Getting the right daring lip: 9 pink lipstick picks to jazz up your vacation model
With holiday spirits sparking eclectic, electric vibes in the air, it’s high time we whip out our red lipstick to paint the town a holly jolly hue. Light up your Christmas outfits by making a bold and dramatic splash. After all, it’s the season for turning heads, and there’s no better way to do it than with a stroke of velvet crimson across your lips.
It may be hyperbolic to state as a fact that every makeup bag needs at least one red lipstick this holiday season, but you know it’s true. It’s bold, it’s flashy, and it’s fast. Running short on time to make an engagement or party? Get your skincare on for that natural luminous glow, fix your eyebrows, add a few strokes of mascara, finish with a bold red lipstick, and you’re out the door in perfect time for your holiday celebrations.
The rise and fall of red lipstick and its eventual return to glory
Beloved though it may be in our current day and age, a red lip wasn’t always the popular choice for the bourgeoisie and other highbrow cats in town. Like all trends, red lipstick has experienced its ups and downs in popularity over the eras. It was famously beloved by ancient queens – most notably Cleopatra, who wore red lipstick made from crushed carmine beetles, and Queen Elizabeth I, who unwittingly proved that beauty is worth dying for by wearing makeup containing lead and mercury. Despite its popularity in ancient times, red lips would eventually come to be regarded as a symbol of indecency, used only by courtesans, lower-class women, and actors.
The chaos reached a head in 1650, when a Puritan member of Parliament attempted to submit a bill titled “Immodest Dress”, an “Act against the Vice of Painting and wearing black Patches, and immodest Dresses of Women”. According to the UK National Archives, the bill did not receive a reading, with the council of state likely choosing against pursuing the matter. Although details are scant, it is widely acknowledged that people of the 1700s regarded cosmetics with derision, some citing it as a woman’s means to seduce and trap men in matrimony. At the very least, we do know of public antipathy towards the use of cosmetics; a 1711 letter to British daily The Spectator from an ‘injured gentleman’ revealed displeasure with his wife, whom he addressed as part of the ‘women who do not let their husbands see their faces till they are married’.
Little is known of the fool; ditto, of his fate, but happily, red lipstick continues to endure and thrive today.
In the 1920s, the suffragettes adopted red lipstick as a symbol of rebellion, with leaders Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Charlotte Perkins Gilman especially enjoying its ability to intimidate men. It became the go-to shade for forward thinking, denoting independence and liberation. The Elizabeth Arden herself famously passed out tubes of bright red lipstick for free, arming women en-route to suffragette marches.
By the time the 1950s rolled around, Hollywood icons the likes of Marilyn Monroe, Lucille Ball, and Elizabeth Taylor were rocking shades of crimson, bringing unbridled feminine confidence and sensuality to the big screen with their daring cosmetic choices. Even Queen Elizabeth II was a firm proponent of red lipstick, wearing it well into the golden years of her reign and beyond.
How to pick the perfect shade of red lipstick
Picking the perfect red lipstick for your skin tone may seem daunting. After all, it’s a short walk from coquette to clown town. Thankfully, there are a few general tips to follow when making your selection, and it’s as easy as knowing what complements your skin tone. Generally, you’ll want to pick your shade of red based on how warm or how cool your skin tone is.
Cooler skin tones go with cooler bluish-purple reds, and warmer skin tones go with warmer, orangey reds. A good tip is to try one warm red, and then one cool red. Take photos of how they look on your lips against your complexion and compare them against one another. Don’t rush the process; take your time with the comparison to see how they flatter or complement your undertones.
Stuck trying to figure out your undertones? Check the veins on your wrist; if they appear blue or purple, you have cool undertones, and if they appear green, you have warm undertones. Now go forth and find the perfect red lipstick of your dreams.
9 Ruby red lipstick picks to jazz up your holiday style
YSL Rouge Pur Couture The Slim Velvet Radical in 307 Fiery Spice
A deeper, cooler red that absolutely pops off on Asian skin, this intensely pigmented semi-matte lipstick by YSL glides on as smooth as butter. Infused with caring ingredients to keep your lips moisturised, hydrated, and comfortable throughout a full day of festivities, it is creamy in texture and an absolute dream to wear.
Price: HKD 390
Shop here.
Dior Rouge Dior Forever Liquid Sequin in 999
There’s a reason the Rouge Dior Forever Liquid Sequin lipstick is going viral, and we’re not letting it pass us by. An iconic holiday must-have, this transfer-proof and intensely-pigmented lipstick comes in several shades – including a festive red we love to see.
Upon application and drying, simply press your lips together to ‘activate’ the pearlescent pigments, bringing sparkle and shimmer that will certainly turn you into the captivating belle of any ball. This offering is a limited edition, so act fast if you want to get your hands on your favourite shades.
Price: HKD 390
Shop here.
