Today's Special: Lips Of Fire

It's the hottest trend for spring, but it can't be considered new. It's an old stand by, been given new life by the Fashion powers that be. I'm talking about red lipstick, and there is no better time than now to rock the look. Red lipstick tends to split the wearers of lipstick into two categories: 1. Those who do. and 2. Those who don't. I'm here to tell you we can all be those who do wear this vibrant look.

For those of you who wear red lips regularly, I'm sure you know all about the "power" that a crimson pucker can carry, but did you know how easy and complimentary red lips can be? A pop of red on the lips serves to bring attention to your eyes and your flawless skin in more ways than one. First lets talk about the different hues of red. There are blue reds and orange reds, both of which look different on different skin tones. Pink complected skin tones look better in blue based red lip colors, and yellow based complexions seem to favor the warmer, orange based red lipsticks. Choosing the right color is as easy as pretending to be a little girl in your mama's make up bag; you gotta try them on.

A general rule of thumb, (although there are no rules in make-up) is that if you are making your lips crimson, you'd best be served keeping everything else light (refer to the lovely January Jones above); ie: blush, eyeshadow, liner, etc. Unless you're a Cirque du Soleil performer, I think this guideline is a safe bet. Once you've completed a soft, natural look, you can apply the final element. Your lips of fire...

Red lipstick can sometimes feather in the upper lip, in fact all lipsticks have the potential to creep above the lip line, but because of red's vibrance it can be more sightly than a neutral toned lipstick. To prevent feathering, and to give lips a longer lasting fighting chance, I recommend you apply a small amount of under eye concealer with a synthetic brush above and below the line of the lip, then fill in your lip completely with a bare lip liner, or a complimentary red lip liner. The idea is for the liner not to compete with the lips, but to act as an anchor for the crimson lipstick.

Blotting with a tissue is never a bad idea when using red and depending upon your finish preferences, a matte look or shine, apply a small amount of gloss to the bulb of the top and lower lip only and blend slightly. If you prefer a red that is sheer, mix a small amount of red with a clear gloss on the back of your hand and apply. Nothing finishes a dramatic look better and gives you that final element of fancy you desire.

Rock those red lips girls! The Fashion Gods have spoken. If you have never worn red lips, I'm telling you, now is the time to try. Because once you go red, you may never go back.