Battle of the Red Lipsticks

It’s no secret that red lipstick isn’t my favourite to wear. Certain shades age me and make my skin look paler than it really is. Over the past week or so I have been testing the red lipsticks in my collection to work out which shades I enjoy. I wore the same base makeup and eyeshadow to keep the test fair and I discovered I definitely need to wear bronzer and blush when I wear red lipstick which I can get away without wearing with other lipstick colours. Currently I have seven red lipsticks. Raspberry reds and berry shades are not included but perhaps that’s a post for me to consider in the new year.

1. Revlon – Fire & Ice

Fire & Ice was the first red lipstick I got. This is one of Revlon’s iconic shades and it is a little unusual because it is a neutral red that is warm and cool at the same time. Fire & Ice is such a beautiful colour and depending on the makeup you pair it with can look more tomato red or more pink red. The formula is a creme and it’s very comfortable on the lips and easy to apply. You don’t need a lip liner with this shade and the lasting power is good despite the formula not being matte. It won’t end up on your teeth or fade drastically throughout the day. I don’t pull this shade out all the time but I enjoy it when I do.

2. MAC – Ruby Woo

Ruby Woo is one of the most coveted shades of red lipstick. Basically the hype is real and worth it if you’re looking for one great red for your collection. This shade suits just about anybody and is kind of like an old hollywood, glam red. Roby Woo looks like red velvet on the lips and I think if I could have only keep one red it would be this one! The lasting power is excellent and the formula is not drying if you apply balm underneath first.

3. Revlon – Wild Watermelon

The swatch makes this shade look more pink than red because of the sheer formula but on the lips Wild Watermelon definitely leans red. I love this colour during the warmer months and the glossy, shiny formula makes lips look soft and juicy. If you suffer with dry lips this formula is lovely too. If you’re looking for more wearable reds or more of a stain you will like this one. Revlon don’t make lip butters anymore but they are still out there if you search. As this is a lighter red it will wear away gracefully and is easy to re-apply.

4. Bourjois – Cherry My Cherie

I picked up this lipstick for about $8 last year but I just don’t reach for it very often. As the name suggests this is a beautiful cherry red and the formula is really soft and comfortable to wear. When I swatched the lipsticks Cherry My Cherie looks very similar to Ruby Woo by MAC. I would say if you’re looking for a cheaper version of Ruby Woo or you don’t like the Retro Matte formula this is a good alternative. I will be saying goodbye to this lipstick purely because I don’t need this and Ruby Woo. Ruby Woo has less transfer throughout the day due to its formula and I don’t mind applying balm underneath to get the shade to glide on.

5. xoBeauty – Kairos

Kairos is a product I featured in the Shopping My Stash post in July and I have been going back and forth about whether to keep it or not ever since. Before I started writing this post I tried the lipstick on and was convinced I wasn’t going to keep it. Whilst I can appreciate the pretty muted coral-red tones I didn’t love how it looked and think it would look better on light-medium skintones as opposed to my fair skin. As I began writing this post I started second guessing myself and now I want to wear the shade again with a full face of makeup and play up the pink tones with blush and highlighter to see if that changes my opinion. The colour is gorgeous and the matte formula is soft and comfortable so I don’t have an issue with the product but I’m not sure it’s the most flattering shade on me. I’ll keep you posted about this one!

6. YSL – Rouge Pur Couture #1

I got this mini as part of a YSL set and the best way I can think to describe the shade is like a cross between Fire & Ice and Ruby Woo. The formula is reminiscent of Fire & Ice and doesn’t slip and slide but the colour is a touch darker and more closer in tone Ruby Woo. I like the mini size and smaller bullet as it makes mistakes less likely during application and the bullet is angled to fit the shape of the lips. The plastic packaging feels cheap but I can live with that as the product inside is good.

7. xoBeauty – Impavid

This is the newest red in my collection, I have only had it for a little over week but I am a fan already. I absolutely adore the xoBeauty liquid lipstick formula and I thought it would be interesting to try as reds are notoriously difficult to apply. Impavid is a deep, rich, cool toned red that makes your teeth look white and is one of the darker reds in this bunch. I’m looking forward to wearing this one more and possibly being able to retire a few of my other reds if this proves to be my perfect red.

Swatches:

Left to right: Fire & Ice, Ruby Woo, Wild Watermelon, Cherry My Cherie, Kairos, Rouge Pur Couture #1 and Impavid.

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What’s your favourite red lipstick? How many do you own?

Out of the seven reds I’m keeping five, passing one on and undecided about the other.

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