Red Lipstick - what's your lip shape, overall style, and can it really look good on most people...?

[JemimaPyjamas]

I got the At Night shade in my Space NK advent. I also don't have pouty lips, and generally wear quite subtle make up.

However! I want to try it out as I love the idea of it, but I am generally someone who wears sheer lip colour, and also just uses quite simple make up. More like concealer, blusher, and possibly something on my eyelids that's more like a primer than an actual colour. I also tint my lashes and brows rather than wear mascara.

It's quite 40's looking when it's on, which is no bad thing (excluding my wardrobe.)

Is it possible to get away with a red when red is not generally your thing...?! Or will I look like a clown, or if I have dipped into my mothers make up bag...

OP, I tried the at night shade, it’s terrible on me, way too warm and heavy, so don’t despair if not for you.

Go to a Mac counter and try different ones. They will find one with the right undertones!

Thank you for the help and replies! I've been playing around and I think I am getting used to it - I just need to blot it a bit at the moment as any heavier and it feels like I've got someone else's face on.

Oh, and my grandma (who's 100!) said it looked good so.....!!

I’ve never found one that looks good on me- pinkish skin, small lips that are quite uneven when you look too closely, and overall soft colouring. I can do quite a bright pink, but not red.

Generally reds and plum colours are not so great on thinner lips. However you can use a red for colouring lips and then applying a nude colour over to dull the bright red.

Interesting, I have the Mac See Sheer mentioned above and like it but would def call it a coral rather than a red.

I like the idea of a sheer red - a bit more than a tinted balm but a lot more sheer (and maybe more glossy) than a lipstick. Any recommendations?

'Or will I look like a clown, or if I have dipped into my mothers make up bag..'

You may well feel this way the first few times you wear a coloured lipstick but keep at it! You will soon get used to it, and may even get to love it

And the person with the cement lips, you need a lip scrub. I use one from Barry M every other day - it removes all the old flakiness. Use a good lip balm afterwards - I love Nuxe lip balm.

I dont really like red lipstick on most people. I think almost everyone looks better in a different colour!

Orange reds make your teeth look yellow, blue reds don't. I suit blue reds, Mac Ruby Woo. Clinique pop cherry pop.

They're probably wearing the wrong reds.

I can't wear it at all as my lips are too thin. There was a section in Sali Hughes's book where she was waxing lyrical about red lipstick, how there's a shade for everyone, all ages can wear it etc...unless your lips, especially upper lip, are thin in which case best to swerve.

It's not common for bold red lipstick (whatever the undertone) to look completely natural on someone, unless you're dark and very high contrast. A bit of drama is fun and doable without looking like Ronald McDonald...I've seen red lipstick look good on thin lips too.

There's blotted red look
Even bold matte red can be a bit less overpowering than creamy shiny bold red lipstick that smudges easily.

MAC probably is the place to swatch around as it has the most range of realistic non-cartoonish reds and there might have a red that may flatter you the most and then you can google for colour dupes.

Doesn't have to be fire engine red, but can also be

• burgundy red (MAC Diva, MAC Sin, Lisa Eldridge Velvet Myth if really warm tone, NYX Siren if cool-toned)
• deep blueish red (e.g. MAC Russian)
• copper red (e.g. MAC Brick O La, MAC See Sheer, Kiko Milano Gossamer Emotion 106, mix of rust orange and pink, which sounds weird)
• rust orange red (like MAC Chili) - often looks good on people with lots of yellow undertones
• muted dark red - like Bobbi Brown Crushed Lip in Ruby (sheer) or Givenchy Rouge Graine no.37 (richer)
• berry - Nars Dragon

Maybelline has the most saturated colours so probably aren't the best to start with if colours are intimidating.

'I dont really like red lipstick on most people. I think almost everyone looks better in a different colour!'

I sort of agree with you. I don't think that red lipstick is anywhere near as flattering or glamorous as it's made out to be. That's fine - not everyone wants to go for 'flattering' all the time, sometimes you're going for 'fun' or 'colourful' or whatever, but a red lip can be hard to pull off. And I say that as a fairly frequent red lipstick wearer

There's a red lipstick out there for everyone, you just need to find what works for you best.

I would say start by working out your skin undertone. If you have a cool or rosy undertone, you will probably best suit a blue based red lipstick. If you are warmer, you may feel more comfortable wearing an orange or yellow based red (think coppery tones), or at least one without a strong blue undertone, though in my opinion blue based lipsticks are pretty universally flattering on most skin tones. If you are worried about your skin looking redder, invest in a good colour correcting primer (the Dr Jart Cicapair Colour Correcting Treatment works for me.)

