One colour of lipstick that ladies love a lot is the colour red. Yes, it is glam, fresh, classy, and sophisticated, and what have you. But the truth is not all shades of the red lipstick would suit everyone. There are also a lot of ladies who keep away from the red lipsticks simply because they are scarred that it just may not suit them.
In the African countries where the colour brown is dominant, it is best to be selective of the shade of red lipstick to wear. There is the right shade for every skin colour, you just have to look carefully. Here are some tips on how to pick the shade that goes with your skin tone:
Test red lipstick colour at the makeup counter
Unless you want to waste money on colours that just don’t work with your skin tone, it’s best to visit a cosmetic counter where you can actually try out red lipsticks before you buy them. Some stores will offer a colour change policy, where you can bring your unwanted lipstick back with the receipt to exchange it for another shade.
But, there are very few who do offer such a guarantee and many will only let you make one exchange per product, which can lead to difficulty if you swap for an even less flattering colour the second time around. In addition, some brands will offer you a colour guide near their product display, to help you choose the best shade by skin tone.
Trying the lipstick on is the best way to see how it looks. Attempting to rub it on your hand to test the shade is pretty pointless, as it will always look different on your lips. So, visit your local clinique counter or department store’s cosmetics counter to test some shades out.
Matching skin tone and red lipstick shades
To start with, be sure you pick shades of red that complement and work with your skin tone. Your skin tone is either warm or cool, with cool skin tones often being paler and full of pink undertones. Warm skin tones are most often darker olive shades, with blue undertones.
Cool skin tones
If your skin is a cool tone, be sure to look for reds with pink undertones. Many reds come in shades of Berry, Blackberry, Brick or Plum, which are ideal for cool toned ladies. Red with blue undertones is also known to have a visually whitening effect on your teeth, which is always a plus.
Warm skin tones
If your skin is a warm tone, look for reds with yellow undertones. Many times, you’ll find flattering red lipsticks in orange shades, warm shades, tomato red shades, brown based shades, golden shades or tawny shades.
Some beauty experts will still argue the classic primary red lipstick will work on all skin tones, however!
Applying and wearing red lipstick without looking overdone
While wearing the perfect red lipstick can make you look like a super sexy vixen in any outfit, it’s important not to go overboard with the rest of your makeup when you choose red for your lips. If you want to wear red lipstick, let it be the star of your face.
Don’t try to do a dramatic eye with shadow or overdo it on blush, or you’ll look like you have far too much makeup on or more like a lady who has no idea where she is going. Pair your red lips with neutral eye shadows, black mascara and thin liner.
Add in a little blush that has the same undertone colours of your lipstick, but take it light. You can add a little glamour to your face with highlighter instead. So you’ll look radiant without looking like you’ve tried too hard.
The colour red works for any season, so be sure to find a great shade that will take you through the entire year.
Most ladies select red lipstick in the evening to feel glamorous. You can also choose to wear it for daytime hours. Just tone it down a bit. Layer your favourite red lipstick lightly over a sheer gloss, to make it less heavy and less dark.
Choose lighter shades if you are older
Our lips thin as we age and dark lips can accentuate them. To keep lips from looking too severe, try a rosy red or avoid red lips altogether and opt for a neutral shade, playing up your eyes instead.
Excerpts from freebeautytips.com