A way to transform any look that you are sporting is adding a pop of color. That pop of color could be the perfect red lip. It is a great addition to any outfit for this time of year; you could wear it to class, on a date, or for any holiday festivities. With these tips, your red lip will be even more bold and beautiful!
1. The first thing that you must do before you swipe on lipstick is take care of your lips. Since the weather is so unpredictable, I think it’s safe to say our lips are feeling the wrath of high and low temperatures. Give your lips some TLC and use a scrub to remove the excess dry flakes and leave a nice smooth canvas for your lip color.
Buy a lip scrub! My favorites are Mint Julips from Lush and the Brown Sugar Body Polish from Fresh. You can also go the DIY route and make your own. All you need is honey and brown sugar. Play around with the amounts until it becomes a gritty texture and scrub away. Plus, a homemade version (and even some store-bought scrubs) is edible. Check the label to be sure, though!
2. After your lips are exfoliated, apply some chapstick to add moisture. Rub it in and let it soak into your lips. It is better to wait some time so the lipstick (or other type of product) doesn’t slide off.
After you have waited, take out your red lip product of choice. I have some methods that might make your statement lip even better.
3. I start out with a lip liner to make the bold lip look even more intense. One technique I learned from a makeup artist is to use the lip pencil to make an X-shape on your Cupid’s bow. My favorite lip liner is MAC’s Beet. This liner can be worn on its own or with other products on top. The liner will make sure everything stays in place and on your lips longer. It’s like lip-insurance!
4. Even if you do or do not put on lip liner, lipstick is the next step. One thing to look into is what formula the lipstick is and what undertone the red has. The formula could be glossy, luster, matte or sheer. The undertone of the red color could be a blue-red, an orange-red, a brick red, or vampy red. Each can turn your look into something completely different. (Tip: If you want your teeth to look whiter, wear a blue-based red). The application is up to you. Some that are extra meticulous use a lip brush, or you can swipe it on right from the lipstick tube. Try to stay in the lines because red lipstick is hard to clean up.
5. To make sure that the color stays on even longer, blot it with a tissue or paper towel and re-apply the lipstick again. You could add another step, like lip-gloss on top, if you want. It is up to the wearer if they want the look to be glossy or not.
The girls of Her Campus recommend:
Lime Crime “Red Velvet”
Lime Crime “Glamour 101”
Rimmel Kate Moss “10” or “107”
NARS “Cruella”
Clinique “Red Red Red”
Revlon Color Burst “Candy Apple”
MAC “Ruby Woo”
Maybelline Superstay 24 2-Step Lip Color “Keep Up The Flame”