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Beauty 101: How to pull of the perfect red lip for any holiday party

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Maya Donkers Student Contributor, University of Victoria
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Clare Walton Student Contributor, University of Victoria
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Vic chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.
Nothing says holiday season more than red accents in an outfit, so why not wear your red accessory on your lips?

A common misconception about red lipstick is that it’s only worn by ‘fashionistas’ or avant-garde women with style. Ladies, this is not true. A red lip can be worn by anyone, the trick is to find your shade.
 
Red lipstick has two undertones, warm or cool, and deciding which of the two you should wear depends on your skin type. If you see undertones of yellow or orange in your skin, you’re warm-toned; if you see undertones of pink or blue, you’re cool-toned. If you’re still unsure, take a look at the veins in your arms (warm-tone veins will have a green tint whereas cool-tone veins will have a blue tint).
 
Now onto the easy part of finding your perfect shade. If you’re warm-toned you need to look for a lipstick with orange or yellow hues. If you’re cool-toned, focus on finding a lipstick with a blue hue. Helpful hint: if you have the wrong shade of lipstick on, your teeth will look yellow rather than enhanced white.

There is one more possibility in this quest, there is such thing as a “true red” lipstick. This is a lipstick that has no blue or orange undertones, it is a pure vibrant red. The color suits most of us so don’t be afraid to try it out! 

Think of your red lipstick as an accessory, not just a makeup item. It’s the sexy heels, the tote bag or the cashmere scarf that adds a pop of color to the little black dress. Avoid buying from drug stores as they don’t provide testers. Any Sephora or department store will be able to provide you with clean testers so you can find your holiday red right away. Happy holiday shopping! 

Impulse Buy of the Week:


My impulse buy of the week is Guerlain Rouge Automatique Lipstick. A hydrating lipstick, it provides a long-lasting wear finished with a radiant shine. Guerlain, a high end company, packages this lipstick in a push up case that alleviates breakage or damage from a regular lipstick lid. The Rouge Automatique line is the most elegant line of lipsticks on the market and will do your outfit justice!
Clare Walton is a third year Sociology, Social Justice, and Journalism student at the University of Victoria. Growing up in Canada, India, Guyana, and Indonesia she has seen the world. Her exposure to different cultures and practices has made her keen to hear people’s stories. Clare has been a news editor and reporter for various high school and university papers.