Huda Beauty Liquid Matte Ultra-Comfort Transfer-Proof Lipstick in Miss America
If you’re planning on finding yourself underneath some mistletoe this holiday season, you’ll need the perfect transfer-proof red lipstick. Huda Beauty’s liquid matte lipstick in Miss America provides just the right amount of seasonal sprightliness, giving you that cheeky confidence boost whilst keeping your lips plump and comfortable.
Price: HKD 190
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Fenty Beauty Icon Velvet Liquid Lipstick in The MVP
There’s nothing quite like Miss RiRi’s ability to create inclusive palettes that suit all skintones, and that much is evident from the aptly named Icon Velvet Liquid Lipstick. Formulated to leave lips plush and comfortable, it does as it says on the label: it’s rich, whipped, and won’t suck the life outta your lips. With strong pigmentation, this lipstick delivers high-impact red in a single swipe, leaving you with a velvety matte finish that’s sure to turn heads this holiday season. How’s that for an MVP?
Price: HKD 290
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Chanel Rouge Allure L’Extrait in 854 Rouge Puissant
If you’re after a warmer red lipstick with a satin finish, look no further than Chanel’s Rouge Allure L’Extrait in 854 Rouge Puissant, a must-have for this holiday season’s high-intensity, luminous makeup looks. Leveraging the effects of ume flower extract and plant waxes, this bright, vibrant, and densely pigmented lipstick offers the perfect formula for comfortably moisturised lips. It’s also refillable, which means you can keep the sleek, seasonally appropriate golden case with you long after your first tube has been used.
Price: HKD 430
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Gucci Beauty Rouge à Lèvres Satin Lipstick in 505 Janet Rust
Marrying the beauty of red with just the barest whisper of gold, Gucci’s Rouge à Lèvres Satin Lipstick in 505 Janet Rust is the perfect satin shade to rock this holiday season. Imbued with natural oils for a long-lasting and yet lightweight satin finished, it’ll keep your lips feeling smooth, soft, and very luscious. A unique Art Deco gold case lends an air of extravagance, making it the perfect companion at every party.
Price: HKD 390
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Charlotte Tilbury Hyaluronic Happikiss in Romance Kiss
New to the world of bold red lips? Ease yourself into the holiday mood with Charlotte Tilbury’s Happikiss lipstick balm, a dreamy hydrating selection that will provide nourishment and adornment in one. While perhaps a shade short of being a true red lipstick, this hyaluronic acid-infused offering is an enchantingly romantic deep coral, with high gloss to provide a luminous sheen for the ultimate eye-catching holiday outfit.
Price: HKD 290
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Pat McGrath Labs Lust 004 V3
If you’ve ever gazed with envy at Taylor Swift’s glittery red lips in the music video for ‘I Don’t Want To Live Forever’, we’ve got you covered. Pat McGrath Labs’ Lust 004 kit, which is incidentally the same one worn by the talented songstress in her collab with Zayn Malik, is everything you need to turn heads this holiday season. Each kit comes with a lipstick, a clear vinyl gloss, and microfine glitter. Get ready to enter your Bejewelled era, Swifties – this one’s for you.
Price: £37.50 (approx. HKD 373.67)
Shop here.
Tom Ford Beauty Lip Color Satin Matte Lipstick in Charmed
There’s satin and there’s matte, and then there’s Tom Ford’s satin matte cream-based lipstick, formulated to keep your lips plush, hydrated, and comfortable all day long. Imbued with nourishing ingredients the likes of soja seed extract, Brazilian murmuru butter, and rosehip oil, this lightweight and long-wearing lipstick lends rich colour for a plump and voluptuous look. As a deeper, colder shade, it’s the perfect go-to for night events, and will take you from Christmas to New Year’s with ease.
Price: HKD 411
Shop here.
(Main and featured image: Gucci/Instagram)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
– What lipstick to wear when wearing red?
Avoid overdoing the red if you want to make a big visual impact. Instead, if your outfit is red, opt for nude lipstick, and play up your eyes with smoky eyeshadow and a strong winged liner.
– How do I choose the right red lip color?
In general, warmer red lipsticks will work with warmer skin undertones. Ditto, for cooler red lipsticks, which work wonderfully with cooler skin undertones. To figure out what your undertones are, simply look at your wrist; if your veins present as blue or purple, you have cool undertones, and if your veins are green, you have warm undertones.
– Which is the best red colour lipstick?
The best red lipstick on you depends on how well it works with your skintone. Try out a warm red lipstick and a cool red lipstick, and see which one works best to bring out your complexion and features.
– What makeup goes best with red lips?
When wearing a bold red lip, you want the lips to be the focal point. That’s why it’s a good idea to keep your eye makeup neutral, accentuating the eyes with a sleek cat’s eye and mascara. You can also opt to add a little bit of luxe, incorporating light glitter on your eyelids in neutral shades. To go all out for a sun-kissed goddess aesthetic, pair gold glitter eyeshadow and a touch of mascara with your favourite red lipstick, and you’re ready to go for the holidays.
Source: Prestige Online
