How To Shop For The Perfect Red Lipstick

The holidays are the time of year when it’s time to amp up your makeup for lots of parties….and for getting lots of pictures. When it comes to lipstick, the color you want to be wearing is a super sexy red. Getting that perfect shade of red lipstick takes planning and patience. If you’ve ever bought a red lipstick and found that it didn’t look quite right, chances are it wasn’t the right shade for your skin tone. Here are some tips to find your perfect shade of red lipstick...

Wearing a statement-making red lip is a natural thing for many women. However, many more women approach this iconic beauty look with trepidation. Wearing a red lip doesn't have to be intimidating. Armed with a little knowledge and an adventurous spirit, all women can find their most flattering shade of red. Here’s how...

Know Your Skin’s Undertones

The easiest way to start your search for the perfect red pout is to know your skin’s undertone. Regardless of your skin color, you have either a warm undertone or a cool undertone. A quick test to know your undertone is to look at your veins - if they appear bluish, then you have a cool undertone; If they appear more green, you have a warm undertone. If you check your jewelry collection and notice that you have mostly silver toned jewelry, then chances are you have a cool complexion, because cool undertones generally look great in silver toned jewelry. The same is true for gold toned jewelry and warm undertones. For more on finding your skin tone check out my blog post on Finding Your Skin Tone.

There are different textures to choose from and they range from sheer to creamy to matte. A sheer lip color is great for anyone trying red for the first time. It will give an effortless, finished look and does not require exact precision for application. Full coverage lipsticks require more precision to apply. Depending on the formula of the lipstick, you may need to line lips with a lip liner to prevent it from bleeding. Check out Merle Norman's Lip Pencil Plus for a liner and color in one.

Choose the Right Shade of Red for You

As you start your search for your perfect red lipstick, you'll find shades that are either a True Red, Blue Based Red, or Orange Based Red.

True Red

According to makeup and color experts, True Red is flattering on everyone because it is in the middle of the color spectrum. True Red Suggestions you can try in our Merle Norman Cosmetic Line:

Passion Apple

Popsicle Red

Cherry Crush

Drama Queen

Kiss & Hug Lip Gloss

Not Guilty Lip Pencil

Hussy Lip Pencil

Orange Red

Orange Red looks best on warm complexions because the orange picks up on the gold in the skin's undertone, making the lip color appear more natural and effortless. Orange Red Suggestions:

Coral Crush

Darling Clementine

Scrumptious

Not Guilty Lip Liner