Top 10: Favourite Red Lipsticks.
"Not every woman suits red lipstick's strength of purpose... You cannot be a wallflower and wear red lipstick. No, you have to put yourself out there." - Francois Nars
They say that inside of every introvert, there's an extrovert waiting to break out. Well, I don't know how accurate that is, but if my obsession with red lipstick is any indication, being an introvert does not necessarily mean that one is uncomfortable with being noticed.
Yesterday, I was browsing random fashion blogs when I came across photos of the Ralph Lauren Fall Winter 2011/2011 fashion show, and became captivated by both the styling and the makeup (by Estee Lauder creative director Tom Pecheux). The combination of the bright orange-tinged red ("Chinese red", which to me is defined by the colour of the red cinnabar ink used with stone seals) lipstick, minimal eye makeup, and black textured clothing is a favourite of mine, and surprisingly adaptable to different skintones.
I became determined to track down that particular shade of red lipstick, which turned out to be a Spring 2011 limited edition Estee Lauder called Wild Fire. Having no luck at the Estee Lauder counters in the City, where apparently they sold out really quickly, I eventually found one on offer by an eBay seller in the UK.
Do I need another red lipstick? You might as well ask me if I need another book, or a pair of socks. Red lipsticks, in all their wonderful variety of shades and finishes and textures, are not a matter of need. It's not a matter of reason. Nor do I continually expand my collection of red lipsticks in the ever fruitless search of my "perfect red", which in my case, probably doesn't exist. I am too fond of variety to settle into one particular style; I love seeing my physical form morph under the drape of different outfits, my face and attitude transformed. It may be all identity performance, but I like to think that there is something uncompromisingly me that remains constant beneath the flurry of looks. Perhaps that's part of the reason why I love red lipstick so much - and not the kind of sheer, raspberry red that merely whispers, rather than shouts.
Anyway, to make this rather self-indulgent post even more self-indulgent, here is a list of my top 10 red lipsticks, which is less than half of my actual collection.
1. Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited RD178M - matte dark red
2. NARS Afghan Red - satin garnet
3. Shiseido Perfect Rouge 305 Salon - chic, cool red
4. Armani Silk #30 - bordeaux
5. Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited RD198 - true red
6. Cle de Peau Beaute Extra Rich Lipstick R2 Red Abundance - bright orange-toned red
7. Guerlain KissKiss 524 Sexy Tango - tomato red
8. Chanel Rouge Allure 64 Enthusiast - coral red
9. NARS Rouge d'Enfer - matte blood-red
10. Guerlain Le Rouge G de Guerlain Geisha - brick red
(Geisha is all by its lonesome because I smudged the swatches on the other arm before I managed to get it on as well.)
The photos, taken less than ideally on my iPhone, do not show the differences in undertone very well. You can sort of make out that the colours on the left (1 to 5) are cooler and blue-based, and the rest (6 to 10) are warmer, coral- and orange-based. The number of swipes it took to build up the colour to what is shown varied from two (Red Abundance and Geisha) to 5 (Sexy Tango), which tells you how different they are in opacity.
My skintone is sufficiently neutral that I can wear reds with different undertones, but the general rule is that I wear warm reds in summer when I am more tanned and noticeably olive, and cooler (almost plummy) reds in winter when I am more pale. Guerlain Sexy Tango, because it is relatively sheer and does not require as much care to apply, is something I often keep in my handbag during the spring and summer when I want to add a bit of drama on the go.
What I absolutely cannot wear are pink-reds (not enough pink undertones in my skin?) - shades like Cle de Peau Beaute Rouge a Levres in the #9 (a discontinued line, I believe) and Armani Silk #10 (cranberry red), both of which I own and still keep as a reminder of misfires. The difference between the Cle de Peau #9 and something which is a hint more rosy, like Guerlain Rouge Automatique in Chamade, is tiny in the tube or even swatched on the back of my hand, but very noticeable on my face. I might add swatches of those two, for comparison, tomorrow morning when the light is good.
ETA:
R-L: Giorgio Armani Armanisilk #10, Cle de Peau Be Beaute Rouge a Levres #9, Guerlain Rouge Automatique 164 Chamade.
To be honest, I can barely see a different from the photo image, but you have to take my word for it that #10 is the pinkest, and Chamade is warmed up just enough to be bright but wearable for me. To see how Chamade looks on someone significantly more pink-toned than me, check out ParisB.
