The Red Spread - Day 9 "Remains of the Day"

Wearing red to work can be risky. Red is such a bold and sassy color you don't want to look like you're trying to hussy your way to the top.  You also don't want to look like the consummate party girl who doesn't understand that a blazer on top of a club dress doesn't make it business casual (No Shade Tho). So how do you wear red lips to work? Well in my research (yes I do research for y'all, that's the kind of mensch I am) I find two ways were consistent across the board:

1) Satin or Sheer Lipstick

Yesterday's post on finishes detailed the various ways in which lipstick comes. Satin or sheer finishes offer you the color without that disco ball shine that's best left for Park or some other dark club when you're looking to get chose by that billionaire who's going to pay all your student loans off (One day Lord, please. Amen).  A matte red can also be really good here but consider how opaque and how strong it will be when you put it on.

2) Light Makeup 

Remember that day I had to detail the makeup choices I made when wearing MAC Lady Danger.  Well it's important to note that while your lipstick can draw people in, it's your entire face that keeps them there.  When wearing a bold lip you want to keep the rest of your makeup more or less minimal or at the very least subdued.  Your eyes and your lips should not be having a shouting match on your face, at least not at work.  A dramatic eye and a bold lip when your billionaire-hunting is totally acceptable.

**Now Tip 3) isn't really so much an "official" as it something that I just tried and happen to work**

3) Use Your Liner

I picked up this tube of lipstick, mostly because the case was pretty, but when I put it on it was really loud.  I checked it in all the lights of my apt, I tried my room, the bathroom, natural light, kitchen light--the color was deafening.  I didn't want to take it back so I thought about how I could tone this color down.  And that's when I realized I could use liner.  Using MAC Lip Pencil in Burgundy I colored in my lips almost entirely leaving the area where my lips touch bare.  THEN I applied my lipstick.  That brought the color down from the rafters completely.  Using a darker or neutral color lip liner as a base can help bring some of the color as well as some of the shine/shimmer down in your lipstick and make it more day-friendly.

Do you have pics from V-day weekend with bae? Or were you killin it Sunday night cause you had to let bae go?  Send me your evening and V-day red lip looks at blackgurlzboldlips@gmail.com. 

Today I put on Covergirl Colourlicious Lipstick in Hot 305 and I used MAC Lip Pencil Burgundy on my entire lip as a base

Leda really emphasizes her MAC Ruby Woo with MAC Nightmoth Lip Pencil with a sleek updo and barely there makeup

Keelyn keeps it clean with a little eyeliner and Wet n' Wild Matte Lipstick in Sugar Plum Fairy. And yes Sugar Plum Fairy is a deep berry but it looks red and can go in either direction depending on how it's worn, so there.

Quick to the (Lipstick) Finish - Info Post # 3

So you know how you're looking at lipsticks and you're at like yay, but then you get lost in words like matte, sheen, satin, etc. so then you just walk out the store, with no lipstick in hand?  I'm going to decode some of these words for y'all so the next time you can walk in confidently, grab that tube, and walk out of that store like the bad ass you are.

**Note glosses and colored lip balms were not included in this list**

Matte

Matte is the new hot shit right now people are losing their minds for.  Matte is a highly pigmented (which means the color is really strong) which can last a long time.  Matte doesn't have a high glossy sheen and has more of an opaque look to it.  Matte lipstick can be very drying over time, as the color tends to last a long time so proTip: 1) exfoliate, because your lips will look crazy if it looks like you rolled them in crackers and 2) use primer or lip balm before you let loose on your lipstick.  My favorite lip exfoliator is Majestic Roots Naturals Lip Scrub.

Satin

Satin lipstick gives you strong color but unlike matte it has a some shine to it.  Not diamond or mirrored effect but a bit more to give you a lil somethin.' Satin lipsticks are probably best suited for work, giving you a some color and some shine to let your coworkers know that you can do your job well AND looking like THEE shit when you do it.   Satin lipsticks are also known as creamy lipsticks and it's important to note that because the formula is smoother you may want to use a lip liner to prevent lipstick from bleeding.

