Mastering The Perfect Red Pout
A bold look perfect for the holiday season.
It’s true what they say – the holiday season really is the most wonderful time of the year! There are tons of events going on to take part in, delicious food and desserts to indulge in, and the feel good act of gift giving to lift your spirits and help end your year on a positive note. What can be better than that? And with all the events going on, plus all of the friend, family, and office gatherings that are bound to be filling up your schedule, there’s tons of opportunity for you to get all dolled up and look your best because you know there’s going to be tons of picture taking! Want to pull your outfit together perfectly? Well then you need to rock a red lip! A bold, red pout is a staple look for the holiday season, and we have a step-by-step guide on how to successfully pull it off. So, to help you stand out and make a statement no matter where the holidays take you, here’s some tips on Mastering The Perfect Red Pout.
Step 1: Prep Your Lips
Your lips aren’t always the best canvas when it comes to applying lipstick. The weather can dry them out and cause them to get chapped, especially during the winter season, and that’s definitely something we don’t want when it comes to wearing lipstick.
Because of this it’s important to exfoliate before it comes to applying that red pout. A lip exfoliant like this one from Tarte will work wonders. Once you’re done exfoliating apply a lip balm to make sure your lips get extra moisturized.
Step 2: Line Your Lips
Lining your lips is a key step to take when it comes to rocking a perfect red pout. It will help keep your lipstick from running onto your skin (because no one wants to look like a clown) and is also a key ingredient for overlining your lips if that’s something you want to do.
Pick a shade that matches the lipstick color you chose and either line your natural lip line or overline it just a bit. If you’re finishing off with a lipstick it helps to fill in your entire lips with the lip liner just incase your lipstick starts to wear off. If you’ll be using a lip stain then just focus on lining your lip line.
Step 3: Color Time!
So, we know there are tons of red lipstick shades out there as well as various types of lip products, so we don’t blame you if you feel a bit overwhelmed. When it comes to a bold, red lip, we suggest using a lip stain to ensure it’ll stay put all day long. However, a regular lipstick will work great as well – just make sure you stash it in your purse for mid-day touch ups!
Now, this part is pretty self-explanatory. All that’s left to do is simply take whatever lip product you chose and fill in your lips. If you’re using lipstick then apply it right over the liner you already used to fill your lips in, if you chose to use lip stain just fill inside the lip liner outline you already created.
Step 4: Concealer
This last step is optional, especially if you chose to use a lip stain, but it’s a smart idea to do it if you want your lipstick to stay put and look as good as possible all day long. For this step you’re simply going to take a small brush and outline your pout with a bit of concealer, as close to your lip line as possible. This will help prevent your lipstick from bleeding onto your skin and will make your pout look more crisp.
Voila, you’re done!
Mastering a perfect red pout is waaaay easier than it seems, even if you’re not big on wearing makeup in the first place. As long as you have a lipstick or lip stain shade you love you’re ready to start rocking that perfect pout.
Our Favorite Shades of Red
LIPSTICK
Smashbox Be Legendary Lipstick | Color: Legendary – $21
Tarte Quick Dry Matte Lip Paint | Color: XOXO – $20
LIP STAIN
Lorac Hydrating Lip Stain | Color: Thrill Seeker – $19
NARS Powermatte Lip Pigment | Color: Don’t Stop – $26