This entry was originally posted at http://the-grynne.dreamwidth.org/940550.html and has
comments.
They say that inside of every introvert, there's an extrovert waiting to break out. Well, I don't know how accurate that is, but if my obsession with red lipstick is any indication, being an introvert does not necessarily mean that one is uncomfortable with being noticed.
Yesterday, I was browsing random fashion blogs when I came across photos of the Ralph Lauren Fall Winter 2011/2011 fashion show, and became captivated by both the styling and the makeup (by Estee Lauder creative director Tom Pecheux). The combination of the bright orange-tinged red ("Chinese red", which to me is defined by the colour of the red cinnabar ink used with stone seals) lipstick, minimal eye makeup, and black textured clothing is a favourite of mine, and surprisingly adaptable to different skintones.
I became determined to track down that particular shade of red lipstick, which turned out to be a Spring 2011 limited edition Estee Lauder called Wild Fire. Having no luck at the Estee Lauder counters in the City, where apparently they sold out really quickly, I eventually found one on offer by an eBay seller in the UK.
Do I need another red lipstick? You might as well ask me if I need another book, or a pair of socks. Red lipsticks, in all their wonderful variety of shades and finishes and textures, are not a matter of need. It's not a matter of reason. Nor do I continually expand my collection of red lipsticks in the ever fruitless search of my "perfect red", which in my case, probably doesn't exist. I am too fond of variety to settle into one particular style; I love seeing my physical form morph under the drape of different outfits, my face and attitude transformed. It may be all identity performance, but I like to think that there is something uncompromisingly me that remains constant beneath the flurry of looks. Perhaps that's part of the reason why I love red lipstick so much - and not the kind of sheer, raspberry red that merely whispers, rather than shouts.
Anyway, to make this rather self-indulgent post even more self-indulgent, here is a list of my top 10 red lipsticks, which is less than half of my actual collection.
1. Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited RD178M - matte dark red
2. NARS Afghan Red - satin garnet
3. Shiseido Perfect Rouge 305 Salon - chic, cool red
4. Armani Silk #30 - bordeaux
5. Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited RD198 - true red
6. Cle de Peau Beaute Extra Rich Lipstick R2 Red Abundance - bright orange-toned red
7. Guerlain KissKiss 524 Sexy Tango - tomato red
8. Chanel Rouge Allure 64 Enthusiast - coral red
9. NARS Rouge d'Enfer - matte blood-red
10. Guerlain Le Rouge G de Guerlain Geisha - brick red
(Geisha is all by its lonesome because I smudged the swatches on the other arm before I managed to get it on as well.)
The photos, taken less than ideally on my iPhone, do not show the differences in undertone very well. You can sort of make out that the colours on the left (1 to 5) are cooler and blue-based, and the rest (6 to 10) are warmer, coral- and orange-based. The number of swipes it took to build up the colour to what is shown varied from two (Red Abundance and Geisha) to 5 (Sexy Tango), which tells you how different they are in opacity.
My skintone is sufficiently neutral that I can wear reds with different undertones, but the general rule is that I wear warm reds in summer when I am more tanned and noticeably olive, and cooler (almost plummy) reds in winter when I am more pale. Guerlain Sexy Tango, because it is relatively sheer and does not require as much care to apply, is something I often keep in my handbag during the spring and summer when I want to add a bit of drama on the go.
What I absolutely cannot wear are pink-reds (not enough pink undertones in my skin?) - shades like Cle de Peau Beaute Rouge a Levres in the #9 (a discontinued line, I believe) and Armani Silk #10 (cranberry red), both of which I own and still keep as a reminder of misfires. The difference between the Cle de Peau #9 and something which is a hint more rosy, like Guerlain Rouge Automatique in Chamade, is tiny in the tube or even swatched on the back of my hand, but very noticeable on my face. I might add swatches of those two, for comparison, tomorrow morning when the light is good.
ETA:
R-L: Giorgio Armani Armanisilk #10, Cle de Peau Be Beaute Rouge a Levres #9, Guerlain Rouge Automatique 164 Chamade.
To be honest, I can barely see a different from the photo image, but you have to take my word for it that #10 is the pinkest, and Chamade is warmed up just enough to be bright but wearable for me. To see how Chamade looks on someone significantly more pink-toned than me, check out ParisB.
This entry was originally posted at http://the-grynne.dreamwidth.org/940550.html and has
comments.