Sunday, December 8, 2013

Colour Week - Day 5 - Seeing Red

Red lips at the from the iconic, to the vampy to the bitten
Red lips were my first love as far as makeup was concerned. As soon as I moved away from tinted moisturiser and clear mascara, it was red lips that stole my heart.

For a long time red was the only colour I owned, and to this day it still dominates my collection. Still, when faced with a selection of colours for any lip product, my eye automatically scans down the line to the far right and fixates on the rich red shades that reside there.

Let's face it, in most lip colour collections there are the nudes, the pinks and the reds. I'm a red. This time of the year lends itself perfectly to a chic red lip. Be it a stain in the day time or a perfectly painted pout over cocktails - t'is the season eh? So here's the low down on the reds you can expect to see on my lips for the foreseeable future.

Straight in with the classic pillarbox/orange red, Lanôme have completely won me over with their lipsticks as of late. As price points go, MAC are just under 20 and Lancôme just over (€26) but they're worlds apart as far as luxury and quality go. 132 Caprice is pictured above in the gold bullet, a best seller and part of the Kate Winslet collection. First off, it smells gorgeous and what's more the colour pay off is second to none. Three strokes and your done. Bottom, top left, top right. A classic vermillion  red (read very red) it has the tough of bright orange to mimic the class 1950 red we all know and love.

I've spoken about Giorgio Armani CC lipsticks before, but 410 Hot is too good to not to bring up again. Where Lancôme has a hint of orange, Hot has an ever-so-subtle hint of taupe - by that I mean, it's not the classic pillar box red, rather a sophisticated, true red. The lasting power of this lipstick is a blessing. It's so easy to wear in how easy it goes on, stays put and required minimal fussing over. Lasting through fancy party nibbles and cheeky rum-and-cokes alike.

Moving on to the dark stuff, Rimmel again feature heavily, producing 3 of my favourite budget reds. Moisture Renew in Diva Red and Apocalips in Eclipse and Across the Universe. Depending on how dark you want to go, these shades are very much the gateway. Dive Red is a beautifully rich blood red, with an unbelievably luscious finish and impeccable colour. Across the Universe is a really unique red-brown. Not too dark, but certainly not a bright red either. It's the kind of red not many brands do, I don't find. Eclipse is getting firmly into purple territory. Deep, mysterious luxurious, vampy. Everything you're expecting from the moniker.

Now I will admit, red can be a scary colour to wear. Even I, a die-hard fan, don't feel like wearing it every day. But if I simply must get my hit that day, that's where e.l.f Barely Bitten and Revlon ColourBurst Lip Butter in Wild Watermelon are perfect for just enough red, without needing to commit to a statement lip. The Lip Butter is a particular favourite of mine for a my-lips-but-redder look.

Ah go on. Let's have some swatches
Eclipse, Across the Universe, Diva Red, 401 Hot, 132 Caprice, Barely Bitten, Wild Watermelon
Will you be seeing red this season?
Are you a fan of red lips at all?

#ColourWeek is getting there! I promise! Better late than never!

Lisa
xXx