Red Lips for Summer

Red is usually a winter-y lipstick color, as it pairs well with the darker, heavier makeup worn in the colder months.

But, pairing a red lip with a fresh and effortless face is a great way to add a beautiful color to your summer look!

Step 1: Things You'll Need:

-BB/CC Cream OR a tinted moisturizer
-foundation
-concealer
-loose/pressed powder
-shimmer powder (optional)
-assorted neutral eyeshadows
-eyeliner of your choice (optional)
-mascara
-red lip liner
-red lipstick

Step 2: Prepping Your Skin

Spread a layer of BB/CC Cream OR tinted moisturizer over your skin to blur your imperfections and hide redness. Since your lipstick will be red, it will bring out any redness in your face.

Also, put on a lip balm now if lipsticks tend to dry out your lips.

(Olay Total Effects7 CC Cream, eos Tangerine Medicated lip balm)

Step 3: Covering Up

Dot concealer over your imperfections, under the eyes, and on the eyelid. Use your ring finger to blend it out, using dabbing, NOT sweeping motions.

Shortly after you've blended out your eye concealer, set it with powder so it doesn't crease.

(Revlon Colorstay blemish concealer, Mary Kay Sheer Mineral pressed powder)

Step 4: Evening Out

Apply your foundation in any way you choose. I recommend one of these methods:

As I will be doing in the photos, mix your foundation and BB Cream/CC Cream/tinted moisturizer together. It makes for a very natural and airbrushed effect. Apply it as you normally would.

For a sheerer and less heavy-looking effect, dot foundation where you need it the most, like on your cheeks if they're red. Then, blend it all out with your fingers or a sponge.

When you're finished, set your makeup with a dusting of powder.

(L'Oreal TrueMatch foundation, Covergirl CG Smoothers BB Cream, e.l.f. High Definition powder)

Step 5: Shimmer (optional)

Dust a little bit of shimmer powder on your cheekbones, nose, and forehead to give your skin a healthy glow.

(e.l.f. Baked Highlighter in Moonlit Pearls)

Step 6: Eye Candy

Although the focus will be on the lips, you shouldn't neglect your eyes! To brighten them up a little bit, pack a shimmery neutral color on to your lid and pop a bit of a darker color into your crease. Make sure that you blend. Harsh lines would look a little funny here. Sweep a little highlighter into the inner corners and on your brow bone to wake up your face.

Then, fill in your eyebrows as you normally would.

(Urban Decay Naked3 Palette in Burnout, Nooner, and Strange, Covergirl Brow&Eye Makers in Soft Brown, e.l.f Treat&Tame brow gel in Dark)

Step 7: Lush Lashes

This look requires quite a bit of mascara. If you have a lash curler, definitely use it! Use several coats of black mascara, but try not to get spider lashes. This will make your eyes pop.

(Maybelline Volum' Express One by One Mascara in Blackes Black)

Step 8: Prep Your Pout

To let the true-red of your lipstick shine through, I like to cover my lips with concealer or foundation. This way, the color of my lips won't interfere with the color of my lipstick. I recommend a creamy concealer for this, but any type of foundation (except powder) will work. Set the lip concealer with a TINY bit of powder.

If you have a white eyeshadow crayon (like NYX jumbo eye shadow pencil in Milk), this will work just as well.

(NYX Above and Beyond Full Coverage Concealer, e.l.f High Definition powder)

Step 9: Line Up

To keep your color in place and looking precise, line your lips with either a nude liner or one that matches the color of your lipstick. Line the outside first, then fill the rest of your lips in.

(NYX Lipliner Pencil in Orange)

Step 10: Coloring In

Now it's time for the lipstick. If you're not sure what shade of red to use, try this little chart:

Fair skin with cool undertones: bluish red
Fair skin with warm undertones: true red with a tiny bit of orange
Olive skin: orangey red
Medium skin: fiery red
Dark skin: brick red
Deep skin: plummy red OR brick red

I'm using a lip brush for more precise application, but it's totally fine to apply straight from the tube. Apply a thinner layer, blot with a tissue, reapply, then blot again. This way, it's less likely to ball up or travel to the corners of your mouth.

Apply a gloss if you wish.

(Love&Beauty Lip Color Stick in Red)

Step 11: Finished!

Enjoy your bright and stunning makeup.