Please be gentle with me....

[iklboo]

Ok. I've recently lost 4 stone, now a size 16 (still dieting). My sort of hourglass figure is coming back & I've bought some 50s style 'wiggle' dresses in black & purple. I have fair skin, green eyes and (dyed) dark red hair (Morello cherry from Garnier).

I usually wear frosty pink lipstick & don't seem to suit any of the red lipsticks I've tried. What suggestions for colours do you lovely ladies have that will a) suit my colouring b) look 50s-ish and c) go with my frocks?

TIA & sorry for being a pain!

It's hard to say! Other than from what you say there should be some fab reds for you. Would you feel comfortable about going to a makeup counter - Bobbi Brown is good for this sort of thing - and trying various things with the assistant's help and opinion? If yes, go on a quiet weekday if you can, and take your time. No obligation to buy and you should get one ideas to get you started looking at other brands.

*some ideas

I like the Soap and Glory lipsticks. Man Trap and Red My Lips are both good.

Thank you! I work near some of the bigger department stores so could nip in early ish when they open. I was always a bit intimidated & thought there'd be pressure to buy.

Perhaps to counter any potential hard sell, you could say you want to check the colour in daylight before purchasing then buy it cheaper online

I've never experienced the hard sell on beauty counters - not the fancy ones anyway . I think most people who work on them genuinely love make up. Bobbi Brown I have found to be some of the best. They make a little map of your face on paper and note down the names of products they've used so you can go away and think about it. I would be honest and say you have no idea what suits you!

If you're not sure about lipsticks how about a transparent red gloss and use lots of liquid black eyeliner instead? Collection 2000 do a fantastic one and it is only 2.99.

I worked on make up counters for 10 years (7 years for clinique and 3 for chanel). There will always be a hope a customer would buy if they came to the counter (it's all about commission!) But we'd always want a customer to come back regardless of whether they purchased or not.

Not sure my hand is steady enough for liquid eyeliner! I'd end up looking like Robert Smith from The Cure.

I confess I'm pretty much make-up naive, my previous (self beating up philosophy) being 'you can't polish a turd'

Oh no! Iklboo that is not a good way to feel...! Bet you could do liquid eyeliner and it looks fab for a night out. Very 50s. Totally second the idea of going to Bobbi Brown for a free make-up lesson. You can say you want to find a red lipstick and learn how to 'do' liquid eyeliner. I find they tend to steer you away from bright red if you're not used to strong colour on your lips (quite sensible really but I have too many 'natural' looking lippies that I never wear!).

Also, you could try spaceNK on a quiet weekday and book in for a makeover focusing on a 50s look. They are proper trained make-up artists and often work part-time in the shops part-time on films/tv etc. their stuff is really pricey but say up front you don't want to buy anything immediately as you want to see how you feel about it - the natural daylight card makes total sense ! They should be able to tell you if you have 'warm' or 'cool' toned skin - then you can post again on here and ask for recommendations for more reasonably priced lippy!! There will be a red out there that suits you - and if you feel too overwhelmed by the intensity of it, the gloss idea is good or maybe a 'sheer' lipstick? I have some red gloss but feel a bit sticky in it . I prefer matt red lips on me but it depends what you are comfortable with. Some women look amazing in red gloss. I look like I'm going to a fancy dress party .

SpaceNK and Bobbi Brown are really good at showing you how to apply eyeliner - well, I found that anyway (at a couple of stores).

Let us know how you get on! Good luck!!

I spent hours a few Saturdays ago searching for the perfect red (for me). Around 35 lipsticks later I found it at Chanel. You have to be brave and try on loads and loads. Take wet wipes

Thank you all so much. I've got a day booked off in a week or so. DH has an appointment in the afternoon for a couple of hours....I can mooch, kill some time & get a makeover while he does his stuff.

Mac lipstick in Ruby Woo suits everyone. I recently went on a 50's themed hen night and everyone wanted to used mine.

