Reddish brown lipsticks that don't make me look like some malevolent clown?

[BalloonSlayer]

Trinny and Susannah say that "women of a certain age" should wear lip gloss rather than lipstick. BUT I am growing my hair and now it has got longer it keeps getting stuck on lip gloss which is the most reeeeevolting feeling.

So I have got my old lipsticks out.

Now, firstly, is it me or is practically every lipstick you can buy pink?

I have got ONE old lipstick that is reddish (ie doesn't look completely wrong if you are wearing a red top) and that's all. Even then, it's so bright. Unless I blot it and blot it I end up looking like Barbara Cartland or the malevolent clown of the thread title.

I am quite pale skinned I suppose. But even with a tan, normal lipstick applied in the normal fashion looks awful.

Any recommendations for something that has some colour but is not garish and vile?

I have wasted ££££s on the wrong colour lipsticks.

I am pale skinned and have red hair. I currently wear Barbara Daly (at Tesco) lipstick in Sugar Cane. It's a brick red and goes on as only slightly darker than my own lip colour so it is fairly neutral and you can wear it with any colour clothes.

If you search for Sali Hughes on google she did a piece on flattering lipsticks as part of her weekly column in guardian. Lip gloss is generally awful, on any age.

Also, max factor have a range called Elyxir or something I can't spell- there is a nice colour called burnt caramel which is not too pink at all.

Good luck.

Chantecaille lip sheer in Pluto. Lovely colour, sheer, moisturising (not sticky) texture. Worth the investment (IMHO anyway).

Nearly all the big brands do a sheer glossy lipstick now, my favourite formula. Mac are bound to have a colour like you describe. Laura Mercier/Bobbi Brown would be a good option too...