Ok, let me just start by letting you know this will not be another "My Quest for the PERFECT Red Lipstick" piece. I'm going to give it to you straight. Red lipstick, albeit a classic, is hard to pull off if you don't have the right shade in hand. New advances in makeup and easy access to how-to articles to help you have made it easier, but with so many shades of red to choose from this process can be overwhelming. The best advice I can offer you in your search is to take notes from beauty experts as to which shades should look best on you then go out girl, and try them all! Until you see it on your lips, you'll never know which ones will bring your face to life and which ones make you resemble Bozo the Clown's cousin.
April 2, day one:
Went to Benefit to get my once a month brow clean up (side note: Tracy at the Santa Monica location really rocks it out). After we were finished, she shooed me to the make-up counter to receive my post-wax treat--some acne blast and cooling gel. While waiting, I eyed a pretty little shade called "Flirt alert." There was only one other shade of red, "Frenched." Taking what I know about blue-based and orange-based reds, Frenched appeared to be the more complimentary color to my cool skin tone. However, as the saying goes: "Looks can be deceiving."
The nice enough sales lady applied 'Frenched' to my pucker, and with one glance at the hue in the mirror it dawned on me that should I wear this out I might never be frenched again. It looked more like a pink desperately trying to be a red, but just wasn't quite there. Fortunately, Benefit hires honest people whose sole purpose is not just to make a sale but also send women off with products that actual compliment appearances. With one red shade eliminated, I decided why not give the other one a go? With as much grace that can be mustered when removing red from ones lips, I cleared the palette with my optimism in tact. After the second shade was carefully applied, I peeked in the mirror and wasn't completely horrified. This orange-based hue gave me the fifties pin-up girl look I had been looking for, but until I try out a few more I decided to put this purchase on hold.
"Beauty, to me, is about being comfortable in your own skin. That, or a kick-ass red lipstick." -Gwyneth Paltrow
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