Red alert! Turn up the heat with bright lips

Bobbie Thomas TODAY Style Editor

Stars have started showing up to events with lips as vivid as the carpet they’re walking down, and this eye-catching look isn’t just for formal occasions. Pucker up with a pout that demands attention in deep and dramatic shades of red. Bobbie Thomas, TODAY style editor and author of “the Buzz” for In Touch weekly, shows you how.

Finding the right shade
There’s no doubt about it — red lips are the must-have makeup trend of the moment. But for those who are worried that a bold lip will make you look more like Bozo the Clown than Christina Aguilera, I’m here to tell you there’s a red out there for every woman. It’s just about finding a shade that suits your skin tone. For the most natural look, determine if you have warm or cool coloring, and then stick with a shade that matches your undertones. Women with a more golden complexion (warm) will want to look for a shade of red with an orange or brown base. If you have a hard-to-tan, fair complexion with rosy undertones (cool), you should seek out a blue or purple-based red.

barneys.com

Three Custom Color Specialists helps you evaluate your skin tone even further with a Web site quiz that takes an in-depth look at your coloring (threecustom.com). Their ready-to-wear lipsticks are then broken down accordingly, with names like Cool Red and Warm Red that spell it out simply. Other lines that take the guesswork out of finding a cool or warm shade include Perscriptives and Clinique (both available at Macy's), while Giella will even custom blend the perfect shade for you (giella.com). 

lauramercier.com

Bobbie’s Buzz: Reds with a strong brown or purple base can be easier to wear, and softer on the skin. But remember, a true red can be truly stunning. Red Sinner from Poppy King’s Lipstick Queen collection has developed a cult-like following among beauty buffs (barneys.com), while classic reds from designer cosmetic lines are favorites of stars. Both Nicole Kidman and Gwenyth Paltrow love Chanel's Coco Red, and Gwen Stefani and Catherine Zeta Jones pucker up with shades from Dior and MAC. And to top off the trend, Target and L’Oreal Paris have teamed up to create Target Red by L’Oréal Paris, a signature red available at Target stores nationwide starting this month.

Prep before you pucker up
Bright red look-at-me lips are bound to draw attention, so before you go for the bold, you want to make sure your pout is perfect. After all, there’s nothing worse than putting on dark lipstick and seeing wrinkles and little lines peeking through! A multi-purpose moisturizer like Boscia’s Jujube Salve Stick (boscia.net) or Laura Mercier’s Lip Silk (lauramercier.com) will prep and condition dry lips, prevent lipstick feathering and smooth fines lines.

Style Buzz with Bobbie Thomas | More Look dashing without spending a dime Attending a wedding? Say ‘I do’ (to a good look) allDAY: Choo Choo! New designer deal coming through Personal puckers among summer’s best Want new duds, but lack dough? Swap!

Before you paint your pout, you may want to neutralize the rosiness of your lips and start with a skin-colored surface. A primer like Trish McEvoy’s Flawless Lip (saks.com) will help your red appear as true-to-color as possible. And the last thing you want your red lipstick to do is bleed! Make sure lipstick stays in place with a different kind of liner. DuWop has a colorless Reverse Lipliner that is meant to go on the skin just outside of the lips before you apply color (duwop.com), while Repelle’s Skin Shield Wand creates an invisible barrier between lips and skin (walgreens.com).

sephora.com

A welcome stain
Glosses and lipsticks can create a creamy, rich effect. But for a long lasting hint of red, try out a tint. Tarte’s Rise and Shine plumping lip stain duo (nordstrom.com) and Benefit’s Benetint cheek and lip stain give off a natural-looking glow (sephora.com). While Urban Decay’s Lip Envy delivers a semi-permanent wash of color that can be worn either alone or under gloss (urbandecay.com). To achieve a more in-your-face, hard-to-erase red lip, layer these stains for extra intensity.

Bobbie’s Buzz: A dramatic or smokey eye can compete with a bright red pout. Balance out a bold lip with clean and subtle shimmers like gold, bone or light taupe, and soft grays instead of black.

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