THE RED LIPSTICK POST OF DOOM!
Jul. 26th, 2011 04:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
krisipanicsBecause some of you were actually interested in it: here it is.
All of the following I've discovered through trial and error. These things work for me, but might not work for everyone. So following are my personal tips and my lipstick reviews. Feel free to share your own tips or tell about a ZOMG YOU GOTTA HAVE THIS! shade of red. At this point I'm far beyond denying my obsession....
THE BASICS
*Preparation is everything. Red lipstick is unforgiving and if your lips are chapped and dry it will show. Two simple steps ensure that my lips are always in good condition: (*) when I brush my teeth in the evening I also brush my lips. Sounds stupid, but it's the cheapest and best kind of peeling you can get. (*) after that I apply Vaseline or Carmex to my lips. Any kind of lip balm will do, though I've found that chapstick is not moisturizing enough for my lips. DON'T apply lip balm before you put lipstick on. I've found that it builds too much of a barrier and the colour is gonna rub right off.
*Primer? There's lots of products out there which promise to make your lipstick last longer. Are they any good? Personally, I don't think so. I've got MAC's Prep+Prime, but I hardly ever use it. I haven't found that it prolongs the staying power of my lipstick
*Lip liner Lip liner isn't absolutely necessary, but I highly recommend using it (in most cases). Not only does it make your red lips look neater, it also keeps the lipstick from bleeding and helps with fading. What I do is line the contour of my lips and then fill them in. You don't have to be totally precise and fill out every little corner. Once I've got most of it I smudge the liner with my finger to spread the colour evenly. Especially pay attention to the corners of your lips.
*Do I need a lip liner for every shade of red? Personally, NO. I have two lip liners, one in a light shade of red and one in a dark wine colour. I find that these are sufficient. They do influence the way your lipstick turns out, either toning it down or intensifying the red. So what liner I use depends entirely on what kind of colour I want to achieve.
*Shade? OMG how to pick? The general rule of thumb is that lipsticks with an orange or pink hue is going to make your teeth look more yellow. So unless you have pearly whites, I'd stay away from those. Shades with blue undertones, on the other hand, make your teeth appear whiter. True reds are always a good colour to start with.
Also note that matte colours last much longer than lustre colours.
*Do I need a brush to apply lipstick? In most cases, yes. There are some lipsticks that are creamy enough that they go on nicely without a brush. Especially for the MAC lipsticks though, a brush is highly recommended. Also, you'll get a much neater result with a brush. It doesn't have to be an expensive one, mine cost 3 quid and I'm very satisfied with it. If you wanna go red, invest a few extra bucks and get a lipstick brush :)
*That little extra glow A little extra thing you can do to make your red lips stand out even more: apply highlighter to your cupid's bow. I use Benefits High Beam, but any kind of highlighter or white eyeshadow will work. If you're living in the UK, get MeMeMe's 'Moon Beam' from Superdrug. It's a dupe of High Beam, and costs 3 quid. Before you apply your lipliner or lipstick, apply the highlighter to your cupid's bow and blend well. Takes 10 seconds, has a big effect.
DOS & DON'TS
DO:
*blot It's the thing that'll make all the difference. Once you've applied your lipstick, blot. It'll take off the excess and leave you with a nice, even colour.
*quick touch up If my lipstick fades and I have nothing with me to touch up/am too lazy, I just rub my finger over my lip, kind of like I'm trying to smudge pencil on paper. the corners of your lips will fade most quickly, so just rub from the middle out to spread the colour.
DON'T:
*press your lips together Don't. I have no idea why our mother's/grandmother's are so fond of this, but I find that it spreads the colour very unevenly and ruins the contour of your upper lip. Blot instead.
*apply gloss over your lips It may seem like a great idea because it makes the colour all sparkly and nice…and then you end up looking like the Joker because as soon as there's gloss or lipbalm involved, the staying power of your lipstick goes down to zero. Unless you use one of those double lipstick/balm things, but more about those later.
