The Red Lip Experiment

Find the right red for you and you'll rock this glam look like a star

Drew Barrymore loves her signature red lip whether she's getting groceries or getting married. The gorgeous Christina Hendricks of Mad Men fame sets her red hair aflame with a fire-engine-red pout. And while Angelina Jolie's pucker would stand out in any shade, she knows the traffic-stopping power of a red lipstick.

Celebs love the red lip for its elegance and old Hollywood glam. Now, me? I've always been a little shy about the reds. I put them on and feel like a neon sign is flashing over my head reading, "LOOK AT MY FACE!" Sometimes, like Monday mornings, this is just too much look for me to handle. But then, I started experimenting with different shades of red and the color grew on me. Hint: Stop into your local ULTA and ask a staffer to help you pick the perfect hue for you. Or, try one of these for starters.

Daytime = Dial Down
If you're wearing a red lip out into the bright, yellow sunshine (or underneath the sexy fluorescent lighting of your office), go for a more subtle red like Ck One Pure Color Lipstick in Little Liar, which has an orange undertone, or Napoleon Perdis DeVine Goddess Lipstick in Olympia, which is bright without being overwhelming.

Tip: If the skin around your lips has any red to it, tone it down with concealer and powder first. After applying the lip color, if it's still too bold for you, blot it with a tissue until it's more of a stain than a lipstick.

Try a Red Gloss
Do you love color and shine? Then go for a red gloss, like Fusion Beauty LipFusion Lip Plump Color Shine in Sexy. Bonus: It also plumps your lips using marine collagen microspheres. This is great for thinner-lipped ladies—a dark red lip will only emphasize a lack of lip volume even more, so either plump or go lighter with the color.

After Sunset
At night, don't be afraid to try out matte reds, which are Über elegant. Your Best Friend Beauty Royalty Pewter Lipstick is dark and velvety. And, not to mention, has one of the coolest lipstick cases ever. Just remember to downplay the other elements of your makeup when doing a dark red lip. You'll want to do subtle eyes—no heavy liner or you'll cross into Goth territory. Also, did you know you can use your lip color as blush? Just dot on your cheeks and blend. Synchronicity at its best.