Top Red Lipsticks for a Romantic Valentine's Day

It’s Valentine’s Day—one of the most anticipated or dreaded days of the year! You’ve got it all figured out: what you’re doing, what you’re wearing, who you’re spending it with. But maybe there’s one thing you’re struggling with—what lipstick color do you wear? Stick to a few simple rules and you’ll have the most gorgeous pout in town.

An issue that some may run into is figuring out which kind of red lipstick looks good on different skin tones. It’s not as simple as pale skin or dark skin; undertones also play a part in whether the color looks good on you. The most important thing to remember is that not every color will look the same on every woman. Just play around with your colors and see what works for you. Crimson lips looks great on pale skin, wine looks beautiful on medium complexions and even darker complexions can get away with vampy lips. 

Light Wash of Color

If you’re not ready to jump straight into a bold red lip, try something that gives your lips a light wash of color. A sheer lipstick or gloss can provide pretty color without overpowering your look—or making you uncomfortable. The light color can make anyone appear effortless, but still glamorous.

What: Clinique Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss in Black Honey, $22, available at Sephora, Ulta

and Nordstrom. Also available in lipstick form.

Good For: Medium skin tones.

What: Clinique Chubby Stick Intense Moisturizing Lip Color Balm in any of the red or plum shades, $20, available at Sephora, Ulta and clinique.com.

Good For: All skin tones. 

Matte but Not Flat

Matte lipsticks are all the rage. The look that matte lipsticks give are similar to those of liquid lipsticks, but without the same staying power. Pairing a matte lipstick with a warmer or glow-y look will make any woman look more desirable in a candlelit dining room.

What: Urban Decay Matte Revolution Lipstick in Bad Blood, matching 24/7 Glide on Lip Pencil of the same name, $20 and $22, available at urbandecay.com, Sephora and Ulta.

Good For: Pale skin, medium skin.

What: NARS Pure Matte Lipstick, $28, available at Sephora and www.narscosmetics.com. This brand offers six different red colors that will surely be a compliment to anyone’s Valentine’s look.

Good For: All skin tones. 

Kiss–Proof Pout

Liquid lipsticks are basically the most popular beauty trend that are sure to carry through the year. Liquid lipsticks provide more than just the convenience of lipstick in a tube; it’s a long–lasting highly pigmented magical wand, which usually comes off mostly matte. The transfer rate is low, so you won’t look vain touching up your makeup all night. It’s worry free!

What: Kat Von D, Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Outlaw or Underage Red, $20, available at Sephora.

Good For: Medium skin, dark skin.

What: Ofra Cosmetics Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick in Havana Nights, $20, available at ofracosmetics.com

Good For: All skin tones.

High Shine

A lot of women associate shiny lips with femininity. High shine glosses can be a perfect topper to any look. If it’s a good brand, these can also be creamy feeling without the tacky feeling of older style lip glosses.

What: Smashbox Be Legendary Lip Gloss in Legendary or Disco Rose, $22 to $24, available at smashbox.com and Ulta.

Good For: All skin tones.

What: Hourglass Extreme High Shine Lip Gloss in Primal, Siren or Icon, $32, available at Sephora and hourglasscosmetics.com.

Good For: All skin tones. 

Good Old Fashioned Lipstick

There’s nothing quite like a great lipstick formula. It can be creamy, hydrating and highly pigmented. The best part is, it won’t stain your lips. Lipsticks are easy to apply and easy to touch up. The cons are smudging while eating... or kissing. Go ahead and give your Valentine a big smooch on the cheek to show off your beautiful color.

What: Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick, $33, esteelauder.com. This brand offers almost 10 different red colors in this line!

Good For: All skin tones.

What: Lancome L’ABSOLU ROUGE, $32.00, available at Sephora, Ulta and lancome-usa.com. This brand offers an array of great colors!

Good For: All skin tones.

Whatever color or kind of lip you wear, you’ll look amazing! Happy Valentine’s Day!