Reds for the Winter/Guide to Wearing Red Lipsticks

Ever since I was introduced to "Ruby Woo" by MAC, I have been on the hunt for different types of reds to wear. I have found TONS, but these are the ones I adore... so far.

1. Chanel Rouge Allure Luminous Intense Lip Color in Pirate. This color is a deep, but vibrant blue-red. The colour is true, and the texture is creamy and luscious. Zoe Saldana was spotted wearing this color very recently.  For $34.00 you can purchase this on the Chanel website.

2. Kate Moss Rimmel Lipstick Collection. Exclusively produced, Ms. Moss' line offers 7 shades to choose from. Kate's Signature look is shown in the color 01 of her collection. Shade 01 is a deep Bordeaux red that looks fairly brown in bullet form, cool in tone with a blue undertone. Several bloggers have stated when it is swatched and applied, it transforms into a cherry red shade almost a true red,which is much more wearable for the majority of red wearers. It is also been stated that Shade 01 does require a liner and/or a lip sealant as the shade does tend to bleed. IF you can find this shade, it is available in most makeup isles in any store.

3. NYX Matte in Perfect Red. Perfect Red is a deep blue base red. It is a semi-matte and is another one that doesn't need to be applied often. But be careful, if you have dry lips, you will need a primer and also a liner so it doesn't bleed or feather. For $5.50, you can purchase this color at any retailer that carries the NYX brand.

Stoplight Red vs Red Velvet
 

4. Wet N Wild Mega Last Lip Colour in Red Velvet. At first glance, one would think that Stoplight Red and Red Velvet were one in the same. Stoplight Red is much deeper in color. If you want a brighter pop, Red Velvet in Wet 'N Wild is the way to go.

5. Wet 'N Wild Silk Finish Lipstick in Cherry Frost. For the cost, this has DEFINITE popping power. It is a very moist lipstick, so it can bleed and feather if not too careful. Staying power is about 4 hours.


On to the TOP 5 rules of wearing Red lipstick:

1. If you are wearing a bold lip, go easy on the rest of the face. Red is a color that catches attention. A great tip is to do a natural eye with dramatic lips. The rule is: If you want to play up your eyes, go for a nude lip. If you want to play up your lips, go for a natural eye. It’s as simple as that.

2. Lip Liners are your friend. Unless it is a crayon based matte, red  has a tendency to bleed. Line your lips so that it will stay longer. A great analogy is thinking of a liner as the rubber mat you place in a bathtub to keep from slipping.

3. Find your shade. Research the correct shade for your complexion. If you have a pink undertone, cooler reds are a best match. If you have a yellow undertone, warmer reds will fair better for your complexion. "Ruby Woo" and "Blaze" by MAC are two colors that compliment everyone's complexion.

4. Don't Mix and Match your nail color with your lips.  Consider choosing a neutral nail color such as pale pinks and peaches. If red is really your thing, however, choose a shade that is closest to your lip color.

5. If that lip color isn't "for you", make it your own!  Let's face it, we all have seen a color that looked great on a celebrity and when we got home (without swatching a tester) to try it out, we looked like we stepped out of a Crayola box. One thing about lipsticks is if it's placed with a different color lip liner or lipstick, it can eventually be blended out to become what we want it to be! Experiment, play around and find a color that suits you best! If you don't like it, just wipe it off and start over!

Vamp Colors for the Fall

 

I admit: I've officially succumed to the dark lips for the Fall. My only concern was going a little TOO dark. I was joking with some friends of mine when I made the statement that I was taking it back to Avon's "Cherry Jubilee" because that was the SIGNATURE look back in the day! With that being said, I decided to research several colors that would be considered in the Vamp trend. Two colors I found was Va Va Violet by Revlon and Vamp It Up by Wet 'N Wild.
Vamp It Up is considered a semi-matte. While being somewhat dry so it can leave a lasting impression, it still has some moisture to it without having to worry about the constant need to reapply. I decided to pair it with two lipliners that I purchased: Jordana in Cabaret and NYX in Auburn.

Tube on the Left: Vamp It Up; Tube on the Right: Va Va Violet
 

This is a Swatch of Va Va Violet. On the top right is Va Va Violet alone, bottom left is VVV with Jordana Cabaret and bottom right is VVV with NYX Auburn. Crazy how a liner can change the color! I love it!

 

This swatch is of Vamp It Up. Bottom left is VIU alone, top right is VIU with NYX Auburn and bottom right is VIU with Jordana Cabaret. I personally like it better with the NYX Auburn.

 

If lipsticks don't do it for you, there are several lipglosses that achieve similar effects without the drying sensation of a matte.

 Here are three glosses that have the same "Vamp" look:

 

 

Top Right is H.i.P. in Jubilant, bottom left is H.i.P. in Exhilarating and bottom right is H.i.P. in Ingenue. I love the shine and they last for a long time as well. What are your favorite Vamp colors for this season? Let me know!

Saturday Love...



This past Saturday, I accompanied my husband to his 10 year class reunion. Being that I was 3 1/2 weeks out from having our little boy, I felt compelled to go all out. I purchased a new dress and PRAYED that I looked at least SOMEWHAT presentable. I then did the whole shebang: nails, eyebrows, hair AND professional makeup. I think I looked ok. ;)

While I was getting gussied up, my MUA pulled out the lipstick in the shade of Ruby Woo. I've seen pictures, read reviews and swooned when I saw people apply it properly. I just couldn't bring myself to buy it due to the fact I felt like it was too expensive! I was like "Meh, I'll stick to the drugstore brands." LOL! I'm being completely transparent here, so no judging! It was a very matte Red. I've read that you have to apply as if it is a crayon, and that's very true! Stay inside the lines when applying this lipstick! My MUA did an AWESOME job. Once she finished applying Ruby Woo, she also applied a red lipliner to stop any feathering that may have occurred. It lasted the entire night until the morning! I texted my MUA and told her I was sold! I have to purchase at least ONE tube of Ruby Woo! LOL! But before I did that, I devoted today to find Ruby Woo dupes. After researching for a few hours, I found two.

The first dupe I found was Stoplight Red made by Wet 'N Wild Cosmetics. It's very bright and it's also considered a matte. I will say that it is a semi-matte. It has more moisture than Ruby Woo and it will feather if you aren't too careful. As with any matte, it has a tendency to stain the lips so I used Petroleum Jelly to try and remove as much as I could without leaving any on my lips (or face). I purchased this at CVS at the very low price of $1.49. Can't beat that!

The second dupe is Really Red by Revlon. This tube is more of an orangey-red. Not quite the Ruby Woo color on ME. It is considered a matte Red as well. While researching other blogs and reviews, many people have stated that this tube of lipstick is the BEST dupe. I don't think so. I'm stuck on the Stoplight Red. I purchased Really Red at CVS as well Buy 1, get one 50% off! I was like YES!


Ultimately, I will purchase the Ruby Woo because I've fallen in love with the smell, the color AND the staying power. But until I get to a MAC counter, my dupes will do for now!

Pictured Left to Right: Stoplight Red by Wet 'N Wild, Really Red by Revlon, Ruby Woo by MAC