A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

Gosh, has it really been nearly a week since I did a Red Lips day?  Time is currently moving far too quickly… that’s what happens when you still have a Christmas tree to put up.

Day 5 is one of Clarins’ new Rouge Prodige long-lasting lipsticks in Fusion Red.  If you don’t like your products to be scented… steer clear of this range as that tell-tale lipstick smell has been heavily masked with a lovely (if a bit strong) scent of fig.

Fusion Red is a glossy creme with a texture that grips.  It has a little less slip during application because of this and takes me longer to apply with a brush than some of the other reds I own but once it’s on, you can wear with the confidence that only a long-lasting lipstick brings.

On me, Fusion Red lasted a good 6 hours before fading but when it did eventually begin to fade, It lost colour in the centre first leaving me that tell tale red ring.  It wasn’t too apparent thanks to filling in with my lip liner but still…

Having said that, I had less teeth transfer issues with Fusion Red than with any other.  Is there anything worse than smiling seductively at yourself in the mirror only to notice that it looks like you’ve been chowing down on a couple of wild gazelles during your lunchbreak?

Clarins Fusion Red (£16) is a good, solid… long-lasting choice that is particularly unfussy but does need to be kept nearby for a quick touch up when it eventually fades.

Check out some of your gorgeous selves rocking a festive red lip look!

1. Kat from Click&Make-Up! is knocking ‘em dead in MAC Viva Glam Cyndi on her (roughly) NW15 skintone

2. Kylie from Blonde and the Beauty is rocking NARS Jungle Red Lip Liner and Vesuvio Pure Matte Lipstick on her NC15 skintone

3. Sarah-Louise is looking super-lovely in a sadly, long-forgotten orange-red lippy!

4. Sophie from MeLoveMakeup is equally foxy in Maybelline Colour Sensational Lipstick #547 ‘Pleasure Me Red’!

5. Carli from Konadlicious is channeling her inner vixen in that all time great MAC Ruby Woo

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Well done ladies – thanks for braving your reds, hopefully this will go to show that red lips suit all kinds of beautiful women!  Do feel free to show us another!

I was a bit naughty… I bought my first red for the series.  I’ve been wanting an RMK lippie for ages and you know what it’s like when you want something… any old excuse right?

I’m very pleased I did buy it though!

RMK Irresistible Lips in 29 Red is a vibrant, slightly pink red.  I actually expected it to be a little sheerer than it is… I’m used to Asian lipsticks coming out less pigmented but this is a cracker and a really balanced lipstick in terms of texture being neither too matte nor too glossy.

One swipe (as with most lipsticks) will give an uneven finish but if I blend the colour with my finger I get one of the best deep pink/red lip stains I’ve worn.   A couple more swipes and you get a finish as in the photo above.

I find pink/reds quite hard to wear as they often clash with my skintone… they have to be spot on or they just look “off”.  This one is pretty good, it’s neither too guava nor raspberry leaning… neutral.

RMK Irresistible Lips also gave me great wear and faded evenly after a few hours…. because it wasn’t completely matte, I was also able to smoosh my lips together to replenish the colour a couple of times before reapplying.

RMK Irresistible Lips in 29 Red (£15) is available to purchase online from LookFantastic

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If anyone wants to join me on my red lip crusade, please email me a photo of your lovely selves rocking your favourite red lip – I’d love to post a collage with your photos!

Please keep your photos coming in – perhaps we can inspire one other to carry on rocking the reds over Christmas!

Day 3 brings a classic – MAC Russian Red.

It’s the truest red of the lot so far… and the most matte.  I chose to break into it today simply because my lips are in good condition at the moment thanks to some extra special recent care when I decided I was going to be doing this series.

To wear this one, I made sure my lips were well-exfoliated with a flannel, then I applied a thin coat of Lanolips 101 to work it’s magic whilst I got ready and did the rest of my makeup.  A year ago, I wouldn’t have been able to wear this lipstick… my lips were always cracked.  They used to actually CATCH on my clothes when I undressed at night… such is the power of Lanolips.

I didn’t want to keep reapplying this one so I used my Jemma Kidd Lip Perfector to lock the colour into the lip line and prevent bleeding.  Then I used a lip brush to apply a thin coat of Russian Red… blotted and reapplied.  I was tempted to blot again, then do the tissue/powder trick before a final coat.  But I couldn’t be bothered.  L.A.Z.Y.

You need a lip brush with this one if you want clean edges.  It’s a faff… but if you get the application right, you’re rewarded with many, many hours of good, solid wear.  I managed around 6 hours before I grabbed the bullet and just swiped to reapply.

I think it’s my favourite… and you’re right… now that I compare this to Cockney, I think Cockney is a little too warm for me.  Perhaps a bit… clown-like by comparison.

