You may not be aware but red is a colour that we see immediately it appears before us. It’s no accident that traffic lights are red. If they were violet, for instance, the roads would be awash with accidents. So it’s also no surprise that red lips are back in vogue.
In the past, the rule has always been ‘either the eyes or the mouth’ where make up is concerned but the catwalks are showing that highlighting both is the new trend.
Red can be very tricky to wear on a more mature face. It can make the teeth look yellow and has a habit of slipping onto the teeth if you’re not careful, giving less of a vamp and more of a vampire appearance. The shade you choose is crucial, as too warm or too cool can be very unflattering. A word of advice – always ask the assistant at the cosmetic counter to apply on you and then go home and look at it in the daylight and/or your own mirror. Never buy immediately as lights can be very misleading. Colour can also look very different once applied on the lips. So finding the right red can be an expensive business, as it’s easy to get it wrong.
Here then, are some of the choices for you to consider:
Boots No 7 Sheer Temptation in Smoulder £9.99 (pictured) looks scarlet but in fact is so sheer it just gives a hint of red. This is a great choice for those who don’t like too much colour and it has SPF 15 included for protection. Stay away if you are dark haired with a very pale or very dark skin as this will tend to make you look washed out. This is a better choice for those of us who have less contrast in our appearance.
Revlon’s ColorStay Ultimate Liquid Lipstick in Top Tomato £8.99 looks like a gloss in a tube but is actually a cunningly disguised lipstick which stays on the lips for 12 hours without drying. The slight metallic sheen makes lips appear plumper.
Bobbi Brown rarely sells dark or bright colours in her palette but has made an exception for her Lip Color in Burnt Red. It’s a dark red rather than bright red and would look great on pale complexions and/or freckles and red hair. £15.
Estee Lauder’s Double Wear Lipstick in Stay Scarlet £16 is great for those of us with a cooler skin tone as it is quite pink/blue rather than scarlet/orange. I’m a fan of these lipsticks as they do seem to keep my lips moisturised and the packaging is very glam too.
Boots Stay Perfect in Cherry £9.99 is probably better for a warm skin as it has lots of deep orange in the colour. Stays on very well and is good value for the price.
Guerlain’s KissKiss in Exces de Rouge £15 is glamour revisited. The gold packaging is so retro that you’ll feel like a Hollywood film startlet when you apply. A long lasting red which appears brighter on the mouth than it looks in the tube.
Another very bright red is Mac’s Lipstick in Ruby Woo £12. Team with a black dress and that’s all you’ll need. Pair with black eyeliner or smoky eyes if you dare!
Lastly, another of my favourites and a real ‘full on’ red is Dior’s Rouge Diorific in Rouge Bingo Roulette Red £16. The name says it all. Be lucky!
Don’t forget to use a lipliner that matches your own lip colour, not the lipstick, and a specialist cream to stop any colour bleeding into fine lines – an unattractive hazard of mid life I’m afraid. I use Chanel’s Lip Correction, which does the job well and lasts for about 6 months so provides good value for money.
