I took this picture yesterday when I was taking photos for the Fashion Frontline Challenge (have you checked it out yet?). I started the Beauty Challenge to push myself out of my standard pink lipstick or gloss and make an attempt to go bold, but this picture got me thinking about why so many other people I know have told me they don’t like to wear red lipstick:
- I don’t like my smile.
- I want to get my teeth whitened before I do it.
- It attracts too much attention.
- Red is too much maintenance.
- I don’t think it will look good on me.
Those are just a few of the reasons I’ve heard people give for why they don’t wear red lipstick. My biggest excuse is that I have a gap that has gotten bigger over the years and I don’t want to emphasize it. Then I realized, well everyone has already seen it, so it can’t be any worse with red lipstick. HA! Sometimes you just have to get over yourself and realize your flaws really aren’t that bad, besides they’re what make you, you.
My gap was just an excuse because I was a bit intimidated by the color and I decided to stop being envious of people who always wear red lipstick with perfection (my blogger idol Jennine from the Coveted always comes to mind when thinking of red lipstick).
Here’s the thing about red lipstick, when I wear it I feel 10 times chicer than I did before. It makes me feel confident and a bit sassy. And without fail, whenever I wear red lipstick a man gives me a compliment on my lips. Every time.
This red is my absolute favorite, it is Maybelline’s Color Sensational lipstick in Red Revival. It is creamy, richly pigmented and it lasts a really long time without drying my lips out. Oh and it’s like $8 at the CVS and I bought it with a coupon, so it was even less – LOVE IT! Putting it on feels very old Hollywood and glamorous and I think it will be staying in my makeup bag all summer long because I plan on doing eyeliner and bold lips as long as it’s hot and humid outside.
So am I helping you get over your fear of red lipstick? Or is there another color that you’re a bit too intimidated to try. Do tell. Maybe I’ll talk about that color too…
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I have a Youngblood Red lipstick that I wore for my wedding – it’s more a deep burgandy, but still very bold! I wish I had the balls to wear to work, but I feel kind of slutty sometimes…I guess for me, I don’t wear red lipstick because it feels like an evening thing…but I know plenty of people who can rock it during the day and their fine. I guess it all depends on your personality and how you feel about yourself!
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I think you look lovely! I said “yes” to at least 2 of those reasons that you’ve posted, but I want to get over it this summer, too. I can be somewhat shy, and I don’t really like to draw a lot of attention to myself, so I always feel like it screams, “Look at me!”. However, once I do wear it, I automatically feel like I’ve improved 10 times. It’s just the hurdle of putting the lipstick on!.
.-= Sheena´s last blog ..Rebirth of Cool =-.
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I agree Shenna I said yes to at least 3 of the reasons as well. I just can’t seem to to get past the attention it will draw. I also have the issue of not knowing what other make up to wear so it’s not “Too Much.” I do think that color looks wonderful on you DWJ you can definatly rock the red!
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I was once given a tube of red lipstick as a gift – Benefit’s “Frenched” – and I looked at it and thought, What am I going to do with this? for a several of the reasons you mentioned. But I get compliments every. single. time. I get up the nerve to wear it. Why are we so afraid of color??
.-= Christina´s last blog ..What we wear matters – a response to Robin Givhan =-.
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