LIPSTICK REVIEWS
BENEFIT
Benetint
Benetint is not, per definition, a lipstick but a lip stain. If you don't want to start with bold, red lips right away, this is your best bet. Benetint is liquid and a little strange to apply (a little like nail polish) but you just put it on your lips (no lipliner!!!!) like you're painting them with water colour. The more layers you apply, the more intense the colour gets. Leave time to dry between layers. Benetint is so awesome because it stays on your lips, it won't rub off or leave ugly marks anywhere. Apart from that it's a quick fix for those days when you just feel tired and want a little colour on your face.
MAC
Ruby Woo
Ruby Ruby Ruby Rubyyyyyyyy
Ruby Woo is MAC's retro lipstick. In this case retro means that it is one of the first red lipsticks that was on the market, and still has the same formula today as way back then. That means Ruby Woo is extremely dry and quite honestly, a bit of a bitch to apply. Don't ever use it if your lips are dry or even a little chapped. This lipstick is the cruelest of the unforgiving reds! But once it's on it's on. Ruby Woo has amazing staying powers for some people. Unfortunately for me, it tends to fade unevenly on my lips.
I have a constant love/hate relationship with this lipstick because I ADORE the colour, it's the perfect shade of red in my opinion. Due to the lipstick being so dry it is very hard to reapply during the day.
Russian Red
Russian Red is THE red lipstick by MAC. The Gerard Way of red lipsticks! It's probably MAC's most well-known shade of red lipstick and is widely recommended. Supposedly it suits EVERY woman. Can't say I've tried it, there's only one of me ;P but it is definitely a great lipstick and a great colour. Russian Red is creamier than Ruby Woo and a little bit more shimmery, I guess. It's a very bold colour though, so wearing this lipstick you definitely make a statement as bright as Gerard's hair.
Viva Glam I
Viva Glam I, my darling, the lipstick I already bought a back-up of because yes, it's that great. As opposed to Ruby Woo and Russian Red, Viva Glam I is a toned-down, "brickish"/rusty red. I think it's a great shade and it's my go-to lipstick for every day. Depending on what colour lipliner you use underneath it, it'll come out lighter or darker.
Pro Longwear Prolong
MAC's Pro-Longwear range promises a creamy lipstick that's long-lasting and stays on for 12 hours. Is it true? Kinda. The Pro Longwear lipsticks are a lot creamier than the matte ones, but there are only two shades of red available and while the stay on well enough, I'm not blown away by their staying power.
Prolong is the brighter shade of two. I'd describe it as a cherry red. Personally I don't wear it a lot, because I find it has too warm undertones that don't look good on me. If you're undecided, see if you can try the shade at a counter, but I'd recommend Russian Red over this.
Pro Longwear Extended Play
Extended Play is the darker of the two reds in the Pro-Longwear range. It's a nice enough colour, similar to Viva Glam I, but strangely enough on me I find that it takes on violet undertones.
L'Oreal
Infallible
L'Oreal Infallible is one of those lipsticks that come in a package deal: colour and lip balm. For some weird reason that I haven't figured out yet, the lipstick comes in liquid form in the US, but in lipstick form in Europe.
Let's talk about the positive things first: this motherfucker is going to stay on and you'll find yourself scrubbing it from your lips at night with make-up remover and your toothbrush.
Wow, that sounds amazing, so what's the downside?
…everything else, I'm afraid.
Let's start with the application: It's alright with the liquid US version, which goes on smoothly and evenly. But, the two shades of red in the US version I have both sparkle. I don't like that, at all. The European shade I have is a nice, matte red, but it is impossible to apply. The colour will go on evenly on some parts of the lips, but not at all on others. You end up with a result that looks very "chipped". Which sums this lipstick up for me. It has amazing staying powers, but it dries your lips out terribly and they feel tight by the end of the day. And, if it comes off it doesn't fade to a nice stain like the MAC lipsticks. It's like pieces of nail polish chipping off, leaving embarrassing patches on your lips. You also have to be exceptionally quick applying this. 15 seconds and BAM! No correcting mistakes anymore.
