How to Master the Perfect Red Lip for the Holidays

Women of every age can wear the head-turning shade

Cindy Clark Kramer,

AARP

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Published December 23, 2024

smiling woman with red lipstick on black background

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‘Tis the season for sparkle, sequins, and shine — all punctuated with a perfectly red pout, of course. Interested in trying out the bold hue but don’t think you can pull it off? Think again. This might be the year you finally master the art of rocking the red.

“Anyone can do red,” says celebrity makeup artist Erwin Gomez. “It really depends on the lip shade, which is very, very important.” Gomez recommends a blueish red, which he says is “universally flattering.” The owner of Washington-based salon Karma by Erwin Gomez lists the shade’s many virtues: “It makes your teeth look whiter, makes you look brighter and more youthful and more powerful. You really cannot go wrong.”

Celebrity makeup artist Mimi B. Tran agrees on red’s ability to be ageless. “Wearing a red lip comes down to each person’s comfort level and how they see themselves in it,” she says. “There is a perfect red out there for every person. It just takes a little time to narrow down the level of opaqueness, choosing a color that compliments your skin’s undertones, and finish (matte or glossy) that you are comfortable with.”

First things first: A pair of moisturized lips is important to begin with, says Tran. “Avoid applying lipstick on dry chapped lips. Exfoliating your lips and applying a lip balm/mask the night before will help the lip look supple and for the lipstick go on evenly.”

Toe the liner: “If you have a very fine lip, you need to use lipliner that is drawn on very carefully to give you a fuller upper lip. When you’re over 50, you never want to draw the lips all the way around,” says Gomez. “Draw a rounded bow on the upper lip to make it look more youthful.” When applying lip liner, which Gomez says is a must-do, “Do a tight smile with no teeth showing as you are lining the lips — it gives you a fuller lip and it also fights gravity. ” And don't draw downward. “It can make your lips look droopy.”

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“Lipliner can help guide you on where to apply he lipstick and keeps the color from traveling into fine lines around the mouth,” adds Tran. “Try to choose a lipliner that is the same shade of red. As we mature the lip gets thinner so the lipliner can build volume.” She suggests lightly filling in your entire lip with the liner so if the lipstick wears off, you are not just left with a ring around your lips. “If you are not sold on the lipliner then at least do a clear one. The invisible barrier will help keep the lipstick from ‘bleeding.’”

Top it off with some shine: As for that perfect hue, Gomez says to find a matte lipstick “but add a gloss on top for a luxurious finish — it gives you more depth and defines your lips and your mouth, especially when you speak.”

“A red lip should make you feel bold and beautiful,” says Tran.

Go-to shades: Gomez recommends the lip stain in shade China and lip liner in Antique Red from his eponymous line of makeup products which is sold exclusively in his Karma by Erwin Gomez salon, but if you can’t get to Washington, D.C., he loves Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Fenty Icon Semi-Matte Lipstick in The MVP ($20, kohls.com), and MAC’s Claim to Fame Lipstick in Ruby Woo, which is conveniently available in a set ($45, nordstrom.com) that includes a lipstick, lip liner and lip gloss (can also be purchased separately). He advises avoiding shades of red with orange or brown undertones.

(Left to right) Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Fenty Icon Semi-Matte Lipstick in The MVP, MAC’s Claim to Fame Lipstick in Ruby Woo, Chanel Le Rouge Duo Ultra Tenue Ultra Wear Lip Color in Ever Red, and Clarins Hydrating Peptide & Plumping Lip Oil Balm in Cherry.

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Tran is partial to the Chanel Le Rouge Duo Ultra Tenue Ultra Wear Lip Color in Ever Red ($48, macys.com). “This one wears the longest and won’t transfer on a white napkin.” To keep lips soft and smooth, try Clarins Hydrating Peptide & Plumping Lip Oil Balm in Cherry($30, bloomingdales.com).

One last thing to remember: while choosing a red hue during December seems like a no-brainer, Gomez says not to overlook it once the clock strikes midnight and the ball drops. “Red is fantastic for holiday, but it also makes you look like a very confident woman all year round.”

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