I was shy at first to wear red lipsticks, but now I LOVE it! There are many shades of red, so if you don’t feel comfortable trying out a bright fire engine red, there are more muted reds and berry reds that you can try. I have tried MAC’s RUBY WOO for couple of years. It’s vibrantly red and sexy. But it often made me look pale. At times, it made my face too big (not sure how and why), and also made me look older and may be “serious” (if that is possible).
Couple of weeks ago I went makeup shopping with a girlfriend while I was visiting Dallas. I bought MAC’s VIVA GLAM I. I am in love with it. It’s a warmer red and it beautifully compliments my warm brown skin tone. I can wear it more often and not look over dressed. I personally think red lipstick should be playful and youthful. I can pull this red lipstick comfortably with my casual pair of jeans or with my fancy little black dress. I am a person who could only comfortably wear nude lip colours, just so I don’t feel awkwardly attired. Even though there are many factors why I wear red lipstick more now. One, Londoners like wearing darker makeup. Londoners mostly dress in black and grey, and other neutral colours. I guess, it’s perfectly fine for Londoners to wear vibrant lip colours and have dramatic eye makeup. Second, it’s always raining here. It’s rarely bright and sunny here. So, I kind of always wear black coats just to blend better with the London weather and crowd. I guess little bit of red lips can create a colourful aura in this dull climate.
Red lips are elegant, glamorous, and never go out of style. The trick to wearing red lipstick flawlessly is prepping your lips with more precision than is needed with other less vibrant lip colours. When you wear red lipstick, it’s usually best to keep the rest of your makeup simple so that your lips can be the focus of your look. Also, make sure that it goes with the outfit you pick or the result can be disastrous. Like, I never wear bright lip colours with my colourful ethnic wear (I think it makes me look like that 'desi aunty' we never forget).
Red lipsticks are associated with passion, seduction, and flamboyance. Even the act of applying red lipstick is empowering. By dressing your lips in red, it draws people’s attention to you, especially your mouth, and subsequently, the words that come out of it. It’s a symbol of prowess. The thing about red lipstick – it’s a beautiful case of chicken and egg. It may require confidence to wear, but confidence can actually be a result of putting on red lipstick – and no one needs to know which comes first.
