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Penelope Cruz has the perfect red pucker!
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What’s your perfect shade?
by guest blogger, Anne Houseman, of Beauty Xpose
From crimson to garnet to ruby to cherry, red lips are taking the runways (and the streets) by storm. Here at BeautyXpose, we believe red lips are the perfect transition to a new fall look without having to overhaul your wardrobe or makeup palette.
Think red doesn’t work for you? Valerie Brooks, makeup artist for Beauticreams, Inc. in Palatka, Fla., says there’s a red for everyone and believes the hardest part to wearing red is being brave enough to do it — especially if you haven’t worn bright colors before. She contends that choosing your perfect shade isn’t really that difficult.
“If you are a warm toned person, go for the more orangey or coral colors; for a cool complexion, try the blue toned reds and pink-reds,” Brooks said. “If you really want to dazzle or if you going from day to play, keep a matching lip gloss in your bag for a quick sexy change.”
Brooks believes that those who try out red lips will see the benefits almost immediately. “I challenge you — walk around for one day with red and see what happens. How many heads will you turn?” Brooks said.
Application Tips for the Perfect Red Lips
While anyone can vamp it up with red smackers, it takes a little finesse to make sure you’re looking more “classic sexy” than “over-zealous cougar grandma” or “streetwalker.” Brooks gives us these tips for getting the perfect red pout:
1. Go Neutral: If you are going to go red it’s usually best to take it easy on the eye make up. Use neutral colors like a soft liner/mascara and blush (once again chose a neutral color, or even just opt for a light bronzing). Try to draw focus to one facial feature. If you have a red undertone to your skin you want to make sure to conceal that well, or use a redness reducing product (like Redness Relief Soothing Cream SPF 25 from Avene).
2. Exfoliate: Exfoliate your lips, and always use a lip moisturizer (not waxy sticks) — flaky, dry skin totally ruins a good lip. Also use a primer for your lips. There are several available on the market and this will help keep your color from bleeding out.
3. Line Away: Most people stretch their lips to put on liner — this is a no-no!! Once your lip goes back to it’s natural place, all that lip liner will bunch up and make any lines around your mouth more predominant. So keep your mouth in a natural position as if you are watching TV. Start by lining the “V” area on your top lip. Then work out towards the left and right side. Then line bottom lip by following its contour. Now look in the mirror — everything all even? This is when you want to correct any mistakes — you aren’t too far committed yet. If things look a little wonky, then use a q-tip and some make up remover to take away the areas that just aren’t right. Don’t rub back and forth or you’ll smear; use in a single direction.
4. Apply Lipstick: A lot of people like to apply straight off the stick. I prefer to use a lip brush myself and recommend investing a little in a decent one; you can see more of what your doing and control the color better with a brush. So just pick up some color on your brush and apply to your lips. It’s easier to start in the middle of the top lip, work your way out, and then follow contour on the bottom.
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