Nine times out of 10, I’d rather wear a nude lip than a red, because I just don’t like having to deal with the precision, man. I don’t want to spend the time loading a lip brush or dealing with red lip liner, or correcting any wonkiness with concealer. I just wanna put on some lipstick, quickly, and get on to living my cat’s best life, ha ha ha!
Be that as it may, this doesn’t mean I don’t ❤️ wearing red lips because I totally do! — especially during the holidays. ‘Tis the season for red, after all, so I have a workaround way to wear red that I’ve been loving lately, and I think you will too.
Note: It’s SUPER easy.
I’ve been doing it a lot lately with Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in Tryst ($18), a charming creamy reddish fuchsia.
Here it is straight from the tube. No liner, no lip brush.
I like this red full-on by itself, but it does take some elbow grease to get everything all even, and to do it semi-decently in a moving car, which is where I usually put on my lip color these days, because I’m always cutting it this close to getting somewhere on time.
So lately I’ll start with a layer of nude lipstick (Honest Beauty Blossom is my current fave, but any nude should work) instead. Then, after I get a layer down, I apply a thin layer of red lipstick on top, directly from the tube. Then I rub my lips together to mix everything, and feather the edges with a finger.
The nude lipstick diffuses the red and brings down the intensity, so I still get the essence of “festive holiday crimson,” but without having to do the other steps red usually requires.
I’ve done this a couple times now at holiday parties and get-togethers and have gotten quite a few compliments, and when I walk people through the process, they’re always surprised by how simply effective it is. Try it sometime!
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Linda Libra Loca says
That sounds interesting. I don´t ususally mix lipsticks, but I have more than enough that I could try that with. My only problem when sheering out a red is that the color tends to get more pink by that, and I don´t really like pink on my lips.
Kim says
I liked this trick with red gloss so I’m sure it would also be fab with red lipstick. I’ll give it a whirl – just to be festive! 🙂
Leigh says
Full on looks best, IMO . . . otherwise it’s just pink.
Miki says
Haha I must be weird, I like red lipstick because it’s the only lippie that I don’t have issues with bleeding. I love it because it is perfect lipstick that stays put and lines my lips perfectly.
Karen says
You’re so lucky, Miki! Mine always gets all over the place unless I’m careful about babying it. What is your favorite red?
Miki says
I hate to admit it, because I try not to support her, but KVD Underage Red is my jam. It’s so puurrretty. Otherwise, Bite Beauty makes the best reds (and lippies all around). ?
JENNIFER R OSBORN says
I love this idea. You are so creative. I’m going to try it perhaps tomorrow for my husband’s company party.
My lips are naturally quite red and then I put a red on top of them, it’s like “ack, too much” so I think this trick will be just what I need. And Lord knows I’ve got a zillion nude lipsticks to try it with.
Karen says
Oh yay! Have fun at the party tomorrow. What are you doing with the rest of your makeup?
Angela says
I think I did something very similar recently only it was a fluke and not intentional LOL. but it does work very well if I recall! Thanks for this post, it comes at an extremely relevant time!
Michele DiCola says
I have a wet n wild and NYX sharpeners .
Since I use the 666 lip pencil it works well but it seems to work for all my 1000 eyeliners . The ones that need sharpening that is ?
Michelle says
Genius!!! I love this idea, I gotta try it this weekend!! Thanks!! ❤️
Lee Tocci says
I agree with some of the comments that mixing seems to turn reds pink on me. I just discovered YSL Rouge 9. A shiny lip stain . It’s a gorgeous shiny true red, leans a bit warm. It’s perfect and a easy way to wear red .
Erica says
This is a great technique! I’ll have to try it out sometime ?.
Trude says
Genius! Thanks for the tip! I’m still working my way through Bite Beauty lipstick in Pomegranate because it’s just such an easy formula to work with. <3
Angela Black says
But how do you keep it from coming off on your drinking glass or when you eat?
Emilia says
Great advice! I have my own tip which is full froof – before applying any dark shade lipstick I put a little bit of vaseline. Lipstick colour stays true to original it is just slightly translucent. And guess what? No more lipstick transfer to my teeth ?
Natalie Redman says
Gorgeous! Love the lipstick colour on you.