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By Chiara Spagnoli Gabardi
Red is arguably the most important colour in history. It was the first to be used in prehistoric art and was utilised by Ancient Egyptians and Mayans to coloured their faces red in ceremonies, whilst Roman generals had their bodies coloured red to celebrate victories.
During the Renaissance, red costumes marked the status of the nobility that had the textiles for their clothings dyed with kermes and cochineal. At the same time in the Far East, this colour was important: China used red for pottery and the gates and walls of palaces, and the hue later became the symbol of Communism in both the East and West.
Red represents danger, blood, lust and the root chakra (which is also related to sex), so no surprise that one of the sexiest makeup looks we can wear today is a simple slash of red lipstick.
Get the look right
Don’t overdo the eyes. A little mascara, neutral shadow and upper liner will do.
Consider the time of day. As a general rule, bolder, darker reds for night and more sheer, pinky reds for daytime.
Avoid deep reds if you have thin lips. Most reds tend to make lips look smaller.
Coordinate your look. Learn how to give yourself the perfect manicure, pedicure or special nail design in a similar shade for a refined, elegant look.
Be careful. People will notice if you go too far out of your natural lip line with a red, so apply with precision.
Prevent “bleeding.” Pat some concealer on with a Q-Tip around the border of your lips.
Avoid lipstick on your teeth. After applying, purse your lips into an O, pop your finger in the middle, and slowly pull it out to remove excess colour.
Choose your red well. Got a tan? Orange undertones in your red will look great. Darker skin and hair? Go for a deep berry red. Pale? Poppy reds look great. And just about any red will look amazing on black skin.
Here’s our pick of 5 all-natural red carpet reds to glam up any occasion.
Autumn Red
The Nu Evolution Femme Fatale is a bold orange-red that makes a strong statement. Made with certified organic ingredients including Castor Oil, Beeswax, Carnauba Wax, Candelilla Wax, Sun Flower Seed Oil, Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter, Jojoba Seed Oil, Coconut Oil, and other natural ingredients. The shade is exactly like the one we have seen on Christina Hendricks and Mandy Moore.
Berry Red
If you are seeking a tinge that gravitates around a beautiful berry red, Axiology Vibration is what you are looking for – it’s scarlet, with just a hint of pink shimmer. With her dark hair and thick false lashes, Gal Gadot rocked this shade at the Golden Globes.
A Classic Red
Zoà« Kravitz went on the red carpet wearing a strong, fierce rouge like the Classic Red by Lotus, which contains a formula based on shea butter to keep your lips looking plump and hydrated all day long. This brand’s collection of lipsticks is long-lasting, moisturising and designed to provide buildable colour with a satin finish. Her doe eyed liner topped off the look beautifully.
True Matte Red
The perfect true matte rouge look, as worn by Tracee Ellis Ross, can be replicated with Lavera’s Matt’N Red Lipstick. Though it is matte, this shade won’t dry your lips, nor wear off through the day, and most importantly, it avoids all nasties like petroleum based ingredients, synthetic preservatives and emulsifiers.
Poppy Red
Who says redheads can’t wear red? For the quintessential diva look, the divine Jessica Chastain sported a charming poppy red lipstick at the Golden Globes. Called Christine, it comes from Erin’s Faces. Its deep pigments last all day long, while hydrating your lips with a Sunflower Seed Oil base, Orange and Lemongrass Oils.
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