Red Lipstick; Good For Everyone?
August 31, 2007 by Shannon Nelson
Filed under Lips, Our Beauty Tips, beauty, lipstick, makeup
Experts say that, if worn in the right red “tone,” a red lipstick can look great on anyone.
I guess I am not convinced. I have always loved the look of red lipstick, but somehow I have never been able to pull it off. I sure do wish I had my sister’s olive skin that she was genetically blessed with from my father’s Italian genes. However, I have pale skin, just like my mother from Irish decent. Sure Gwen Stephani can rock red lipstick with her porcelin skin, but my skin has that certain amount of pink to it, that red lipstick somehow brings out the coloring in my skin that I wish to conceal.
What do you think about red lipstick being versatile “for anyone”? Have you tried to pull off red lipstick yourself with success–or are you like me, a red lipstick failure? (I will still love you the same.)
* Photo Credit: Mode Cosmetics
I’m a lover of red, for sure. But as I get older, I’m noticing more feathering/bleeding with reds. Maybe my skin is drier or something….
The new PS Kiss has me salivating. Gorgeous!
Colorwise – definitely. Personality wise – not so much. :) I used to wear it all the time, but I never do anymore – it just looks odd to me now, and my hubby hates it, so I guess I have lost that “red” part of my personality. Sad. ;)
red lipstick? gorgeous,
on me? never. I’m a brunette with thick hair, very white skin, and thin (Hungarian) lips. In theory it sounds nice and all, but in practice, red looks absolutely awful on me. I wish i could pull it off though.
I am of mixed racial descent with pale olive skin and I now dye my hair medium brown (I am fifty). I have very full lips. I can’t wear any kind of red lipstick. The strong contrast between dark hair and relatively pale skin and red lips just doesn’t work. My mouth is simply overpowering and it always looks so darn harsh. Maybe I used to be able to pull it off but now it’s too much for my no-longer-youthful face.
I haven’t been able to pull off red lipstick as well. I don’t know if it’s lack of confidence, color or attitude. But I love it on other’s.
I totally do NOT believe that red lipstick can suit everyone, even hotties like Jessica Alba can get it wrong with red lipstick. I have never put on a real red that looked good on me, and believe me I have tried to find one.
I think red lipstick can suit everyone it just really depends on the shade of lips.
It’s not so much about your skintone as it is about your liptone.
What color are your lips naturally?
Try Lipstick Queen’s Saint Rouge.
I have that same pinkish tone and it really brings out the lips and not the pink on my cheeks!
I think I lied on my last post. I bought a cheapo red lipstick by Milani that looks great on me. It is bright, rather than deep, and has a bit of glimmer. With a pale blush and a neutral grayish eye and strong black eyeliner, it looked fabulous.
It is the deep dark blood reds that give me the living-dead vampire look.
I can wear red!
i love, love, love reds. I save my vamp red lip for special occasions, though. ;) Usually I’m more of a nude or pink lip.
I love the red look also. But my red look is more brick red than the fire engine red worn by most starlets.
I think a berry red would look really good on you. And your natural flush can be showed off too! Think Jaime Presley. Red lips and a nice glow =)
I love a red lip and I think there is a color for everyone. However, I have really thin lips and I just don’t think it looks right unless you have a sufficiently full pout.
red lips can be SO sexy. but you have to have the balls to wear it. even a soft, sheer red can stand out in a crowd & if you dont want to stand out then it is not a good choice at all
BTW, I just found my perfect red — MAC’s Dubonnet. It’s nothing short of amazing!
I have a full lower lip, red lipstick makes my lips look too pouty. I also have strawberry blond hair, very pale skin and blue eyes. I associate red lips with burlesque and Dita von Teese, but I don’t think it would look good on me.
The color lipstick you wear might just depend on your personality. Red is a bold color. You might try mixing a red lipstick with another color. Put on a layer of one color and then try a little red on top of that color. A gloss makes red lipstick or any color lipstick softer looking. From what I’ve read, Marilyn Monroe layered several lipstick colors to get her ”pouty lip.”
I love red liptsick. i’ve taken to wearing it every day. It makes me feel bold and secure. Try experimenting with different shades. I have fair skin and red hair, so blue-reds look good on me, while pink and orange-reds make me look like a clown. to stop bleeding, find a lip liner the shade of your natural lip color. line your lips and fill in gently. this will help guide application as well. to make your color stay, apply your red once, blot, then apply a second time. clinique, i have found, lasts for hours! good luck!
also, try playing around with different colors from a drug store to see what works best for you. then you can invest in a pricier and more quality brand. this will allow you to apply your color and see how it looks outside in natural light. if it’s not for you then stores like CVS and Walgreens allow you to return open packages.
There was a movie on Lifetime TV, about a woman that wore red lipstick to help her feel braver about facing breast cancer. I am pretty sure this was based on a true story. The red lipstick was her way of getting the courage she needed. I can see how makeup in general is a kind of crutch. Don’t we all feel a little better in general after we have some makeup on. I know I do!
I have always been more a mascara-type-of-girl and haven’t made up my lips much more than the occasional girlish lipgloss.
But now I have just fallen in love with red lipstick! I got inspired by Regina Spektor (check out http://www.messiah.edu/news/2006/images/Regina%20Spektor.jpg) and got myself a bold red lipstick. It’s amazing! I have always thought red wouldn’t look nice on me since my skintone is really pale and easily reddish. But, I went for a blue-based red lipstick and it’s amazingly flattering. AND, I have only realized I have started acting more confidently now that I surely attract looks from other people!
So, I just want to encourage all that might be feeling funny about using red lipstick – it can really look good on you even though you thought it wouldn’t!
i have always been able to wear red. I have a soft ivory tone of skin dark brown hair and eyes. I think that if you put on a good foundation, not one that looks like a caked on mess, something like a mineral wear, add a sweep of soft blush to your cheeks, go with a neutral, yet dramatic eye, create a nice long looking deep colored lash, add a splash of red to your pucker with a clear gloss on top you will look smashing anyone can do it. Most people just don’t realize that it doesn’t have to be fire engine red to be red. It can be more on the raspberry side, it doesn’t have to be a deep red either it can be a clear red~red lipgloss.
I never used to wear red lipstick because it intimidated me, but I purchased my first tube of it from Merle Norman (’heartthrob’) last month and.. I actually really love it! I have extremely pale skin, but my lips have always been naturally dark. My plan in the past was always to go natural or buy lipstick that toned them down a bit (they’re very full in addition to being dark), but it never really worked out so I rarely wore any. Now I’ve found that the right color of red is actually a good thing. I don’t know what I was so afraid of. Red makes me feel more put together and feminine.
ahhhh i love red lipstick. i understand that it can sometimes look tacky and prostitute like but i think it depends on the outfit and simple but classic eye make up. i have yves saint laurent red muse. i was looking for a blue-based because im pale with pink undertones but the lady was just like this is a true red. it suits everyone. so i dont know… but it is so lovely. i might where it to my ball, but i dont know if i am confident enough. we shall see. so yes everyone suits it, just find the right shade.
I used to hate red lipstick on me, but i really loved the look. After learning how to hide the pink pigments in my skin and do the correct eye makeup for red lips, i look really great with red lips. (: i have a very full bottom lip, and so the red helps my top lip stand out a bit more. All you need to do is play with your makeup. I feel like red lipstick can work on almost everyone as long as the red lips are the main focal point of your look. DONT GO DRAMATIC ON THE EYES! (: