The Holiday Season is upon us, and one of my favorite looks for this time of year is a classic red lip. There is nothing more festive than a bright red lip look. I love red lipstick for two reasons. First, there is a shade, undertone, and pigmentation for everyone. No matter who you are, there IS a red lip that is going to look fabulous and flatter you. Second, the red lip look is so versatile. It can easily go from timeless and classic, to edgy and daring, to sultry and sexy depending on what you do with the rest of your makeup. My two favorites are to pair it with a neutral charcoal smokey eye for a very classic, sexy look, or to pair it with very little eye makeup for a more funky, high-fashion look. Here are some of the best (my favorite) formulas and shades for a festive red lip. Between all of them, there is something for everyone! Hopefully my reviews and swatches will help you choose.
L-R above = top to bottom below
This is a very "classic" red. It has a blue base, which means it is more cool-toned. This very traditional red will work on most skin tones, with the exception of those who are more olive toned. The formula is nice, but honestly nothing out of the ordinary in either a good or bad way, just nice. It goes on smoothly, and feels relatively creamy. It lasts relatively well, especially considering how comfortable it is to wear.
This is another more cool-toned red, but it is a little deeper than the L'Oreal. Still a very classic color, and this formula is super pigmented. Like a lot of long lasting colors, this will stay on for hours, but that comes at the cost of moisture. It is a little dry and get kind of uncomfortable. It is also rather matte. If you want matte, it's great. If you are not looking for a matte finish, I might recommend a balm or clear gloss over this to make it a little more comfortable.
I mentioned these NYX Butter Glosses in my
Purple Lips post, and like most beauty junkies, I am still obsessed with them. So creamy and pigmented, and not sticky at all, every woman's dream gloss! Oh, and they smell fantastic! This is definitely more sheer than any of the lipsticks in this post, so if you are nervous about trying a bright red, or want a more subtle look, this is a great place to start.
I love this formula. stila definitely named them appropriately when they called them Stay All Day. These are hard to remove even when you want them to. I am amazed every time I wear this how infrequently I have to reapply. I also love that they are super pigmented, and unlike a lot of long lasting stain lip products, they are actually rather creamy, and do not feel drying on your lips. This shade has a definite yellow base, and is more of an orange-toned red. A lot of people think they can't wear orange tones, but they are actually flattering on very fair and very dark tones, and are great on those olive tones who may not like blue-based reds on themselves.
This formula is so buttery and creamy, it feels luxurious when you put it on. It is not as long lasting as some of the others, but it won't disappear either. This is a very neutral-based red, which means it has both blue and yellow undertones, and will therefore be flattering on pretty much everyone. The creamy formula also means that it can be applied very sheer or very pigmented depending on how you apply it and how much you apply. This is the both the most versatile formula and shade of red in the bunch. If you only want one, or aren't sure what you like best, this might be your best buy.
Um, I cannot express how perfectly named this stain is. It is definitely a stain, and the name has the word "Always" in it, which might just be irony, but is accurate. This stuff stained for my arm for hours after swatching it, even after rubbing with multiple makeup removers and soap. This will last you through hours and hours of eating, drinking, talking, whatever, and it WILL NOT move or fade. The word "cream" in the name is also accurate, because it does feel creamy when you apply it, remarkably so considering how long it lasts. This is a very neutral based red too, which means it will look good on almost everyone, but it cannot be sheered out as easily as the CLINIQUE. If you want a universally flattering red that is pigmented and will last forever, this is it!
I love this formula, and own a few of them. They feel and apply so completely smooth and soft, but they won't bleed or fade quickly like a lot of creamy formulas do. This is another neutral shade, but it is also a bit deeper than some of the others. I would call this hue "deep", while I would call some of the others more on the "bright" side, like the L'Oreal or SEPHORA. The deeper shade makes it a little more sultry in my mind. I absolutely love this color and formula. A lot of deeper-hued reds can look even deeper once I apply them to my fair skin, but this one manages to be slightly deep, but stay bright at the same time, if that makes any sense??
Ok, I know, I mention BITE BEAUTY in every lip post I do, but their products are all amazing. They are probably my favorite lip brand overall. These pencils are super pigmented, and have a slightly glossy finish. They are not as long lasting as the Matte Cream Lip Crayons, which I also mentioned in my
Purple Lips post, but still don't need constant reapplying. I also like that they are twist up pencils, so you do not need to carry a sharpener in your purse or worry about them getting dull and not being able to apply them precisely. This is definitely the deepest shade of the bunch.
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