Foxydy: take a chance. Go RED.

I find that red lipstick is often given a bad name for no reason caused by itself. As steady and essential as the stiletto heel, red lipstick has played an essential role in the development of every young women's fashion adventure. 'Whether is through the experiments of colour, or the influence through a style icon, the red lippie should be given its due credit.

A friend of mine recently said "i don't like red lipstick, to me it always kind of looks like clown makeup"

GASP.

But the more i thought about it, the more i realized what a bad name this delightful fashion item has been given due to the fact 2 simple facts:

a) Girls dont always know what colours to pick. Red is a dangerous colour to apply anywhere on your skin. You have to ensure you have the right shade to not look like you have cut yourself.

b) Even the girls who have the right shade, don't always know how to apply the shade properly.

Which brings results as follows:

okay maybe i exaggerate. just a little. maybe more like this:

i somehow think Joker looked better.

Anyhoos, we should tackle one problem at a time. Sothe rest of this post will focus on what shade of red goes with which type of skin tone. :)

Credits: Catherine and Jill, Beautysquared.

Tone: Tone is key when you're looking for a red lip. If you scroll through the photos below, you'll notice there are variations in the shades of reds being worn. Some are true blue-reds (see the photos of Scarlett Johansson as a brunette, Anne Hathaway & Rihanna) and are best for skin with cool undertones. Others are red with warm tones - orange-red and brown-reds (see the photos of Scarlett Johannsson as a blonde, Julianne Moore, Penelope Cruz and Gabielle Union). A tamer version of the red lip can be seen in the photos of Oprah Winfrey and Chanel Iman - they're both wearing berry-toned reds.

True reds can look harsh on older women, so it's a good idea to look for warmer-toned reds or berry-reds for a more softening, flattering look.

Redheads need to be extra cautious when choosing a red lipstick. There's a reason why it's said (falsely) that redheads shouldn't wear red lips. Use Eva Green & Julianne Moore as your inspiration and make sure your lips don't clash with your hair.

Texture: In most of the photos below, the red lips are created with lipsticks, either matte or with a bit of sheen to them. On the ladies with darker skin, there's more sheen and some appear to be red glosses. On the ladies with pale skin, the lips are matte.

The easiest way to wear a red lip is as a stain and it's also a good way to start, if you're scared by the drama of the red lip.

And here's some inspiration for you - loads of photos of gorgeous women with all kinds of hair and skin colour. Enjoy and be inspired!

Light skintone: