Although paler, more natural lips are more popular at present, Christmas and Parties can bring out the desire to go for red, which can be a fabulous colour to wear, but it is also one of the toughest as it draws attention (and scrutiny).   It can make thin lips look thinner and shows up the lip line - so sometimes it's best left alone, or toned down to be kinder.  So if you decide to go for it here are some tips on how to get the best from your red for fabulous party lips. 

Adverts often give us the impression that getting it right is all about this or that magical product that will achieve our heart's desire in an instant, but that's not a realistic pressure under which to put yourself.   Getting the shape and balance of your lips right is actually down to just working it out, like a professional, and experimenting to see what suits you best.  We suggest you give yourself a bit of private, quiet time to try out a few tweaks and find the perfect shape for you.  Bardot and Crawford both created signature lip shapes, and so can you.  Invariably it is the time invested in good preparation gives the magical foundation to confidence, not waving a 'magical' product about the place thinking you'll end up looking like the adverts.

Using a lip brush is also very helpful.  Not the tiny, pointy lip brushes that are so common, but ours which delivers a long sweeping lip line with the leading edge of the brush as demonstrated in our Make-Up Room by Actress Susan Jinks.  It is essential to avoid gooey corners by putting the point of the brush into the mouth, also a tip demonstrated by Susan.  By twisting the brush in a measured arc the brush does the work for you.  Susan also demonstrates this tip in the make-up room.

More tips for you to try.

1.  Bring your very thin, foundation to the edge or slightly over your lip line.  This not only conceals blemishes, but also gives a more blank canvass enabling you to see better the lip shape you would like to create, balancing your own lips shape if necessary. 

2.  Use a pale lip pencil to find a shape you are happy with, that is realistic and flattering.  You can usually cheat the lip line a millimetre or two inside or outside the lip line to balance.  Use a paler pink pencil than your lipstick to find the shape you're comfortable with.

3.  Fill in with your chosen colour, using the lipline to give you a border to work to.  Our lip brush is most excellent for giving a lovely 'signwriter's" curve and finish - and if you were given a set of our brushes for Christmas - you will find the demonstration for crisp clean lipcolour using our lip brush with Susan Jink's in The Make-Up Room. 

Below are some red lip colours I have used on two productions for 1950’s reds.  The reds I associate with the hyper-realistic saturated colour of 1950's films work well for a Vintage look and are listed here in Alphabetical order of brand:

Bourjois Rouge a Levres – Lovely Rouge 15 Rouge,
Chanel Rouge Allure – Passion, Chanel Rouge Hydrabase – Fire,
Chantecaille Lip Stick – Poppy and Cerise,
Dior – Dolce Vita,
Givency Lipstick – Can Can,
Lancome – 94 Brilliant Rouge,
Laura Mercier – Seduction,
MAC – Ruby Woo, Red A27. 

Lip pencils – I prefer these because they are soft enough not to misshape your lips while you outline them:  Chanel Tulip No. 31, and Chanel Pivoine No. 32.  These are natural colours which are useful for regular wear and to establish a lip line if you’re in discovery.  Givency No. 2 or No. 9 are other soft naturals or if you’re feeling brave No. 5.

A tip for quickly toning down a red that you feel is too strong once you've done it is to blot well, (press your lips together on some tissue) and simply apply some natural lip colour over the top.  Good colours for this are:  Mac's Cosmo, Fabby and Angel.

Enjoy!