*Image from carleyfortune.com
“Beauty, to me, is being comfortable in your own skin. That, or a kick-ass red lipstick,” – Gwyneth Paltrow.
Collegiettes, you are all beautiful inside and out, and it’s time to show the world how sassy and fun you can be when armed with a mega-watt smile and a tube of red-hot lipstick on Valentine’s Day!
Never rocked red before? No worries, there is a first time for everything and what better holiday to debut your newfound lipstick confidence than on Cupid’s day of love? Whether you are hoping to wow your new crush, boyfriend, ex, or simply want to add a spark of color into your life, no one should ever let the fear of smudging (or lack of brand or shade knowledge) keep them from puckering up to a ravishingly red outlook on Valentine’s Day.
The first step to a glossy, gorgeous V-day is to choose a shade of lipstick that best screams YOU. There is a shade for everyone. Never count yourself out because you feel like you can’t “pull it off.” Love the skin you’re in and dare to compliment it with a fierce shade of red.
Junior Emmaline Stockert shared her number one tip on how to rock the red.
“It always helps to dab a little bit of the lipstick on the inside of your wrist so you can see how it contrasts with your skin,” said Stockert. “Pay attention the hues of the red (orange or blue). An orange red will pop more on pale skin than darker skin. If you don’t want to be too intense, I would go for a red gloss because it still makes a statement but you won’t be paranoid about whether or not it smudges.”
*Image from nubbytwiglet.com
Be conscious that different shades can give off different vibes. Flirty pink-y red says something far opposite from deep, deep velvet. Strategically decide what you would like your lips to say this Valentine’s Day and then smile and run with it.
“For Valentine’s Day I like a darkish-red,” said Pearson Lien, sophomore. “Think Marilyn Monroe. Be careful not to go too dark or you go from, ‘I want to kiss you,’ to ‘I want to suck your blood.’”
Once you have selected a superb shade just for you, it is time to battle the brands. From creamy and moisturizing Clinique High Impact Lip Colour, to Maybelline New York Sensational Vivid Lip Color, and everything in between, brands can be brutal if you tackle them with the wrong mentality. You do not want to base your brand choice off of which label is most well-known because that could be the brand to burn a hole in your pocket. Instead, go for the brand that best suits you and feels just right on your lovely lips.
“If you do not have any red lipsticks, don’t worry about breaking the bank. You can find all shades at Sephora! I like to top my lipstick off with my favorite lip gloss to either tone down the brightness a little or give it some shine,” said Lien.
And shine you will. Remember, this is Valentine’s Day – the one day of the year devoted entirely to romance, love, and taking oh so adorable chances on new things. Step out of your comfort zone on February 14 and dare to make a statement in red.
“Nothing is more confident than a girl with red lips. Once you apply, let it be and don’t obsess about it. And despite what the rumors are out there – guys love red lips,” said Stockert.
Pucker up, collegiettes!