I believe anyone can wear a Red Lip colour. It just depends on choosing the right  shade and if it is in your comfort zone. As we get older Red Lip colour can really lift our complexion especial if you have opted to embrace your grey or silver hair. 

A vibrant shade of lip colour can really lift the complexion.

First things first:

Lip care is essential as the skin on the lips is much thinner has fewer sebaceous (oil) glands and contains much less melanin than the rest of the face, therefore can dry out, becoming cracked, sore and chapped because of sun, wind and cold.

Try not to lick your lips too often this causes them to dry out. Don’t be tempted to bite or chew them if they are flaky. This can cause your lips to bleed and become even sorer. If they do get chapped don’t despair, just apply a little lip balm or olive oil and rub gently with a soft tooth brush or dry face flannel. There are also lip scrubs on the market. I like the sugar scrubs best because the sugar dissolves so you are not trying to get those gritty bits off your lips. Plus it tastes nice as well.

Red Lips:

Don’t let anyone tell you that Red Lip colour is a no no !! Red can look great for day and evening so long as eye make up is kept to a minimum and the tone of red is right.  

As a general rule, true blue-reds can make teeth look whiter and suit most skin types. Orangey reds tend to make teeth look a bit yellow especially as we get older so are best avoided. 

Tracking down the right red can be a matter of trial and error.  Always test colour on your lips.  As with foundation, the skin´s PH can alter the shade so what you see in the tube is not necessarily what you get on your lips.

A great guide and one I use when I am giving a make-up lesson…If you make your foundation change colour, either going orangey or yellow you will do the same to lip sticks/glosses.

The same holds true if you make your foundation go pink or ash you will do the same to lip colours.

You can use them on their own, blot them so there is more hint of colour or you can top with a bit of gloss. The choice is yours.

(Photo) The colours are from top left to right Natalie, Regal Red, Invisible Lip Pencil, Grenadine, Red Carpet, Maraschino Lip Pencil.

Application:

Here are few great ways to apply red lipstick.

The first is to outline your lips along the outer edge of your lips with an invisible pencil.

The invisible lip pencil should be used outside your natural line to create barrier and keeping your lip colour in place. This will not really define your lips the same way as a red lip pencil will but it will prevent your lip colour from migrating. If you are someone who find the change the colour of lipstick then try applying the invisible lip pencil all over your lips as well to prevent colour change.

Next apply your red lip colour.

I always apply red lip colour with a lip brush.

The second way is to line your lips and fill in your lips with the red lip pencil. Next applying your red lipstick over the top. This keeps the colour on longer and you will end up with a harsh liner surrounding your lips as your lip colour fades.

The third way I like to apply red lip colour, is to apply the red colour first before the lip pencil, then blot with a tissue, check the shape on the tissue, correct any imperfections using concealer or foundation on a cotton bud or small brush, then outline the lips with a red lip pencil.

I always double check the shape by blotting with the tissue, no matter which method I’m using to apply the red lip colour just to make sure the lips are even.