How to wear red lipstick

How to wear red lipstick

According to a recent study, the lip size is not significant when it comes to the perception of attractiveness; pigment is the most important. Scientists followed the eye movements of 50 men and discovered that they spent 2.2 seconds on lipstick-free mouths, 6.7 seconds on pink lips and 7.3 seconds on red lips (regardless of fullness).

In the first half of the 20th century, women embraced red lipstick.  During that fashionable and glamorous era it was applied at all times… but with the women’s movement, the ideal of a made-up woman changed.  We are lucky to live in a time now where we can really use any beauty trend we choose – as long as it is done correctly.

 Red lipstick can look cheap or fabulous, so heed these rules to do it right.

- Find the right shade for your skin tone.  Go to a department store and work with a makeup artists with your preferred brand. Typically, blue undertones work for olive and dark skin, and orange undertones work for pale skin.

- On some occasions it is perfectly appropriate to wear eye makeup with a red lip.  Use earth tones if you wear liner: black, charcoal, gray, brown and sage.  For a clean look, downplay all makeup.

- Accentuate the lip by flaunting flawless looking skin, wearing bronzer and mascara. Avoid too much blush, heavily drawn eyebrows, and overly smoked eye makeup to keep the look classy.  The key is to focus on one point of beauty at a time.

- Use lip liner.  Red lipstick bleeds, wear liner to keep the color locked. Be certain to blend liner with lip color.

- Wear either very dark or very light nail polish – do not match to the shade of your lips.


Makeup trends come and go, but red lips are forever. The daring look remains timeless over the years, gracing the lips of everyone from the original screen sirens to the leading ladies and pop stars of today. Increase the glam factor in your daily life with an iconic red shade.


Pascale Loveniers
Akwa Beauty & Wellness Belgium