Frost
Frost as the name suggests, gives you a frosted look.  Think of Vivica Fox in Batman Forever with Mr. Freeze.  Frosted lipsticks tend to have a heavy feeling on the lips and can be drying over time, so it's important to moisturize the lips.

Now I know what you're thinking, where is Amplified Crème, where's Retro Matte?  If you're a MAC girl you're probably very familiar with these terms and you may not know what they all mean, well I'm going to divide them into groups based on their color opacity and their sheen.

Heavy Shine with Strong Colors, Listed from Shiniest to Least
Frost
Cremesheen
Amplified Crème
Amplified
Satin

High Shine with Sheer Look
Glaze
Lustre

Strong Color with no Shine
Matte
Retro Matte

It's still February, which means it's still Red Spread.  Send me your favorite DAY and EVENING red lips at blackgurlzboldlips@gmail.com

The Red Spread - Day 8

Dark Reds were pretty much made for any lady who isn't afraid to put their boot in someone's ass.  Don't let the smiles fool you (except for me b/c I'm a gentle flower floating in still water), women in dark reds are out here kickin' ass and takin' names.  Great for day or night, dark reds are great to wear on their own.  If you're worried that one might be TOO dark for you consider the finish of the lipstick.  A lipstick with a sheer or satin finish might be more comfortable for you because the color will be less intense and still give you a bit of that reflection you're looking for.  I never met a gloss that couldn't fix anything.  I'm official y'all, send me your V-day looks at blackgurlzboldlips@gmail.com and next week I'll be talking about day reds and evening reds.

I'm getting better with the drugstore brands guys, I promise you I'm not bougie or rich.  Today I have on MAC Currant Lip Liner and Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Black Cherry 

StanChelle got her hands on Anastasia Beverly Hills' new line of Liquid Lipsticks in Sad Girl

Christina was ridin' round gettin' it in Crush by Sephora Collection Rouge Cream Lipstick

Lauren is anything but cruel in NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Cruella with MAC Bespoken For Lip Liner

Bite Beauty Luminous Creme Lipstick in Tannin has Shannon looking ready for the night!

Chadra found the perfect specs for MAC Cremesheen in Hang-Up with MAC Nightmoth Lip Pencil

The Red Spread - Day 7

True Reds are mothertruckin awesome! Neither orange nor pink nor blue, true-reds are the essence of red.  Something about them picks up the life in your cheeks, the twinkle in your eye, and the switch in your walk.  True reds never look out of place.  If you're interested in toning it down you can always use a darker liner like I did, so I look like I at least give one f*ck while I'm at work. It's V-Day weekend y'all!.  Send me your dark red lips--berry, burgundy, vampy, sultry reds, that mmmmmm good red for tomorrow.  You know you want to! 

Today I have on L'Oreal Colour Riche (I'm not bougie y'all I promise) Lipstick in True Red.  I lined it with MAC Burgundy Lip Pencil to tone it down for work. Technically it's listed as Coral Red but nah it's not.

Alaina's watching you and being cool about it in NYX Cosmetics Matte Lipstick in Pure Red (Another one that's technically orange red but nah I'm not seeing it)

Bridget is all smiles in Cherry Picked #202 Lipstick by ULTA

  

Seoul sista Angela was out here trappin in Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick in Icon

The Red Spread - Day 6 (6 is an excellent number btw!)

I am really counting the days until Spring returns.  Winter can EAD.  But I still enjoy a winter lipstick.  Like last week's post I had to think about ways to turn down the brightness in my orange-red, while still getting the full effect.  What I did differently this time was mix lipsticks and forgo liner.  I use a pink-red to "line" my lips and used my orange-red in the center part of my lips creating a pseudo-ombre effect.  I also blotted, which I don't normally do, but these lipsticks have different finishes (one has a sheen, the other is matte) and they were fighting for dominance on my lips which I could not allow.  Tomorrow is clearly y'all second favorite days TRUE REDS.  Send your submissions here!

Hit y'all with the MAC Lady Danger again, but I also used Sephora Collection Rouge Cream Lipstick in Hot Tango as well.  Orange-Red meet Pink-Red