Cheryl Shops

I have not always been a red lipstick person. For years, I wore only rose-colored lipstick, which has a my-natural-lips-but-better effect. I still wear shades of rose, but over time, I've come to appreciate the power of a red lipstick. For one, it's so dramatic that you can get away with wearing less makeup overall, because your lips become the focus—this is a particularly great trick if you're hung over or not feeling your best. But overall, I feel like red lipstick lights up your entire face in general. The key is finding the shade that works for you; personally, more of a blue-purple undertone looks better on my (pinky white) skin, but trying a bunch of shades is probably the best way to find the one that works for you. (Hey, it's an excuse to go to Sephora!) While they might not work for everyone, these are my five favorite red lipsticks.



Ilia Tinted Lip Conditioner in Arabian Knights
I wear this lipstick the most of all. It looks really dark in the tube, but the formulation is very sheer—they call it a "lip conditioner"—so it's almost like a non-sticky gloss. It is very pigmented and buildable, however, and the color definitely lasts. And while I love how moisturized it makes my lips, my favorite thing is that it's organic and clean.

Nars Velvet Matte Lipstick Pencil in Cruella
This one is next in terms of longevity—it's a creamy yet matte pencil, but there's nothing waxy about it. I feel like the pencil makes it a little more foolproof than a regular lipstick, as you have more control over the application. Of course, the pencil part is a little annoying, too, because you have to keep sharpening it. As for the color, it's a slight crimson red, with hints of magenta. In other words: fierce.

MAC Matte Lipstick in Russian Red
This was the first red lipstick that worked for me—my red-lipstick gateway drug, as it were—and it's been around for ages, which is usually a good sign. This is also a matte but creamy lipstick, and I don't find it to be drying at all. It usually needs a midday reapplication, but the color is super pigmented and the tube lasts a long time.

Sephora Collection Rouge Cream Lipstick in Hot Tango 05
While I don't want to necessarily proclaim this color works on everyone...this color works on everyone. I know White, Hispanic, Asian, Indian, and African-American women who rock this color, and it looks amazing on all of them. It's like the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants of red lipsticks. The key is that it's a little bit pink, although I also own the The Red 04 (more of a true red) and that one is pretty damn good too. Plus, this lipstick is so long-lasting, I often have to physically remove it from my lips at the end of the night. Oh, and did I mention it's only $12.50?

Stila Stay All Day Lipstick in Beso 
The name on this one is incredibly accurate: you put it on in the morning and it literally stays all day—through lunch, a makeout session, a swim—without budging. I love it because I can't smear it around my face, so it's great for photo shoots. One caveat is that it's the most drying of all of these, (although not nearly as bad as some other matte formulas I've tried) so I wouldn't recommend wearing it every day. But for special occasions, this one can't be beat.