The lip balm gives it a nice enough sheen, but isn't moisturizing at all in my opinion.
Not a product I use or would recommend.
Endless - Fired Up
OR: the Lindsey Lipstick!
Yes. I've been pining for this for aaaaaaaaages. Or, well. Ever since Lindsey recommended it on Twitter. Judging by the colour I would say this is her wearing it:
But let's not talk about my obsession with Lindsey in combination with red lips...ahem.
Anyway! For some reason this lipstick can't be found in stores, but i got mine off eBay for 3 bucks. So go get it! Because is it worth it? Well, I've only had it for a day, but I'd say...yes!
It goes on really smoothly and feels nice on the lips. AND it really does last. I've seen some gradual fading during the day, but nothing really noticeable. Shade wise it is a very rusty red, so very wearable for every day. The only downside to that is that if you apply several layers it gets very dark with more brownish than red undertones.
So this? Highly recommended, definitely, especially considering the price.
Revlon
Liquid Lipstick - Tomato
One of my absolute favorites! For some reason it looks sparkly in the product image, but it actually isn't. This lipstick is applied like a lipgloss and it dries within 20 seconds. And it LASTS. This lipstick is everything that L'Oreal Infallible isn't. It goes on easily and smoothly, stays on well and you can play around with the intensity of the colour. One coat without a lipliner underneath is going to look very sheer. If you add lipliner or a second or third coat you get an intense, beautiful red.
The downsides: by the end of the day your lips are going to feel very tight. There's only two shades of red available, I think. Tomato and a darker. bordeaux colour.
Um. Yes. That was the terribly long post on red lipstick, that reveals to the world just how much of a geek I am.
All of the following I've discovered through trial and error. These things work for me, but might not work for everyone. So following are my personal tips and my lipstick reviews. Feel free to share your own tips or tell about a ZOMG YOU GOTTA HAVE THIS! shade of red. At this point I'm far beyond denying my obsession....
THE BASICS
*Preparation is everything. Red lipstick is unforgiving and if your lips are chapped and dry it will show. Two simple steps ensure that my lips are always in good condition: (*) when I brush my teeth in the evening I also brush my lips. Sounds stupid, but it's the cheapest and best kind of peeling you can get. (*) after that I apply Vaseline or Carmex to my lips. Any kind of lip balm will do, though I've found that chapstick is not moisturizing enough for my lips. DON'T apply lip balm before you put lipstick on. I've found that it builds too much of a barrier and the colour is gonna rub right off.
*Primer? There's lots of products out there which promise to make your lipstick last longer. Are they any good? Personally, I don't think so. I've got MAC's Prep+Prime, but I hardly ever use it. I haven't found that it prolongs the staying power of my lipstick
*Lip liner Lip liner isn't absolutely necessary, but I highly recommend using it (in most cases). Not only does it make your red lips look neater, it also keeps the lipstick from bleeding and helps with fading. What I do is line the contour of my lips and then fill them in. You don't have to be totally precise and fill out every little corner. Once I've got most of it I smudge the liner with my finger to spread the colour evenly. Especially pay attention to the corners of your lips.
*Do I need a lip liner for every shade of red? Personally, NO. I have two lip liners, one in a light shade of red and one in a dark wine colour. I find that these are sufficient. They do influence the way your lipstick turns out, either toning it down or intensifying the red. So what liner I use depends entirely on what kind of colour I want to achieve.
*Shade? OMG how to pick? The general rule of thumb is that lipsticks with an orange or pink hue is going to make your teeth look more yellow. So unless you have pearly whites, I'd stay away from those. Shades with blue undertones, on the other hand, make your teeth appear whiter. True reds are always a good colour to start with.
Also note that matte colours last much longer than lustre colours.
