Bold, Glamorous Lip Shades Are 'Red Hot' for the Coming Season

The word of mouth, according to celebrity makeup artist Belinda Moss, is that "Old Hollywood"-style lips in rich, red hues will be all the rage for the upcoming fall and winter seasons (Moss has been a nationally renowned makeup expert for more than 20 years; her clients include Eva Longoria Parker, Beyonce, Goldie Hawn, Norah Jones and Scarlett Johansson).

The two key factors for achieving this look is knowing which shades complement your particular skin tone and the application.
Moss suggests that if you're Fair-Skinned, choose a true red color such as Berry or Brick. Medium skin tones should try orange-based hues like Spicy or Brown-based reds; dark skin tones would look great in Blackberry,Burgundy and other deep reds. "You can also buy a few lipsticks and just experiment with them, like most makeup artists do, help create your own perfect red shade...even mixing and matching several colors to come up with a custom tone."

Red lipsticks can be tricky to pull off, because dark shades can emphasize any flakes or lip creases, and can more easily 'bleed'. Here's some help for that:

1.Repair Chapped LIps-Slough off dead skin with a soft toothbrush in order to have a smooth base to apply the lipstick.
2. Cover Dry, Flaky Lips-Your concealer or liquid foundation makes an excellent anti-feathering lip base; just apply this facial makeup to the outside edge of the lips to help prevent the lip color from 'bleeding'.
3. Line, Not Outline Your Lips-It's very important to match your lip color to your lipstick. And it's also important to apply this liner to the entire lip, not just the edges. Using a lip liner not only helps define your lips, but will also help to set a border for both the lip balm and lipstick.
4. Balm Your Lips-After applying the lip liner, put on a coat of Softlips Lip Conditioning Balm to help condition your lips and protect them from sun damage. This product will soften and moisturize your lips without that waxy, greasy feeling (It's true! I use this every day).
5. Brush on Red-If you want the best precision with the red lipstick, use a lip brush to apply neatly and evenly.
6. Smile-Check to make sure that no lipstick has rubbed off on your teeth.

"For those who feel that red lipstick is just too bright, here are a few ways to tone down the color. You can apply a sheer lip balm over the lipstick (such as Softlips). Or if you prefer a natural red color that resembles flushed, bitten lips, apply a red lip stain (It will appear super-dark and liquidy in the package, but as you apply it, it'll be rosy or berry-hued. And it will stay on for a very long time!) and then gently apply-with your fingers-a red lipstick that best suits your skin tone."

If you just don't like red, why not try Plums, Mauves and Bronzes? These shades will still keep you in fashion with the fall/winter seasons. If you're Fair-Skinned-Use Mauve. Olive and Dark-skinned women should try Plum shades.
For a universal lip color that will complement most skin tones and accent your fall wardrobe, try a lip tint like Softlips Tints in Bronze. It's a subtle metallic, but contains enough pigment to provide a glamorous shimmer to the lips.
Please visit www.softlips.com to learn more.

Besides working her makeup magic on many stars, Belinda Moss has helped create many of the runway looks at New York Fashion Week and currently serves as a key makeup artist for many top entertainment award shows and sports events, including Fashion Rocks, Video Music Awards, Tony Awards, Tribeca FilmFestival, the Oscars, the Woodie Awards, the Grammys, and the U.S. Open.

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