Wearing red lipstick can be terrifying (for me, it's exhilarating!). But before I got comfortable rocking ruby, I was intimidated by it. When you have a bold pout, it demands attention.
It can also be difficult to find your perfect shade of red. The makeup aisles and counters are packed with different iterations of red. Some are more pink, while others have more blue and purple undertones. And if you don't have the time, energy, or interest to work with a pro to find your ideal pick, then just go with a universally flattering red.
Dr. Victoria Fraser, the director of scientific communications in consumer beauty at COTY (formerly at Procter & Gamble) works with CoverGirl. The drugstore brand launched a red shade that fits into this category. She explains the theory behind why these red work for everyone.
"A universal red is a share that hits the sweet spot between cool tones and warm tones in what we call the color space," she told me at a recent beauty event. "So the hue is in between the two. What this means is if your skin has cool undertones or warm undertones, you can still wear it, and it's going to look great. Because that's often the challenge women have when finding something that works with their skin tones."
I also wanted to know what the shade actually looks like. "If you were to look at it, there would be no obvious pink undertones or blue undertones," she explained. "And there is no obvious sort of yellow. It's not a post box sort of red." (The post box is a reference to mailboxes in London.)
When I looked into it, I discovered that many brands at a multitude of price points have created universal reds. Keep reading to discover a rouge you can pull off, no matter your complexion!
Rodin Lipstick in Red Hedy [5] ($38)
CoverGirl Outlast All-Day Lipstick in Your Classic Red [6] ($9)
Bobbi Brown Lip Color in Red [7] ($28)
Christian Louboutin Rouge Louboutin Silky Satin Lip Colour in Rouge Louboutin 001 [8] ($90)
Burberry Beauty Lip Velvet in Military Red No.429 [9] ($34)
NYX Cosmetics Matte Lipstick in Perfect Red [10] ($6)
Tom Ford Lip Color in Cherry Lush [11] ($53)
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Luminous Modern-Matte Lipstick in Red Carpet Red [12] ($32)
Chanel Rouge Coco Ultra Hydrating Lip Colo in Gabrielle [13] ($37)
Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in Bad Blood [14] ($17)
Revlon Super Lustrous Love Is On Lipstick [15] ($8)
Lancome L’Absolu Rouge Lipstick in Absolute Rouge [16] ($32)
Nars Audacious Lipstick in Rita [17] ($32)
Estée Lauder Pure Color Long Lasting Lipstick in Carnal [18] ($32)
MAC Liptensity Lipstick in Vivid Bright Red [19] ($21)
Tatcha Kyoto Red Lipstick [20] ($55)
Poppy King Lipstick Queen in Eden [21] ($24)
L'Oréal Paris Colour Riche Collection in Julianne’s Red [22] ($6)
Clinique Pop Matte Lip Colour + Primer in Peppermint Pop [23]
($19)