Once I get to day 7, I’ll do an arm swatch of all the ones I’ve worn that week so that you can compare tones and I’ll be uploading the collage of all your lovely reds!

Thank you to those of you who have sent through pictures so far, looking GOOD ladies!  I’m not gonna do a Red Lips day tomorrow (I’m a bit sick of seeing my face tbh!)… but will be posting them up maybe every 2nd or 3rd day from now on.

So, I’m on to Day 2… I haven’t counted my lipsticks so I’m not sure how far this is going to take me and I’m praying that all the photos don’t just look identical otherwise it’s gonna get old, quickly.

Mr. L was a little less fazed today.  I didn’t get my usual morning compliment on my makeup that he knows he has to give unless he wants lots of vegetables for dinner…. so I made him cauliflower cheese for tea.

MAC Cockney is fairly sheer and can be worn by the less RED confident among us (which is why I own it).  I bought it when I went to MAC on the hunt for THE RED lipstick that I would be able to wear.  It wasn’t on my list of reds to check at the time.  My list consisted of only Russian Red and Ruby Woo… I’m not very MAC savvy to be honest.

I found this one lurking amongst the shades and when I swiped it on my hand I was really pleased with the glossy texture.  Far more wearable than those more ‘serious’ reds.  In the tube, Cockney has a beautiful red shimmer/glitter that reminds me of China Glaze Ruby Pumps… but this doesn’t really translate to the lips.

I’m gonna come back and update each of my Red Lip posts with a close up of the lip colours and a hand swatch as I think this is probably useful and I’m not sure why I overlooked it in the first place.

So…. how did I find MAC Cockney?  Well.. it was both easier and more difficult to wear.  Easier in terms of subtlety, it’s just not quite so pronounced in it’s brazen-ness.  Sure it’s red… but it wears down quite quickly to a slightly more subdued shade.  This could either be a positive OR a negative depending on your P.O.V.

The negative?  Longevity… a little less than the NYX from Day 1 which was surprising but I think mostly down to my application as I didn’t feel the need to blot this because I was intent on layering to build up the intensity.

MAC describe this lipstick as a Sheer yellow red with multi-dimensional pearl (Lustre) – I don’t really know what that means… (the yellow bit)… but I’m guessing that it must be warmer than neutral then right?

Thanks for all your tips and recommendations yesterday, I’m definitely looking into getting Chanel Dragon and probably Rimmel Diva Red and OCC NSFW too… you also might notice that I attempted some bronzer (still not enough!) and eyebrow powder (not too much!)

Do you own MAC Cockney?

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If anyone wants to join me on my red lip crusade, please email me a photo of your lovely selves rocking your favourite red lip – I’d love to post a collage with your photos!

Please keep your photos coming in – perhaps we can inspire each other to carry on rocking the reds over Christmas!

Mr L doesn’t like me in red lips, so on that basis I’ve decided to wear red lips everyday until I run out of reds to try.

Infact, call it a series if you will… I’m on a mission to discover my favourite reds.  Totally inspired by my beautiful friend and MUA @pinkyspanish who rocks a bright lip better than anyone I know and who is always encouraging me to get that little bit bolder!

Today was the first day that I’ve ever worn a true red lip out of the house without wiping it off before lunchtime.  Yes, it takes a little more maintenance than normal because I’m the kind of girl who can’t be arsed to reapply her lippie.  On a nude shade, this isn’t an issue… but patchy red lips don’t look good and so I was forced to reapply twice today.

I’ve also learnt that discretely licking the edge of your cup/glass before drinking to avoid lip stains is a trick discovered by red-lipped angels.

Anyway, today’s lip is brought to you by the letters N, Y & X!

NYX Hot Red Jumbo Lip Pencil to be precise.  Everything I’ve read online told me that Hot Red was an orange based red and as such probably wouldn’t suit my pale skin.  I think it does – it also doesn’t give the impression that I’ve stuck corn kernels to my teeth everytime I smile.  On appearance alone, this is a winning shade!

Lasting power is acceptable.  For the price of the product, it’s amazing.  I generally apply, blot the crap out of it and apply lightly again.  I get about 3 hours wear from it (less if I eat).

I kept the rest of my makeup to a minimum.  I didn’t even use brow powder which was a VERY strange feeling… did I make the right choice?  I didn’t want anything to overpower the lips at all… but I’m not sure if perhaps I need the definition for balance?

NYX Hot Red Jumbo Lip Pencil is available to buy online in the UK from Cocktail Cosmetics, priced at £2.75

What are your favourite reds and do you wear them BRIGHT or toned down?

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If anyone wants to join me on my red lip crusade, please email me a photo of your lovely selves rocking your favourite red lip – I’d love to do a collage with your photos!

If you’re up for this, I need an email with the following info (not forgetting the photo!):

Your name/blog name (if relevant):
Lip shade name:
MAC Foundation Shade (if known):
Link to blog (if relevant):