Five of the Best: Red Lipsticks
FJ fave Victoria Martin shows us her top five red lipsticks and teaches us how to apply them like a pro
Red lipstick is my essential, my little black dress, my backup plan. When you’re not sure what to do with your makeup, or you have five minutes before you need to leave the house, you can rely on a quick swipe of red to make you look fashionable, glamorous, effortless or all of the above.
So in honour of this little bullet of makeup magic, here are my top 5 go-to reds.
1. For all you gals out there that haven’t dabbled in red lipstick before and you’d love to, but you’re not sure where to start, this is for you. Medieval Tinted Treatment by Lipstick Queen (available from Kit Cosmetics, $29.95) is anything but intimidating. It’s a natural and silky red lip stain and is designed to flatter every kind of skin tone. It’s super easy to apply straight from the tube and to be honest, you can’t go wrong with this one.
2. Next up is a smooth and shiny delight in the form of Napoleon Perdis Devine Goddess Lipstick in Aphrodite (available from David Jones and Myer $35). This is a lovely hydrating formula, the colour is buildable and vibrant, without being overwhelming. As the name of the lipstick suggests, you’ll feel very glamorous and ladylike wearing this.
3. Now we’re becoming a bit more confident with colour, I’d like to introduce you to one of my all-time favourites: NARS Lipstick in Heat Wave (available from Mecca Cosmetica, $39). This is a semi-matte formula in a punchy orange-based red that is incredibly modern and of the moment. Orange is the new black, apparently.
4. If you’re after that bold, powerful red that is sported by the likes of Rhianna and Kimmy K then Ruby Woo by MAC ($42) is for you. This is a fully matte formula, so make sure you have exfoliated and hydrated your lips well before applying and it will stay on for hours. You will turn heads in this lipstick.
5. Finally, a relative newcomer to my top 5 is Limecrime’s Velvetine in Red Velvet (makeupnet.com.au $24). Unlike the others, this is a liquid and comes in a tube with a doe-foot applicator, similar to a lipgloss. Once you apply it, the liquid will dry and set to a beautiful, even and very matte red that won’t budge. This is Hollywood glamour in a tube.
More tips for wearing red lipstick
– Always make sure you have a balanced makeup, so for the eyes keep it simple, just some black liquid liner and mascara will do.
– Let the red lipstick do the talking, pair with a crisp white shirt or a little black dress for a chic and elegant look.
– Instead of applying your red lipstick straight from the tube, you can use a lip brush for more control and precision, especially if you’re using a matte formula. A retractable lip brush is particularly good since it is portable and fuss-free for your handbag – try MAC’s 318 Lip brush ($45).
– Use red lip liner to keep your edges from feathering, we like MAC Lip Liner in Cherry ($30) or Lipstick Queen Exact Match Lip Liner in Red ($26.95)
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