Beauty Bash Discussion: Red Lipstick for Everyone

I love red lipstick. For me, it was a rite of passage, and I've been wearing it since my teens. Until I married a man who hates red lipstick. My husband likes makeup that looks natural, and apparently, red lipstick doesn't make the cut. So, reluctantly, I limit it to girly events and special occasions. It's a real shame because I know that nothing flatters my complexion like the perfect shade of red.
With the exception of me and my sister, the other girls at the Beauty Bash shy away from red lipstick, so I challenged them to try it for a few days. Once the initial shock of seeing themselves differently wears off, they will either love it or hate it. I recommended using a fingertip to apply a sheer wash of red color on lip-balmed lips. Or mixing it with a neutral. Or applying it and wiping it off, then coating with a clear balm or gloss, like a stain.
Apparently, I'm not the only one who thinks that red lipsick is transformative. Beauty Insider Julie Hewett, whose insightful tips and tricks to wearing red lipstick appear in my book, Secrets of the Beauty Insiders, launched her namesake line with a range of red lipsticks. Hewett is the makeup artist behind such movies as American Beauty, Spiderman, Ocean's 11 and Ocean's 12. She claims that there's a color to suit every woman. For the red-lipstick-shy, she recommends starting with more subtle options, like a sheer red or a red gloss. She also says that it's crucial to find the right shade. Here are her tips, using shades from her own line:
A red with brown undertones, like Coco Noir, looks good on almost anyone
Red with blue undertones, or true reds, like Rouge Noir and Femme Noir, look great on women with cooler skin tones. Rouge Noir is a classic movie star red, while Femme Noir looks great on very fair skin with blue undertones.
"Warm eggplanty reds" like Sin Noir work well on Latin women and African Americans - women with warmer skin tones
Belle Noir looks good on tanned blondes with olive skin or brunettes with fair olive skin.

For the Beauty Bash, we were sent a selection of red "lip paints" from another red-centric line, Maria B. Like Hewett's, this line offers a red for everyone. It must be the most extensive line of red lipsticks ever, with over 30 shades. The lipstick also doubles as a lip stain and a cheek color. We are currently testing several of the shades, from Disco to Black Cherry. Is there really a red for every girl? I think so, but the verdict is still out. Stay tuned for the Red Lipstick Report!