Red Alert
Bold red lips are back for fall, from the brightest scarlets to the deepest, darkest burgundies. Reds can be intimidating, but there really is a way to wear red out there for everyone willing to make the effort.
If you're worried about painting your pout red, start out with something lighter, like a red gloss. Keep it sheer and slightly shimmery -- the shimmer will catch the eye and keep the color from being too overpowering. Use just a touch at first, then work your way up to a more intense application. You'll probably be surprised at how quickly you can go from a timid glaze of a light, sheer cherry to several layers of highly-pigmented candy apple color.
A bright pop of orange-red (for those with yellow undertones in their skin) or bluish-red (for those with pink undertones in their skin) can add an extra spark to daytime looks and transition very nicely to night. (And the blessed who have a neutral skin tone can wear either one.) Matte looks can feel dressier and more formal than creamy or glossy finishes -- you might not want to pair a flat, intense red with a t-shirt and jeans, just as you probably wouldn't use a glittery, disco berry on a day when you're wearing a business suit.
Unless you work in a very casual or extremely fashion-forward workplace, you'd probably want to save the darkest, most intense reds for nighttime events, or you could run the risk of looking a bit costumey, if not flat-out vampiric. Of course, if that's the look you're going for, more power to you.
No matter what color red you gravitate to, the most important step is keeping your color where you put it. While it's possible to wear red lipstick or gloss on its own, you're much better off using lip liner to keep the color from migrating. You don't have to invest in a range of red lip liners. A nude or beige pencil will work just fine for any color, including reds. For best results, you shouldn't just outline your lips -- you should fill them in lightly. This will ensure that the color is the same all over, and it will help the color last a lot longer, too.
If you've shied away from red, there's never been a better time to give it a try. And if you have always loved rocking red lips, go out there and show off your true color!
