Trending: Red Lips

I have had a long time love affair with red lipstick. Ever since the first time I bought a Wet ‘n Wild Red Hot at the age of 14 and sashayed my way to school as though I was Marilyn Monroe herself. When it came to planning makeup for my wedding day, I only knew one thing- red lips are a must. There is a nasty rumor going around that has convinced many that they cannot partake in this trend. Nish-nish. Here are a few tips for rocking reds:

-Go easy on the eyes. Proper makeup is about proportion. When wearing reds I often do a soft smokey eye or just mascara & liner.

-Know your skin tone. If your complexion is pink, go for plumy reds. Yellow/orange skin tones look best with warmer tones. The darker your hair color, the deeper the red you can pull off.

-Build on a base. I always use Benefit’s Benetint lip stain and a hearty amount of lip liner as a base before applying my lipstick. This allows for less movement onto teeth and helps lips to last longer. If dry lips are an issue, I use basic Blistex on top with a lip brush.

-Play. If you buy a shade and it is a bust, try using a darker or lighter liner with it, or blend another lipstick to add depth. The best way to know what works is to rule out what doesn’t.

If I could only take 5 on a desert island:

M.A.C Ruby Woo

Nars Jungle Red

M.A.C Russian Red

Chanel Passion

Wet'n Wild 519A Red Hot