Lady in Red... Red Lip Look(requested).... CHECK THIS OUT!

Okay, okay, okay Farrah I know I have been promising to do this for like two weeks now but better late than never. LOL!

I know most of us are afraid of "the red lip", for whatever reason or the other. I know most dark skinned women think we are too dark and the younger women think it will make us look old fashioned. Lol I know that's why I didn't want to wear it because I was sure it would make me look like my mother. But with time I'm learning that its okay to take risks with makeup. I'm finding the more I take, the more I like it. I have always been a different type of individual when it came to fashion and makeup anyway so jumping out there with red lips cant make matters any worse, lol. So anyway I think if you are brave enough and with the right outfit, anyone can wear a red lip. I don't do the whole club scene and I rarely go out at night so that cuts my opportunity to wear it in half. I'm not one to wear bright colors and red lip stick so that's another cut. I just cant see myself wearing it very often in the spring and summer so that leaves me with fall and winter. Now I'm not saying I would never wear it in spring or summer, I'm just saying the chances are slim. I like to leave those seasons for pinks, oranges, corals and peach lips. Yes, we can wear all those colors on our lips. Fall and winter will be the time that I really get into red and plum lips. Also frosty colors. But since this was requested Ill do it so you can get plenty of practice in now so you will be comfortable by the time fall gets here.

Finding the perfect shade of red for your skin tone can be so tricky. It took me almost two years now to find a shade that I really like and can wear on a regular basis if I wanted to. I think lighter skinned women look good in the more vibrant red lip sticks with pink undertones. Brown skin women look good in blood red lipstick(please use in moderation). Dark skin women look good in red lipsticks with brown undertones. Now how much undertone you want in these shades are up to you but at least you have a guideline. That is not saying that you cant wear any other shades, this is just what I think will look best. Whatever the undertone is I think it would be wise to use a lip liner in that shade family or a little darker and be sure to blend well. For example when I wear my red lip, I use an average or dark brown lip liner. I think it is best to line the lips and with an appropriate shade so you don't end up looking like a pin up girl or a hooker. It tones down the lip stick. Also if you are going to wear a bold lip you should tone down on the rest of your make up. For example, as you will see below, everything I have on other than my lipstick is neutral. I used an eyeshadow that was the same as my skin tone and a very neutral blush and highlight. Actually in these pictures I don't even have on foundation but normally I would wear some. Only get crazy with the eyeshadow and blush if you are going for a really bold dramatic look for pictures or something. You don't want to walk around town looking like a clown. The point of the red lip is suppose to come off sophisticated and sexy. Oh and another thing, NO BLACK EYEBROWS!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE! I am so sick of seeing dark skinned women with these black eyebrows but whatever you do please don't do it with red lips. That will be a hot mess.

Now the way to apply the lipstick is easy yet complicated. Make sure your lips are moist before you put on the lipstick but do not have on any slippery or greasy lip gloss or gellies. You just need moist lips, that's all. If your lips are chapped when you apply the lipstick, not only will you stain your lips but the lipstick will look crumbly and grainy. Just ugly. So once your lips are moist, lightly line your lips with the lip liner of your choice. Do this first. Make sure you do it lightly. You just need a guideline, if you need more liner later you can always go back and apply it. So now take the lip stick and apply it within the perimeter of the liner. Top and bottom lip. Then rub your lips back and forth together to blend the liner and the lipstick so that the transition is seamless. Lastly, I add a very little bit of a none glossy or greasy frosty lip color just to off set the brightness of the red depending on what I'm wearing. Then I blend that also. There you have it. The perfect red lip. This particular lipstick in this picture is Wet n Wild's 506B and I got it at Walgreens for seventy nine cents. So ladies go explore and enjoy....