstick is a classic, and, in my opinion, a shade every girl has to have. It is, after all, the fastest way to glam up. We ended up in the Chanel counter and was more than happy to try a dozen  red lippies. The whole Christmas collection was made to complement red lips.

I went home with the Lumiere Scultee De Chanel, the high-lighting powder, while my friend brought home the Rouge Allure 207 Famous.

You owe it to yourself to find the right rouge for you. Here are some rules you should remember when wearing red.

Rule 1: It’s all about balance.

When going for red lips, remember you want them to pop out, so go easy on the blush and ditch the eyeliner. Load up on mascara to open up your eyes. This easy look will get you glam in less than five minutes. The saying, less is more, goes for this look.

Rule 2: Prep before you go red.

Moisturize your lips so they don’t get dry. Chapped lips are very unattractive; they become more so when red and high-lighted. Remember to line your lips first when using red lipstick, since they have the tendency to bleed. For the color to last longer,  add translucent powder.

Rule 3: Choose the right shade.

If you are on the fair side, opt for red shades that have pink undertones, while olive-skinned women should look for blue undertones. When shopping for a red shade, do test the lippie first on you, then step out of the store to check if the shade suits you under natural light. Ask sales assistants which red shade girls with your skin tone normally buy. This will save you half the time when picking.

Rule 4: Go easy on the reds.

Red lips are statement enough, so it would be good to save that red dress for another occasion. Keep your nails short and opt for a light lacquer. If you really love red and want to wear it on your nails, too, the only red that would be acceptable would be the same shade.

Rule  5: Be age-appropriate.

The older we get the thinner our lips get, so pick a red with pink undertones or on the rosy side. Darker reds may make your look too severe; they may also accentuate the lips. Rosy reds make the lips pop out, giving the illusion of them being more plump, thus making you look fresh.

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