Picking a Red Lipstick

First person to guess what iconic lip this is gets my favorite red lippy.

There are a million and one red lipstick options out there. It can be a little overwhelming to choose, so here are a few tips that I've learned:

- I'm blue, abadee abada.

Red lips can feel a bit garish, especially on someone who doesn't wear lipstick a lot. If you feel like your lips are screaming, or if you don't like the way red looks on you, you might have the wrong shade. Try using red that has a "cool tone", meaning that it has a blue or purple undertone. Lippys that are an orange base will pick up any yellow tones and make them look 10X worse. Extremely pale all the way up to yellow skin tones look best with a more plummy red. Olive skin tones and darker can pull off the orangey reds and brown reds. If you have an orange shade of lippy, don't throw it out, try putting a pink gloss over it.

Kaleigh's Fave Lips:
Try this one if you feel like you look jaundiced with a red lip
This one is a great "fiery" option for olive tones
If you rival Snow White, try this pinky red.

Orange VS Purple

 

see the difference?

Please understand, I am NOT saying a pale skin tone can't rock a mulberry red lip, or a yellow skin stone can never wear orange-red lips. But if you feel uncomfortable in the color you've chosen, try the tricks above until you feel more comfy in the red!

- Matte lippy is your friend

Try using a matte lip instead of a high gloss. Gloss can easily slide all over the place, making you look like a drunk hooker. Line your lips to define them, then use a matte lippy to avoid said hooker.
I love the MAC matte finish lipsticks. They don't make your lips feel dry but they don't make my lips look like shiny plastic either.

which leads me to my next point:

- Lip liner is a double edged sword.

Lip liner is a great tool to making sure your lips look finished and to define your lip. But finding a liner in the exact shade of your lippy can be difficult at times. Try using a neutral colored liner instead! You get the safety of a liner with out the hazards of the two tone look, AND you save money by buying one universal liner. voila!

- if you're leery, blot it deary!
if you're new to red lippy, or you feel like your lips are screaming at people when you wear red lippy, try blotting your lips on a napkin to tone down the color. This will give you a more subtle, I just drank red kool aid and defied the laws of reason by only getting it on my lips-bee stung-lippy look. Believe me, this is good.

- You are not a Disney princess. Go easy on the eye shadow.

Lippy is dramatic enough with out an entire arsenal of makeup to go along with it. A sweep of liner and some mascara is about all you need.

And last but not least:

-EXFOLIATE

 dry, flaky lippy is gross and kind of defeats the purpose of a red lip. We all want to look glamorous right? Shedding pieces of red lip skin isn't glamorous friends. To avoid snake season, use an old tooth brush to gently exfoliate your lips. An actual exfoliant isn't a bad idea either. Personally I like this au natural exfoliator  from Mod Cloth. 

That's it folks! All my lippy secrets, laid bare for you to peruse. If you have any others questions, or tips you yourself use, write 'em in the comments! I'd love to hear, and I'll answer any questions you might have!

Linking up with Rolled Up Pretty Today! And check back tomorrow for a GREAT giveaway!