The Perfect Red Lip: What Shade Suits You?

Are you inspired to change up your makeup a bit? Why not try the ever-popular red lip? It’s so classic, AND is certainly a look that any woman can own. To achieve this va-va-voom look, all you’ll need are four full-proof items: lip primer, lip liner, lipstick and a lip brush. Here are our FPD tips for how to create the perfect red lip:

1. Exfoliate your lips. The best time to do so is after the shower when dead skin is soft and easiest to remove. Chapped, dry lips will not make for the perfect red lip! (You can even rub lips down lightly with a toothbrush.)

2. Once lips are smooth, condition, condition, condition. Rub in a lip conditioner with products containing natural ingredients such as Vitamin E or Almond Oil.

3. Line your lips (and don’t forget the corners!). For a plumper look, feel free to line a bit outside of your natural lip line. Also, choose a cream stick, as it will blend easier later. This MAC Cosmetics lip pencil got rave reviews!

4. Fill in your lips using a fine lip brush. Your lipstick should match the shade of your liner as closely as possible. If you want the lip to last longer, we highly recommend first filling in your lips all over with liner before your lipstick. (If you don’t have a brush, pressing it in with a finger works just fine, especially when going for a matte look.)

5. For a more glossy finish, dab some clear gloss right in the middle of your lips.

Our favorite hot-hues range from ruby red to coral to a tangy orange. Not every “red” will suit your skin tone, however, once you find the perfect shade, you will feel the vigor and passion that the color itself exemplifies. Hello Hollywood-glam!

Fair Skin: Warm coral tones work best for you. Also, give a brick-red matte lip a try, but choose a shade that errs toward orange. You don’t want the lip to overpower your face.

[Nars Semi Matte Lipstick in Jungle Red $24]

TRY: Nars in Jungle Red ($24), Makeup Forever Rouge Artist Intense Lipstick in #42 ($19)

*FPD Editor Julia DiNardo fits into the fair skin category, and swears by the lovely bright red of Maybelline’s ColorSensational Red Revolution, and for a deeper hue, MAC Cosmetics Russian Red.

Medium Skin: Definitely try a cranberry shade, and don’t be afraid of the deeper hues. Pink tints also mix well with golden tones of your skin, but so do cherry and orange shades. Lucky you, a beige-ish complexion can pull off a lot!

[MAC Lipstick in Ruby Woo, image via Macys.com]

TRY: Royal Red by Maybelline ($5), MAC in Ruby Woo ($14.50)

*FPD contributor Alana Quagliariello fits into this category, and digs NARS Cosmetics Pure Matte Lipstick in Mascate and Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Fire & Ice.

Dark Skin: Go deep. Not even burgundy will be too harsh on you! Matte shades in the warmer family will accentuate dark skin as well, when kept in the same family as the rest of your makeup.

[Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey, image via Sephora.com]

TRY: Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey ($15), CoverGirl LipPerfection Lip Color in Tempt ($6.99)

Don’t be afraid to try different looks! Will you keep the rest of your look toned down or go bold with a smoky eye?

-Alana Quagliariello

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