Our obsession with red lipstick stems back to the days of Marilyn Monroe. The actress and pin-up beauty carried off the red lip look so well that it left the rest of us ladies wanting to recreate it for ourselves.
However, many of us tend to stay away from bold lipsticks in the fear that we can’t pull it off… Nonsense!
Ladies you’ll be pleased to know that in a new beauty and skincare feature piece we’ll be asking the industry experts for advice.
We caught up with MUA Chimene O’Reilly from COR Artistry to hear her top tips on recreating this classic Hollywood glamour look.
Lipsticks at the ready…
1. Shady Lady
Choose a shade of red lipstick that suits your skin tone.
Blue-based reds are perfect if you have slightly pale to pinky-beige skin.
A warmer red colour if your complexion is more golden beige.
A cooler-toned red lipstick suits darker complexions.
2. No Bleeding
A top tip for long-lasting colour when wearing any lipstick, especially red, is to block out the lips with concealer or foundation before applying.
This creates a clean base, making the colours appear truer.
Also: a small amount of concealer around the very outer border of your mouth, will prevent any colour bleeding.
3. Don’t Bother With Liner
Chimene perfecting the classic Hollywood glamour look.
It is difficult to find a lip liner that will match your lipstick, so either avoid it, or find a shade close to your own natural lip colour.
If you are investing in a pencil, Chimene recommends Urban Decay’s Ozone Lip Primer, a pencil that can be used at any occasion.
The application of the colourless pencil primer is the very same as any other lip pencil, however it can also be applied all over the lips to ensure the colour stays fixed for longer.
NOTE: Applying with a lip brush for precision and accuracy is preferable.
4. Keep It Simple
When wearing red lipstick be sure to keep the remainder of your make up minimal.
Wearing heavy eye shadow with red lipstick is a make up no-no.
Chimene suggests some black eye liner with plenty of mascara, or if you do opt for eye shadows, use only neutral tones.
5. Blusher Is Vital
Don’t let red lipstick drain the colour from your face.
Apply blusher to the apples of your cheeks and subtly blend onto the cheekbones.
6. Confidence Is Key
The finished look.
Gwyneth Paltrow once said, “Beauty, to me, is about being comfortable in your own skin. That, or a kick-ass red lipstick.” She was right.
Women tend to stay away from red lips as they’re afraid of getting it wrong, or overdoing it, but once you find the correct shade that suit you, you definitely will kick-ass.
Chimene’s favourite products:
Matte lipsticks are great for creating period makeup, 1920’s to the 1950’s.
MAC’s Russian Red, is Chimene’s “necessity” matte lip colour, a perfect choice for creating a 1940’s look, one of her favourites.
Tassle by MAC is cream – satin textured, and works well for a wedding or bridal makeup, as it adds a hint of moisture to the lips.
Diva Red by Rimmel is extremely affordable and the perfect starter lipstick purchase if you’re trying the look out for the first time.
Urban Decay’s Ozone Lip Primer, prevents any seeping colour from the lips, ensuring you’ll always be looking bleeding lovely.
NOTE: Don’t throw a lipstick away just because the shade doesn’t suit you. Instead apply some gloss over the top to change up the colour.
Sneaky Tip: Place one finger in your mouth and purse your lips around it, slowly remove it and it will take away any excess lipstick left, which spares you the embarrassment of having red lipstick on your teeth.
All images via COR Artistry