*Do I need a brush to apply lipstick? In most cases, yes. There are some lipsticks that are creamy enough that they go on nicely without a brush. Especially for the MAC lipsticks though, a brush is highly recommended. Also, you'll get a much neater result with a brush. It doesn't have to be an expensive one, mine cost 3 quid and I'm very satisfied with it. If you wanna go red, invest a few extra bucks and get a lipstick brush :)
*That little extra glow A little extra thing you can do to make your red lips stand out even more: apply highlighter to your cupid's bow. I use Benefits High Beam, but any kind of highlighter or white eyeshadow will work. If you're living in the UK, get MeMeMe's 'Moon Beam' from Superdrug. It's a dupe of High Beam, and costs 3 quid. Before you apply your lipliner or lipstick, apply the highlighter to your cupid's bow and blend well. Takes 10 seconds, has a big effect.
DOS & DON'TS
DO:
*blot It's the thing that'll make all the difference. Once you've applied your lipstick, blot. It'll take off the excess and leave you with a nice, even colour.
*quick touch up If my lipstick fades and I have nothing with me to touch up/am too lazy, I just rub my finger over my lip, kind of like I'm trying to smudge pencil on paper. the corners of your lips will fade most quickly, so just rub from the middle out to spread the colour.
DON'T:
*press your lips together Don't. I have no idea why our mother's/grandmother's are so fond of this, but I find that it spreads the colour very unevenly and ruins the contour of your upper lip. Blot instead.
*apply gloss over your lips It may seem like a great idea because it makes the colour all sparkly and nice…and then you end up looking like the Joker because as soon as there's gloss or lipbalm involved, the staying power of your lipstick goes down to zero. Unless you use one of those double lipstick/balm things, but more about those later.
LIPSTICK REVIEWS
BENEFIT
Benetint
Benetint is not, per definition, a lipstick but a lip stain. If you don't want to start with bold, red lips right away, this is your best bet. Benetint is liquid and a little strange to apply (a little like nail polish) but you just put it on your lips (no lipliner!!!!) like you're painting them with water colour. The more layers you apply, the more intense the colour gets. Leave time to dry between layers. Benetint is so awesome because it stays on your lips, it won't rub off or leave ugly marks anywhere. Apart from that it's a quick fix for those days when you just feel tired and want a little colour on your face.
MAC
Ruby Woo
Ruby Ruby Ruby Rubyyyyyyyy
Ruby Woo is MAC's retro lipstick. In this case retro means that it is one of the first red lipsticks that was on the market, and still has the same formula today as way back then. That means Ruby Woo is extremely dry and quite honestly, a bit of a bitch to apply. Don't ever use it if your lips are dry or even a little chapped. This lipstick is the cruelest of the unforgiving reds! But once it's on it's on. Ruby Woo has amazing staying powers for some people. Unfortunately for me, it tends to fade unevenly on my lips.
I have a constant love/hate relationship with this lipstick because I ADORE the colour, it's the perfect shade of red in my opinion. Due to the lipstick being so dry it is very hard to reapply during the day.
Russian Red
Russian Red is THE red lipstick by MAC. The Gerard Way of red lipsticks! It's probably MAC's most well-known shade of red lipstick and is widely recommended. Supposedly it suits EVERY woman. Can't say I've tried it, there's only one of me ;P but it is definitely a great lipstick and a great colour. Russian Red is creamier than Ruby Woo and a little bit more shimmery, I guess. It's a very bold colour though, so wearing this lipstick you definitely make a statement as bright as Gerard's hair.
Viva Glam I
Viva Glam I, my darling, the lipstick I already bought a back-up of because yes, it's that great. As opposed to Ruby Woo and Russian Red, Viva Glam I is a toned-down, "brickish"/rusty red. I think it's a great shade and it's my go-to lipstick for every day. Depending on what colour lipliner you use underneath it, it'll come out lighter or darker.
