Does Red Lipstick Go With Everything?

Red lipstick is a tried and true beauty staple. If you are considering rocking a red shade of lipstick, you probably want to know if you need to coordinate your outfit around this bold hue. Don't worry, we've looked into this and found it's easier than you may think to accessorize with red lipstick.

Surprisingly enough, red lipstick is pretty universally accepted to go with any look or style. A good red lipstick can be worn with just about anything you like. The only exception is other bold makeup in certain settings or when trying to achieve an elegant or more professional appearance.

There are a few other tips that make red lipstick a more attractive and fashionable lip color to wear. Continue reading for great general guidelines on how to look nice in red lipstick as well as how to pick a shade to match your skin's natural undertone.

A beautiful curly haired woman wearing a white top and red lipstick, Does Red Lipstick Go With Everything?

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The Basics of Wearing Red Lipstick

With just a few pointers, you'll be wearing red lipstick with the best of them. Luckily, styling around a red lip color is not too complicated and is open to a lot of creative uses. Red lipstick is very versatile and a great choice for a night out with friends and family, or even for work events.

Can I Wear Red Lipstick With Anything?

You can wear red lipstick with just about anything. The color can be muted or vibrant, but it's always bold. Lipstick in the color red is often worn for formal occasions as well as in a professional setting. It is also regularly worn to create a statement look.

If you are attending a formal event, odds are red lipstick can be a great choice for you. Red lipstick looks great with simple or elegant formal wear. It also looks fantastic with office attire. A good red lipstick can be worn casually, as well. Red lipstick always looks really nice paired with simple, solid, or nude-colored clothing in formal, professional, and casual settings.

Three gorgeous women wearing sweaters, jeans, and red lipstick

As far as the rest of your makeup, try to keep it minimal if you are wearing red lipstick in any of the above settings. This means a simple eye and limited blush or bronzer. Try to wear only nude, grey, or black eye colors and avoid glitter or shimmer. Red lipstick mixed with other heavy or bold makeup looks over the top and possibly even dated.

Click here to see this Covergirl nude eyeshadow palette on Amazon.

The only exception to the minimal makeup rule is when you are intentionally trying to create a statement look. For this style, almost anything goes. Bright and bold patterned clothes, big hair, and yes, even colorful or eccentric makeup elsewhere on the face. This look is very modern and edgy, typically seen on runways and in large cities.

A gorgeous blonde woman wearing a beautiful sleeveless blouse and red lipstick

A different way red lipstick can be worn with other dramatic makeup elements is if you are trying to look more grunge or alternative. Wear with a smoky eye and other eye-catching pieces, like a leather jacket or fishnet stockings. These can look awesome with something as simple as a vintage graphic tee, which will still look daring without being over-the-top.

Does Red Lipstick Look Good on Everyone?

There are countless shades of red lipstick. They can be coral, berry, or brown in tone. With so many different shades, it's no wonder people struggle to find the right one for their skin tone. There are a few different tricks to finding the right shade for you.

Firstly, determine if your skin is fair, dark, or somewhere in between. For all lipstick colors, it is a general rule to go with similar shades of lipstick. For instance, people with darker complexions may look better in a darker shade of lipstick than a paler person might. A fairer person, in turn, may be able to pull off lighter shades of lipstick a lot easier than someone with a darker skin tone.

Click here to see Maybelline's Made for All red lipstick on Amazon.

Though there are a few universal red lipsticks out there, the real trick to selecting a good red lipstick is not in the shade of your complexion, but the tone of your skin. Once you are aware of your underlying skin tone, you will be able to choose the right red lipstick a lot easier.

To find your natural skin tone, look at the veins in your wrist. They are typically more blue, green, or a combination. You will know if they are a combination if it is very difficult to discern whether your veins are more blue or green. Blue veins would be considered cool-toned and green tones are generally viewed as more warm-toned.

After discovering your skin's tone, match your lipstick to that tone. A person with a blue skin tone can wear berries and more blue or violet-tinted red hues. People with warmer skin tones will more easily pull off the corals and other orange-hued red lipsticks. If your skin tone is somewhere in the middle, you will look decent in almost any color, but brick, brown, and more neutral hues of red are always a safe bet.

How Do You Know if You Can Pull Off Red Lipstick?

Anyone should be able to pull off red lipstick after determining their skin's shade and tone. Sometimes, red lipstick can make wearers uncomfortable at first. It is natural that this vibrant color may draw a bit more attention to yourself than normal.  If you are doing everything right, but you're still not confident in your choice, consider the fact that you may just not be used to your face with such a bold lip.

If you are struggling to pinpoint the right hue, Ali Andreea from YouTube shares a great guide on how to pick the perfect red lipstick for your skin tone. She provides several other makeup tips for how to pair lipstick with blemished, aged, or ruddy complexions. Check it out here:

Does Red Lipstick Make You More Confident?

Though a bright or interesting color of lipstick can certainly make someone feel a boost in self-esteem, confidence comes from within. A shade of lipstick can only go so far, but you are more likely to catch onlookers and the clear definition of your own lips may have you smiling at and admiring your own reflection throughout the day.

Certain hues of red can even give the appearance of whiter teeth, which is a confidence booster on its own if you struggle with a yellow smile. Try to pick hues that are bluer-toned to help those pearly whites really glow.

If at first you are very uncomfortable in your new red lipstick, try wearing it for a full day to see if you grow more comfortable as the day wears on. You may find that wearing red lipstick simply takes a while to get used to or that you just aren't cut out to wear such an eye-catching makeup look. Doing whatever makes you most comfortable will lead to more confidence in your appearance.

How Do You Wear Red Lipstick All Day?

To help red lipstick last all day, use a lip primer or foundation to encourage the lip product to stay on once applied. Following up with a good lipliner will keep the lipstick in place. If you're not a huge fan of lining your lips, read our post on how to apply red lipstick without lipliner by clicking here.

When selecting your actual lip color, make sure to go for a long-lasting formula or lip stain. A traditional moisturizing lipstick will generally fade much faster than a matte formula. Products specifically made for all-day wear will last the longest, however.

Click here to see this Maybelline SuperStay lipstick on Amazon.

Do not wipe, bite, or rub your lips together. For such a pigmented lip color, it is best to bring the product along with you to your day's endeavors to re-apply as needed. Though these tips can help extend the wear of your red lipstick, it is common that at least one re-application will be needed throughout the day, or at the very least as you head into your evening activities.

Red Lipstick is a Powerful Makeup Tool Anyone Can Try

A great red lipstick can make anyone feel like a million bucks in the right setting. Don't be afraid to push the rules a little bit and find a shade that you feel really suits you. If you feel great in your red lipstick, chances are you've selected a good hue. If you found this post helpful, you may be thinking next about which lipliner to use. Read our post on whether lipliner should match lipstick by clicking here.

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