Chanel Dragon Rouge Allure Laque

It’s the holidays, and for many, it’s a time when red lipstick and lipgloss become a comfortable shade for the season. Like any bolder lip color, red lips can also be high maintenance and more difficult to get just perfect. Here are my personal tips for getting that juicy red pout…

1. Start off by exfoliating lips the night (or a few hours) before. You can use an at-home version (like olive oil and sugar) or purchase one (like Sara Happ’s Lip Scrub, mmm!). The next step is to moisturize your lips as much as possible before applying your red lipstick/gloss. Moisturized lips are softer, smoother, and just look prettier; the better the foundation to build on, the better your results will be.

2. Apply a thin layer of lip balm on your lips approximately fifteen minutes before you apply the lip color. After about fifteen minutes, “kiss” the back of your hand to blot off the majority of the lip balm.

3. Apply a thin layer of lip primer (like MAC’s Prep + Prime Lip) or use concealer/foundation in a pinch (preferrably paler) on your lips and smooth in with your fingertip.

4. Use a lip liner (match the shade to the lip color you’re using) and fill-in all of your lips–that’s right, ALL! Start off by outlining and defining your lips like you would normally, but then fill in the center and edges. Lip liner helps to extend the wear of your lipstick!

5. Lightly dust loose powder on top of your lips — yes, loose powder… the kind you’d set your foundation with — which also helps lip color to better adhere.

6. With a lip brush (for precision and evenness), apply your lip color onto your lips. Smoosh lips together and then go back and add more where any part needs it.

7. Using a concealer brush, apply concealer around the edges of your lips to give you a very clean, defined lip.

8. With a small eyeshadow brush, take a subtle shimmery highlighter and dust it right over your cupid’s bow — it’ll give the illusion of plumper, more defined lips.

9. You can top your lip color with gloss or wear it alone.

10. Rock it–red style!