Then work out what type of finish you'd be most comfortable with. Some red lipsticks are much higher maintenance than others. Generally, matte lipsticks will stay in place for longer but are much harder to touch up if you do smudge them, whereas sheer and satin lipsticks will transfer but are easily concealed/wiped away. Matte lipsticks tend to have a stronger pigment and provide the traditional 'bold' red look whereas satin and sheer can just provide a flattering wash of colour that will look incredibly natural.

Lip liners are a good idea if you are worried about bleeding. I would advise that you smudge the line a tiny bit so that it doesn't look too 'crisp' - this is where it can start to look a little clown like.

Some examples of blue based reds and their finishes:
MAC Ruby Woo - very matte and pigmented, the 'classic' red lip look
Nars Starwoman - very matte and pigmented, it's a liquid lipstick so needs time to dry down but once it does, it will generally stay put
MAC Lasting Passion - a more 'natural' matte, more comfortable to wear than regular matte, won't stay on as long and has a bit of transfer but won't generally bleed
YSL Rouge Volupte Shine in 45 (Rouge Tuxedo) - a glossier, sheerer finish. Can be built up to look more pigmented. Transfers but looks beautiful and flattering even on rougher, drier lips. Would wear with a lip liner.
Maybelline Red For Me - a cream finish, very pigmented. Nice and comfortable to wear but capable of transferring and bleeding so would probably need a lip liner.

Some examples of warmer reds:

MAC Chili - a cream finish but on the more matte end of cream. Very pigmented.
MAC Marrakesh - slightly more satin than cream, but still pigmented. I'd probably opt for a lip liner.
YSL Rouge Volupte Shine in 80 (Chili Tunique) - a glossy, sheerer finish, wear with a lip liner.

I haven't even touched on deeper, more burgundy reds - these can be spectacularly flattering but I'd advise to start with a light, bright red and then graduate to deeper ones if you feel confident!

I would generally advise going to a MAC or YSL counter and asking them to give you a good match based on your skin tone, 'boldness' level and longevity preferences. For me, MAC and YSL are THE lipstick brands due to their range of finishes.

I love lipstick and never leave the house without it!

I tend to prefer berry colours (pinkish red), but I can pull off most cool blue toned reds. Orangey reds don't suit my skin tone.

I think that there is a red for everyone, but it won't always be pillar box red. Different people may need a bit of brown, orange or pink in their red depending on skin tone.

@minipie Try Lipstick Queen Medieval if you can find it (a quick Google to find a link showed many places out of stock.)

I've got thin lips, light olive skin and dark brown hair. I use red lipstick when I'm wearing dull colours (e.g. grey or black) to brighten the look up, otherwise I feel a bit dull / washed out. If I'm wearing colourful clothes I'll use something more toned down on my lips. No idea if this is the right thing to do though - I'm certainly no style icon! 😂

If you look like a clown it's because it's the wrong shade of red for your skin tone, not simply because it's red.

I would look like a clown in an orange-red

My skin tone is cool olive and the right red really lifts my face. I feel washed out without it.

Ha! Just posted something similar about olive skin and feeling washed out without lipstick!

No red lipstick suits my colouring

They all look great on DD though

Lancome brought out a lovely set of red lipsticks, l'absolu rouge ruby cream, I have a few but my favourite is Pidgeon Blood Ruby, a burgundy red. I also have a matte lancôme lipstick in Berry Noir. It's not a red but a lovely shade nevertheless. I wore Mac Ruby Woo to a wedding a few years ago, and I had a lot of compliments on it, the staying power was amazing too. It's a bit drying though but is stunning.

Oh and I'm cool toned, usually shade ivory beige or ivory rose in foundation, prone to blushing, dark hair and freckles. My lips are probably average, I can make them quite nice with the right lip liner and lipstick application. I really don't suit browns, beige or ruddy lipstick shades. Purples, reds, plums and pinks are my favourites.

This thread has inspired me to try out a red! I've always worn pink nudes and realise I don't actually have any other colours. I saw Mac business casual recommend as a more sheer version of a red on another thread and may go and have a try on at the store

@martinirossi thanks for such a detailed post. It's really inspiring me to try a red lipstick. But I'm a cool toned blonde with blue eyes and I always feel as if reds highlight any imperfections on my face. Especially if it's matte!
Do you have any non matte sheer cool red suggestions that aren't too pricy? Don't wanted to waste any more money on a lipstick that I probably won't wear.

@martinirossi your post reply is brilliant thank you :)
I am cool skin toned , blue grey eyes , light blonde ( grey / white ) hair and I love Mac Ruby Woo , every Christmas I wear it , I do use a liner with it to prevent bleeding and go for just a light tinted moisturiser , mascara and upper eye liner and a cream
Neutral blush
I think the more you wear it the more you start to get used to seeing it on your face , it's always a bit different going from nudes and pinks to a bolder lip