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Everybody planning to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade on Thursday? It's one of our favorite family traditions. We snack on hors d'oeuvres and watch the parade while the turkey is cooking in the oven. (There is no such thing as too much food on T-day, am I right?) Among the most iconic features of the parade are the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes.
It's always been a goofy, impossible dream of mine to be a Rockette. I do meet the height requirement (5' 8" in the allowed range of 5' 6" to 5' 10.5"), but alas I can't really dance. Or perform an eye-high kick without damaging myself or my surroundings. :)
Well, even if I can't dance like a Rockette, I can still apply lipstick like one!
So here I'm offering my tutorial for a Rockette-inspired matte red lip. Such a timeless holiday style!
What You'll Need
Toothbrush
Lip moisturizer (chapstick, cocoa butter, whatever you use)
Foundation
Red lip liner (Maybelline liner in Red)
Red lipstick (I use Maybelline Color Sensational Creamy Mattes in Rich Ruby)
Lip brush
Tissues
How-to
Brush your lips, just like you would your teeth. I know it sounds weird, but this step helps to clear off any dry, chapped skin (a winter affliction we all suffer.) It also irritates the lips a little bit, which can make them look slightly fuller.
Complete the rest of your makeup. I suggest a simple cat-eye. Also, keep the blush natural-looking. You don't want anything that will compete with the statement red lip.
3. Moisturize your lips with chapstick, cocoa butter or whatever else you might use. Rub it in well and let it absorb for about 5 minutes. You don't want to try applying lipstick to a freshly greased surface. :)
4. Dab and blend in foundation around the edges of your lips to create a "clean canvas" if you will.
5. Line your lips with red lip liner, using light feathery strokes. Then, fill it all in with liner as well. Using liner on the entire lip avoids the embarrassing "ring around the mouth" appearance at the end of the day. We're trying for lasting results here
6. Take a step back, and check the overall shape of your lips to see what can be adjusted in the next step. For instance, here I notice my top lip is a bit thin compared to the bottom one.
7. (Excuse the goofy face here.) In this step, you get to color outside the lines - yes, it's true! What you could never do in elementary school, you can do now! Very carefully, begin sketching a new lip line outside of the natural lip line. Because we're working with matte lipstick in such a deep pigment, no one will be able to tell what's been artificially drawn on.
8. Take another step back to examine your handiwork. Keep tissues at the ready to fix any pencil marks that have gone awry. This looks a bit better. I actually have an upper lip now!
9. Swipe some lipstick onto a lip brush. Then, brushing back and forth, slowly build the color on your lips. Really work it in so it acts as a lip stain.
10. Lastly, press a tissue between your lips to remove any excess lipstick. And voila! The perfect, matte red lip. Almost as timeless in its staying power as it is in style.
Wishing you a stylish holiday season!
'Til next time,
Eva