How To Get Hollywood Red Lips -
the tricks and secret to wearing red lipstick

How to pick the right shade of red lipstick

1. Consider your skin tone. Wondering which shade to pick? Are you a warm or a cool red? If your skin has a pink undertone, select a red that has a pink base to it. However, if you are more on the warm yellow tone, select a red with a golden or tawny base. For the ladies who are on the paler/pinker side, select a lipstick that contains a hint of blue. For Asian ladies, a berry tone red (e.g., plum, raspberry, and cherry) is best. If you are unsure or having difficulty determining your shade, stick to a true primary red, the color of a bright red tomato or "brick" red.

2. Don't test lipstick color using the back of your hand. It is common for ladies to "test" the color of lipstick by applying a thin coat to the back of their hand. This is a mistake. This is not a good indication of how the color will look on your lips. Instead, use the pads of your finger.

The Tricks and Secret To Wearing Red Lipstick

How To Apply Lipstick

1. Red lips make a dramatic statement, so preparation is the key. Start off by lightly brush your lips with a toothbrush. This will remove dead skins and will also help to plump-up your lips. Apply a thick lip balm and allow time for it to absorb. This is important since freshly balmed-up lips may be too slippery to apply lipstick and will likely cause your lipstick to smear.

2. Apply a small amount of lightweight concealer around the mouth. This will heighten contrast and brightens up the lips.

3. Lip liner is essential. It helps seal in the color and will prevent bleeding by acting as a base for the lipstick. Apply liner, in the same shade as the lipstick, all around your lips.

4. Apply lipstick using a lip brush. This will allow more control. Please do not apply lipstick from the stick. Red is a very strong color and if done incorrectly, it can be difficult to remove. Blot your lips and re-apply to help the color stay longer. Most professional makeup artists use multiple shades of red to get the right color. Experiment with various lipsticks of similar color to find your perfect blend.

How To Get Hollywood Red Lips: The Face

1. If you're wearing red lipstick, keep the rest of your face makeup simple. A great example of "over-dramatizing" is Cameron Diaz at the 2007 Golden Globes when she over-applied blush and eye makeup, and then topped off the look with red lipstick.

2. To avoid looking like a clown, skip the eyeliner and go only for mascara. If you're a brunette, stick with black mascara. For lighter hair girls (blondes, redheads), use brown. This will open up your eyes, while not going over the top with the eye makeup.

3. Keep foundation light and flawless. Dust face with powder and cheeks with a soft blush. If possible, avoid the blush all together.

Hollywood Red Lips: Wearing red lipstick out on the town

1. Eating: Avoid anything oily, such as salad dressing, olive oil, or pasta sauce. The oils in these foods will dissolve lipstick and will smear the pigment all over your face!

2. Lipstick etiquette: Leaving lipstick imprints on your stemware and flatware is poor manners. The key to preventing this is blotting. After your final layer of lipstick, blot, apply gloss, and then head out. If you apply lipstick in the restaurant, make sure you blot before eating.

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