How To Wear Red Lipstick To Work, 5 Tips

For the longest time, there has been the perception that there are some makeup looks that can absolutely not be worn to the office. As a corporate professional for many years, I daresay I do agree. 

But one makeup look that is definitely versatile enough to be worn anywhere - work included; and any time is the red lip.

I'm a die-hard fan of the red lip and with the #28daysofred series, I've learned to work my way around different textures, finishes and undertones and conclude on which are suitable for work and those that definitely aren't.

Let me give you a run-down of some of my trusted red lip tricks for work:

1. Make it dark. Anything that is dark and muted without being absolutely black, works for work. A dark red, dark pink, dark nude and so on. A dark red definitely fits into this so go for it. 
2. Say No to Gloss. Step away from the glossy, shiny red finishes for work. No matter how dark that red is, once there is a gloss on it, it will be seen from almost a mile away because it will catch the light and blind the eyes no kidding!
3. Stick to Cool Undertones. Yes, red lip colours with cool undertones work for a variety of complexions (and if you want to argue with me- just remember Ruby Woo). It is 'cool' for a reason and that keeps it tame no matter your complexion while also making your teeth look really white and bright.
4. Try Pencils. Yes, lip liner pencils, albeit the creamy ones. If you feel a lipstick is overwhelming, try a pencil and use it to fill in your lips this time instead of just leaving it around the edges of your lips. 
5. Stain It. Did you know that almost every red lipstick can be converted to a stain? All you need to do is apply your red lipstick generously. After achieving a perfect pout with this, take a tissue and press firmly on your lips until there is just a stain left. You can apply a lip balm to moisturise your lips leaving you with succulent, red-stained lips. 

Dark red lipstick

Red lip stain look

There is none more powerful than a woman with a red lip. None is more confident than she when she smiles. None fierier than she when she roars. 

See a selection of products for the red lip, office-friendly look below:

Share your favourite red lipstick tricks to the office.