MY SECRET WEAPON: A RED LIP

Red Lipsticks from Top to Bottom: 1. Giorgio Armani Rouge Armani #400; 2. Bobbi Brown Red #10; 3. Chanel Rouge Allure Laque #74; 4. Dior Diorrific Dolce Vita Red; 5. La Praire Rouge Clair; 6. MAC Russian Red; 7. Laura Mercier Healthy Lips Lip Sheer; 8. Trish McEvoy Gorgeous Red; 9. Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte #18.

What is my secret 'pick me up' for a night out... a strong red lip!  Last week I used this exact trick getting ready for an event & as expected I was immediately infused with confidence & energy.  Once at the event I had numerous women compliment me on my bold choice & then painstakingly tell me they wish they could pull off a red lip but there's just no way.  That Southern Femmes is a lie.  Skin tone, personal style, confidence & uncertainty on how to apply such a bold color are some of the many excuses I heard as to why these women could not wear red lipstick.  Well I am here to address all of the aforementioned excuses one by one:  A. there is a shade of red for every complexion (see below)  B. again no matter what your personal style you can make red lips work for you, if you are more conservative wear red lipstick in a very Mad Men/Grace Kelly way, if you are more trendy wear it as I did to my event with black leggings, black tunic tee, black leather jacket & colorful stilettos  C. red lipstick=confidence boost, need I say more  D. unsure how to apply/wear a strong hued lipstick, well this is where my friend & makeup guru Chris comes into play...

Chris first applied base, concealer & powder followed by a pretty yet relatively subtle eye.  It is best to stick to a more subdued eye when wearing a strong red lipstick for obvious reasons.  Chris chose a bronze eye palette to accentuate my hazel eye color & more olive skin tone.  Once finished with my eyes Chris put concealer around my lips to keep the red lipstick from bleeding, it's a great trick to get the color to stay on longer!  The next step is lip liner-chose a red close to the shade you are going to wear or even a nude lip liner would work-it just provides a great base for the lipstick.  Lastly, depending on the consistency of the lipstick (Chris used on me a more liquid base Chanel red) you can apply the lipstick right to the lips or if it makes you feel more comfortable use a small brush to apply the lipstick.

Et volia! 

Curious what red lipstick would be best for you?  Contact Chris: christopher.magidson@gmail.com