Red Lips

In full disclosure, I'm not usually a fan of red lipstick. Now you're all thinking I'm crazy, right? I'm a beauty obsessed girl and red lips are not my jam, at least for my everyday look. Now when it comes to the holidays, all bets are off. I'm a huge fan of Thanksgiving and Christmas. I love any reason to celebrate, and being with family and friends is top on my list. Eating yummy food surrounded by the people you love, sign me up.

So in honor of this special time of year where everything seems a bit more special and sentimental, let's talk about the best red lipsticks to get you through all those holiday parties. There are plenty of good drugstore brands if you want to save a buck on your new lip color (NYX anyone?) but I did include some high end options as well. 

And before you use any lip color, make sure your skin is properly prepped and moisturized (this is especially important when wearing matte formulas). I love love love Clinique's sweet pots. It's a sugar scrub on one side and lip balm on the other (they are packaged like macarons!). These are perfect for getting the rough, dead skin off your lips. Rub the scrub all over your lips and take a damp washcloth and wipe off. Then apply the balm to hydrate. 

Pictured: I'm wearing the NYX Liquid Suede formula in shade Cherry Skies. I do love this color. And the formula feels good too. Hint: don't always believe all the hype around certain brands or formulas. Find what works best for you.

Now I know some of you don't like a bright and bold lip, I totally get that. If you want a little color without the commitment of a lipstick, then I would recommend a lipgloss or lip oil. Estée Lauder carries a beautiful gloss color in their Pure Color Envy line called Berry Provocative (pictured above right). It's not a classic red color but still feels very festive. Another great shade to try is Clinique's iconic lip product that they have carried for years, the Almost Lipstick in Black Honey. Don't be fooled when you look at it in the packaging, it's not a dark color at all. It brings out the natural flush of your lips so it's the perfect universal color. 

Another formula I have recommended to my friends before is the NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil. I love this product. This particular color is called Cruella; it looks great on most skin tones, it wears well and has good pigment. Can we also talk about how amazing this silver tray is?! This is my first time using it for anything (shoutout to Grandma Lu for hooking me up). 

Thanks for reading and Happy Holidays! Leave a comment below with questions on this post. Or if you want to talk makeup in general, let's chat.