Pro Longwear Prolong
MAC's Pro-Longwear range promises a creamy lipstick that's long-lasting and stays on for 12 hours. Is it true? Kinda. The Pro Longwear lipsticks are a lot creamier than the matte ones, but there are only two shades of red available and while the stay on well enough, I'm not blown away by their staying power.
Prolong is the brighter shade of two. I'd describe it as a cherry red. Personally I don't wear it a lot, because I find it has too warm undertones that don't look good on me. If you're undecided, see if you can try the shade at a counter, but I'd recommend Russian Red over this.
Pro Longwear Extended Play
Extended Play is the darker of the two reds in the Pro-Longwear range. It's a nice enough colour, similar to Viva Glam I, but strangely enough on me I find that it takes on violet undertones.
L'Oreal
Infallible
L'Oreal Infallible is one of those lipsticks that come in a package deal: colour and lip balm. For some weird reason that I haven't figured out yet, the lipstick comes in liquid form in the US, but in lipstick form in Europe.
Let's talk about the positive things first: this motherfucker is going to stay on and you'll find yourself scrubbing it from your lips at night with make-up remover and your toothbrush.
Wow, that sounds amazing, so what's the downside?
…everything else, I'm afraid.
Let's start with the application: It's alright with the liquid US version, which goes on smoothly and evenly. But, the two shades of red in the US version I have both sparkle. I don't like that, at all. The European shade I have is a nice, matte red, but it is impossible to apply. The colour will go on evenly on some parts of the lips, but not at all on others. You end up with a result that looks very "chipped". Which sums this lipstick up for me. It has amazing staying powers, but it dries your lips out terribly and they feel tight by the end of the day. And, if it comes off it doesn't fade to a nice stain like the MAC lipsticks. It's like pieces of nail polish chipping off, leaving embarrassing patches on your lips. You also have to be exceptionally quick applying this. 15 seconds and BAM! No correcting mistakes anymore.
The lip balm gives it a nice enough sheen, but isn't moisturizing at all in my opinion.
Not a product I use or would recommend.
Endless - Fired Up
OR: the Lindsey Lipstick!
Yes. I've been pining for this for aaaaaaaaages. Or, well. Ever since Lindsey recommended it on Twitter. Judging by the colour I would say this is her wearing it:
But let's not talk about my obsession with Lindsey in combination with red lips...ahem.
Anyway! For some reason this lipstick can't be found in stores, but i got mine off eBay for 3 bucks. So go get it! Because is it worth it? Well, I've only had it for a day, but I'd say...yes!
It goes on really smoothly and feels nice on the lips. AND it really does last. I've seen some gradual fading during the day, but nothing really noticeable. Shade wise it is a very rusty red, so very wearable for every day. The only downside to that is that if you apply several layers it gets very dark with more brownish than red undertones.
So this? Highly recommended, definitely, especially considering the price.
Revlon
Liquid Lipstick - Tomato
One of my absolute favorites! For some reason it looks sparkly in the product image, but it actually isn't. This lipstick is applied like a lipgloss and it dries within 20 seconds. And it LASTS. This lipstick is everything that L'Oreal Infallible isn't. It goes on easily and smoothly, stays on well and you can play around with the intensity of the colour. One coat without a lipliner underneath is going to look very sheer. If you add lipliner or a second or third coat you get an intense, beautiful red.
The downsides: by the end of the day your lips are going to feel very tight. There's only two shades of red available, I think. Tomato and a darker. bordeaux colour.
Um. Yes. That was the terribly long post on red lipstick, that reveals to the world just how much of a geek I am.
no subject
Date: 2011-07-26 03:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-26 06:08 pm (UTC)let me be your lipstick coaaaaaaaaaaaaaach *dances*
no subject
Date: 2011-07-30 06:46 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-03 07:16 am (UTC)I think I have one dark wine lipstick here, I love open, brighter shades of red, or pretty much shades like this one that Frances Bean is wearing:
And i am definitely adding to my memories! :D
no subject
Date: 2012-01-03 07:42 am (UTC)