I love lipstick, but I always seem to have a difficult time picking out a color that’s right for me. Lately, a lot of celebs 
have been rocking red lipstick—a look I love—but it’s a trend that I can’t seem to pull off. Barely there lip color is the other extreme, but there are so many brands and choices. I did a little research to try and narrow them down.
RED LIPS
Stars like Gwen Stefani and Christina Aguilera seem to have skin made for the red lip trend. Their skin is on the paler side and the red lipstick really pops; it’s a statement. If you have similar skin tones to these gals, experts suggest a red lipstick with a bluish base. MAC Cosmetics makes a great one, Russian Red, which the company touts as an intense bluish red.
For warmer skin tones (think Jessica Biel, Jennifer Aniston) a yellow toned lipstick is recommended. MAC’s Chili Red has a more brownish red look to it.
Or, for those of you who want to try out the trend, but don’t want to invest in a pricier brand, you can pick up some Wet n Wild Hot Red at your nearest drugstore. Marie Clare magazine marks it as one of the top red lipstick shades and it’s only a whopping 99 cents!
NUDE LIPS
When I think of nude lips, I think of expert make-up artist Bobbi Brown who has a great array of neutral toned make-up. Neutrals are sometimes hard to wear because if the tone isn’t right, they can make you look washed out. Bobbi Brown, in an interview with O Magazine, suggests picking the perfect neutral by looking at your own lip color and simply choosing a color that’s a little darker, a little more intense than your own. Seems simple enough, but again—choices, choices… Thankfully, Bobbi Brown has a new collection aptly named The Nude Collection where there are great neutral lipsticks to choose from in the Nude Eye and Lip Palette which include Bare, Beige, Brownie Pink, and Cocoa . Bobbi says on her website: “Nude make-up doesn’t mean monochromatic barely- there makeup. It means makeup that’s right for your skin.”
Here’s a recent example of each trend: Scarlett Johansson rocking red at the 13th Annual Los Angeles Shorts Festival
and Audrina Patridge staying nude and simple at The Red Bull Toasted in Hollywood party last night.
Which trend do you like better? Which one works best for you?
Photos: Fame Pictures
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July 30th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
Definitely red lips! Unless I’m really tan…then it’s nude lips! I guess I love them both:)
July 31st, 2009 at 1:09 pm
I actually go back and forth between both of them. Since I’m a brown girl, I think red is kind of expected, so I really only do it when I’m trying to make a statement. Lipstick Queen does a phenomenal red and it feels so luxurious going on it’s like a treat for your lips. I feel like I’ve perfected the nude lip though too because I love doing such bold statement eyes that I have to do a soft lip. Now my next favorite lip statement? HOT PINK! Love it!
August 3rd, 2009 at 12:45 pm
so good,i luv red lips…
August 5th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
Nude lips is best for me. For some reason, I always end up looking like a clown with red lips. I recently started using a berry colored gloss….looks pretty good, but I adore glossy nude colored lips!
August 5th, 2009 at 5:18 pm
I would love to know a good brand for a nude color that is natural as well! Any thoughts?
August 6th, 2009 at 1:16 am
I love red gloss as it’s more subtle than lip stick. However, most lip color that I put on for everyday is neutral. I have at least 10 “neutral” shades in my purse at any given time!
August 10th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
Robin– I totally agree… I tend to end up looking like a clown, too, when it comes to red lips. I love them, though! I’ve found it helps to put some foundation around the lips and then set with poweder so the color doesn’t bleed. As for a great nude– I hear tons of people love Creme D’ Nude by MAC… They call it a pale, muted peach beige.
Anyone else have any favorite nudes?
August 13th, 2009 at 4:40 pm
Having light hair and a light complexion, I love a bold lip!
A good trick I have picked up over the years for a nude lip is a chap stick/concealer blend. First find a moisturizing chap stick, such as Carmex or Burt’s Bee’s. After applying the chap stick to your lips, add a small amount of light concealer to your lips and blend. This gives you a true ‘nude’ lip. Applying a pink gloss afterwards also adds definition and keeps your lips looking gorgeous, minimizing re-applying through out the night. It’s a go-to nude lip! Let me know how this works ladies, I’d love to hear your feed back!
-The Self Tanning Queen