Ruby woo is lovely but it can be very drying. Rimmel Kate moss lipstick in no 1 is very similar but more satiny. However, it doesn't have the perfect 1950s finish because of this.

Liquid eyeliner really isn't as difficult to apply as you might think. To begin with stretch your eye out sideways a little as this can help with getting a straighter line and using light strokes get as close to the lash line as you can. As you get more confident you can make it thicker and bolder, and flick out and up at the edges as you wish. I always either just use liquid eyeliner on the top lash line alone or use a pencil under the eye as well for added definition.

TBH, Ruby Woo absolutely did not suit me. However, most red lipsticks give me that drag queen look! I ended up with a very orangey red.

You sound gorgeous! Stay away from the frosty pink lipstick, though. Maybe get your colours done so that you can find things that suit you?

Try the N7 Poppy King Lipsticks.

Stila do a range of glosses/cream blushes which are great.

Poppy is the red one, the good thing is you can wear it pretty sheer or very bold. It's nice when you want a fifties look without very bold lips. Or if you want bolder eyes.

You should have a look at the new retro matte lipsticks from Mac - they are inspired by Ruby Woo (a classic red with cold/blue undertones). All Fired Up looks nice - it's a bright fuchsia with warm undertones, and Dangerous, a orange red looks good too. There's also Flat Out Fabulous which is a cold fuchsia colour. All matte colours and can be quite drying.

There's also Lady Danger, Russian Red - and loads more. There are different finishes, so some will be matte, others more shiny and so on.

You could also try Bourjois Shine Edition in 21, which is a sheer and shiny tomato red - I have it, and I love it.

You could also try the red velvet mouth, a look Kandee Johnson on youtube does. It's Cherry and Chestnut lip pencils from Mac mixed together and it looks really cool. You can see it here:

I've had to get used to the red lips - to start with, I felt like I looked like a clown.
You can start by wearing the lipstick like a stain (maybe with lipbalm or gloss on top), then build up to wear it in the classic way when you feel like it.

Also, I have warm/yellow undertones to my skin, and warm toned reds look probably suit my colours more, but I love the blue toned reds (and they give the effect of whiter teeth).

oooh Remus I got a S&G lip pallette in the Boots sales (about 75% off- bargain)

I love ManTrap but I found the texture quite dry.
Are the actual bullet lipsticks more moisturising?

iklboo what about Lipstick Queen? Saints and Sinners? I haven't tried them but the reviews are good.
And well done on your weight loss.

Quick update. Not been able to get into town so I bought 6 cheapo red lipsticks from Amazon in different shades to try (£5). 3 are really nice shades. I'm going to pick my favourite of the 3 & go to a 'proper' make up counter and get a v near match.

First of all step away from the frosty pink - there are loads of matte pink that are more faltering and less ageing than frosty shiny pinks. Pinks can be much more natural
& flattering for a day time look than reds. It is nice to wear a red lipstick on times though and I agree that it can be a nightmare to find a shade that suits! I've got red lipsticks that can make my skin look 5 times paler and my teeth 10 shades yellower! Other shades can make me look radiant in comparison!

I'm not an expert but depending on your skin tone (pink,peach or yellow based) blue, pink or orange based reds can suit best. Try testers and take your time considering. I spent ££ on a Lancôme blue blood based red which the make up artist told me suits anyone blah blah bit actually makes me look ill. Chanel make-up consultant made me try an orange/coral based red which I'd I've never considered but at the risk of sounding like a wanker it makes my face come 'alive'.

The above is why I tend to stick to nudes or pinks on a day to day basis - much less thought involved in the matter

There are loads of make up tutorials on YouTube, have you had a look? I love them!

Body Shop do a really nice red that's sort of semi sheer so it doesn't have that dry look that I think a lot of red lipsticks have. It doens't have a name but it's shade number 60/ It's the only red I've ever found that suits me.

Try this...quite handy -

www.thebodyshop-usa.com/lipstick-color-guide.aspx