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An Ode To Red Lipstick: 6 Ultra Flattering Shades

by Verena von Pfetten | 12:27 pm, May 14th, 2010


If you know me, you know I love two things: food and red lipstick.* And while there’s nothing that I love giving more than a good restaurant recommendation, it’s hard to do that when not everyone lives in New York. But thanks to the magical powers of the internet and online shopping sites, I can give you a good red lipstick reco, which comes in a pretty close second place.

First off, lets address the fact that for a lot of people, red lipstick is a scary thing. It’s bright, it’s a statement, and it requires constant attention. (Dita von Teese checks hers every half an hour!) But it’s not as hard to pull off as most people think, and once you’ve got the right shade, it becomes a veritable lifesaver. No time to do a full face of makeup in the morning? Swipe on some red lipstick and you’ll look fab. Need to brighten up your office look for a post-work event? Look no further than your handydandy tube of rouge. Inappropriately underdressed for [insert cocktail attire event here]? Coat on the red and you’ll look like downtown chic in no time. These are the magical powers of red lipstick.

Now, I’m a relatively new convert to the color; my love affair with red is less than five years old. But these last five years have been meaningful and passionate and I’ve learned a lot — enough, I think, to pass on some of my lore to you.

Before we get into the colors, there are three things to know when it comes to wearing red lipstick. One: keep your lips moisturized. Two: Be prepared to check and reapply it consistently. And three: it’s best when worn as an accent, but do what makes you happy. If you wanna go whole hog and do it up with a smoky eye, doll-cheek blush, and a splash of cherry red on your smackers, then go for it. There are no real rules there, other than feeling fabulous.

But let’s get down to the nitty gritty: the colors. The following six shades are my tried and true, flattering on everyone, all time favorite reds.

1. Nars Sheer Lipstick in Manhunt, $24. This might be the most versatile, easy to use, unfuckupable shade of red lipstick ever made. The consistency is creamy and just sheer enough that it allows you plenty of control over the depth of color and the shade is warm and bright and flattering on every skin tone.

2. Lorac Breakthrough Performance Lipstick SPF 15 in It Girl, $22. This is color skews more to the coral (and summery) side of red but has the same delightful sheerness as Manhunt which allows you to build the intensity you want. One caveat: it’s just the teensiest bit on the dry side, so keep some Chapstick handy.

3. Guerlain KissKiss Lipstick In Insolence de Rouge, $31. I’ll admit that my love of Guerlain lipstick might be swayed by the beauty of the case, but this color is luxuriously rich and salaciously bright. There’s a reason this color is consistently sold out, but if you can find it, it’s worth the splurge.

4. Mac Lipstick in Russian Red, $14. Russian Red and have a bit of a love/hate relationship. I love, love, love the color — it’s the epitome of Old Hollywood glamour — but I hate, hate, hate the texture. This lipstick, though it’s in my top five, is far to dry. But if you’re looking for an in-your-face, accessory-in-and-of-itself red, this is it. Just pair it with some Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream.

5 (and 6.) Tom Ford Private Blend Lip Color Collection in True Coral and Cherry Lush, $45.** Okay. Listen up, because this lipstick is hands-down, out of this world. It’s also an absolutely mind-boggling $45, but that’s what you pay to have Tom Ford leave his mark on your lips. Ultra, ultra moisturizing, ultra, ultra rich color, and ultra, ultra chic packaging. Yes, you could buy a new shirt from Top Shop for the same amount of money, but trust me when I say you wouldn’t look as fabulous. I love this lipstick. There’s one catch though: the line doesn’t launch until June 1, but it will be available online and in stores at Saks, Bergdorfs, and Neiman Marcus when it does.

*I actually love more than two things. I should probably include my dog on this list, as well as Converse sneakers, The Real World / Road Rules Challenge, and Karl Lagerfeld, among other things.

**Since the collection isn’t out yet, Tom Ford was kind enough to give us some free samples to try.


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  • syama

    please dont forget Chanel red’s. Their lipsticks are the most rich, long lasting, and feel great. I stand by all their colors, esp Red No.5, CoCo Red, Fire and Dragon.

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