Red Lipstick: Should We All Try Taylor Swift’s Beauty Trick?
No matter how you feel about her music (I’m personally a big fan), there’s just something about Taylor Swift when it comes to her appearance. She has perfected her style from head-to-toe. But I think what makes her captivating to watch is that she always wears red lipstick without fail. She’s rarely ever seen without it, even when she leaves the gym. She’s pretty much convinced me that red lipstick is really all you need to look put together and sophisticated no matter where you are.
The key to pull off the classic look is to have the right shade, so I assembled some of my favorite celebrity makeup artists to share how to pull it off.
First, it’s important to choose a red lipstick that matches your skintone. “The ultimate rule when looking for a lipstick is to find one with the right undertone for your skin,” says Lina Hanson. “Reds with blue undertones work better for fair skin tones. Reds with yellow/orange undertone looks best on warmer and olive skin tones.”
That said, sometimes it’s good to break this rule. “Taking the opposite approach can make for a powerful, sexy pout,” says Vanessa Scali.
There’s also something to be said for how a particular color makes you feel. “Ideally, it should complement your skin tone and give you an instantly whiter smile,” says Gianpaolo Ceciliato. “But the most important thing is [that] red lipstick makes you feel glamourous. Wear what makes you happy and makes you feel good!”
The next step is to make it last.
“Scrubbing your lips to keep them soft and smooth is a great way to make red lips last longer,” says Lina Hanson. “Keep them moisturized, but make sure to blot the lips before you apply the lipstick.” But, “apply lip balm at night. Lipstick cannot adhere as well to lips that are dry, chapped, or cracked,” says Scali. Or “Prepare your lips by applying lip balm and blotting or replacing the lip balm with primer before application. Balms are fantastic for protecting your lips from wind, sun, and dryness, but they also make a very poor surface for lipstick. Primer will help prevent feathering and will extend the wear of your lipstick.”
After your lips are nice and smooth, fill them in with a matching lip liner. “Then apply a coat of lipstick, blot with a tissue, and then re-apply the lipstick,” says Aura Schwartz. This creates a stain on your lips and helps your color last through the night.”
For added staying power, separate a tissue paper and place it over your lips between coats. Then, dust translucent powder over the tissue. “Use the tissue paper to create a bit of a matte feel to your lips,” says Merrell Hollis. “Adding powder over the tissue paper helps balance the matte feel and prevents your lips from being overly thick. Lastly, take the tissue off and reapply the lip color for a perfect, long-lasting, beautiful red!”
And at the very least, there is one red lip color that looks good on everyone. Two makeup artists mentioned NARS Jungle Red. It’s a semi-matte bright red that looks good universally. Taylor Swift lips here we come!
Image: @TaylorSwift Instagram
