The Best Way to Master the Classic Red Lips

STEP 1 PENCIL IT IN

Since red is a bold colour, creamy lipsticks can smear or bleed. But lip liners have thicker texture, so they stay put. To make lips look fuller, first, use a concealer in the middle of the lips. Then blend outwards with your finger. Finally, fill in the colour with a lip pencil.

 

Chanel Le Crayon Lèvres in 57 Rouge Profond, Rs 1,750

M·A·C Pro Longwear Lip Pencil in What a Blast, Rs 1,800

Shiseido Smoothing Lip Pencil in Tangelo, Rs 1,225

Maybelline Colorsensational Lip Liner in Hollywood Red, Rs 250

 

 

 

 

 

 

STEP 2 Make It Last

If your lipstick vanishes quickly, make it stay by adding layers.

 

To make your lip line sharper and to make the colour pop, line the outside of your lips with a  concealer pen.

 

a. Prep your lips with an exfoliating lip scrub like The Body Shop’s LipScuff, which gently exfoliates and moisturises.

The Body Shop LipScuff, Rs 700

 

 

b. Use a concealer or compact powder as a base for the lipstick.

Colorbar Perfect Match Compact, Rs 725

 

 

c. To define lips perfectly, apply lipstick with a lip brush.

M·A·C Lip Brush in 318, Rs 1,800 

 

 

d. For extra power, use a matte lipstick. For full coverage, don’t forget to fill in the inner corners of your lips.

Maybelline Bold Matte Lipstick in Mat 4, Rs 425

 

 

e. Add another layer of concealer and lipstick to lock the colour, then top it up with a gloss.

Chanel Rouge Allure Gloss, `2,400

 

 

STEP 3 Try a New hue

 

The latest in red that awaits you at beauty counters.

M·A·C RED RED RED Lipstick in  Lady Bug, Rs 1,450

Bobbi Brown Lip Colour in Candied Red, Rs 2,100

Lakmé 9 to 5 Creaseless Créme Lipstick in Flaming Function, Rs 450

Clinique Long Last Soft Matte Lipstick in Crimson, Rs 1,600

Avon Extra Lasting Lipstick in Eternal Flame, Rs 499

Lancôme L’Absolu Rouge in Carousel Rose, Rs 2,000

 

 

STEP 4 Pair with the right eyes

 

The general rule: pair red lips with minimal eyes. That means you should skip colourful shadows and liners, but feel free to add definition with a winged liner, black kohl, tonnes of mascara, and even a light smokey eye.

STEP 5 TRY A TWO TIMER
 

To get flushed cheeks and just-bitten rosy lips, try these double-duty stains that work well both as a lip and a cheek tint.

 

Dior Cheek & Lip Glow, Rs 2,300 approx

Benefit Benetint, Rs 2,460

The Body Shop Lip & Cheek Stain, Rs 850

 

STEP 6 KNOW YOUR TONE

The perfect red for you will make all the difference, making your skin look brighter (or too intense). To get it right, remember the three tones: blue (cool), orange (warm), or a mix (neutral). Fair skins are usually cool, so blue-reds work best (as do pinkish reds). If you have yellow or olive undertones, you’re ‘warm’ and orange-reds will look great. If you’re a ‘neutral’, shades show their true colour on you, which means what you see is what you’ll get.

 

Cool

L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Intense in Ruby, Rs 825 

Dior Rouge Dior in Rouge Zinnia, Rs 2,600

 

Neutral

M·A·C RED RED RED Collection Creme Sheen Glass in Meteoric, Rs 1,800

Maybelline Superstay 14HR in Non Stop Red, Rs 575

 

 

Warm

Colorbar Take Me As I Am in Sensuous Red, Rs 900

Lakmé Absolute Gloss Addict in Orange Candy, Rs 800

 

 

STEP 7 Don’t Stain THOSE Teeth

 

 

Creamy textures and bold colours can rub off on teeth easily. To avoid that, form an ‘O’ with your mouth around your finger, then gently slide out the finger. This (mildy strange) little trick will get all the excess colour on your finger.

 

 

STEP 9 Master Sexy BIG LIPS

 

Define lips with the edge of the lipstick.

Swipe on some colour and blot to create a stain-like effect.

Use a clear lip liner or the tip of a gloss, above your Cupid’s bow and under the lower lip. The gloss enhances the pouty-parts.

For an even plusher effect, apply gloss to the centre of your mouth in a heart shape.

 

STEP 9 Do the Boost

 

To plump up lips instantly, try glosses like Dior’s Lip Maximizer or Soap & Glory’s Sexy Mother Pucker, which are infused with collagen and marine fibres that make lips appear pouty. For a DIY idea, dab some cinnamon oil on lips. The spicy oil can burn (be careful!), so mix it with some balm first. And if you’re a devoted lip plumpee, try a lip enhancer like the tube-y thing below—it creates a suction that swells lip size and adds more shape.

Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker, Rs 1,100

Pure Cinnamon Essential Oil, Rs 295, @amazon.in

Lip Plumper Enhancer, Rs 700 approx, @ebay.com

Dior Addict Lip Maximizer, Rs 2,350

 

 

STEP 10 LEARN FROM A PRO

Namrata Soni, Beauty Expert, L’Oréal Paris, spills the beans on how to get the perfect red pout.

 

1. Red is a classic shade—it’s best worn by itself! Keep the rest of your make-up clean and fresh when sporting a red lipstick.

2. Use a glossy or creamy texture to make thin lips appear fuller.
3. If you have fuller lips, use a matte textured lipstick to enhance the lip’s natural shape.
4. Medium shape lips can get away with any texture—matte, glossy or creamy.