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20 Red lipsticks to try in your search for the best red lipstick

Before we get to the list of 20 Red lipsticks to try in your search for the best red lipstick to elevate your confidence, let’s talk a little bit about red lipstick in general.

Does red lipstick make you look like a clown?

I wear red lipstick more often than any other color. I don’t doubt there are people who think I look like a clown when they see me wearing red lipstick. Sometimes the shade of red I use is just a touch too bright and even I can admit that it can look a little glaring. I think not every shade of red works for everybody, but I don’t think anyone should be compared to a clown for wearing a shade of red lipstick that might be a little too bright. My reasoning is simply because it’s just not a nice thing to do.

Is it true that women with darker skin tones should not wear red lipstick?

When I was a teenager the media used to push the message that women fitting my description should never wear red lipstick. But from the time I started wearing makeup, I recognized the power of red lipstick. A red lip was a force so powerful that it always managed to give me back what the media and those who bought into the media’s nonsense tried to take from me with their extensive list of things that made women fitting my description undesirable in one way or another. Red lipstick has always made me feel alive and vibrant. It enhances my mood and elevates my confidence.

At what age should a woman stop wearing red lipstick?

Apparently there is an age at which women should stop wearing red lipstick, or wearing any makeup at all. What that age is varies depending on the source of information.

If you Google the question, you’ll find an article on shine.yahoo.com that puts the age at 59 with this little blurb:

59 is the Age Women Should Stop Wearing Red Lipstick, Heavy Makeup, Study Finds. There is a time to start aging gracefully… (article)

So, apparently, somebody did a study. Whoever it was that did the study, they claim that they asked 2000 women what age should women stop wearing red lipstick, and based on the study, they came to the conclusion that women should stop wearing red lipstick at 59.

My advice to you is to live your life. Do you want you want. If you’re 90 years old and like to wear red lipstick. Wear it. It’s nobody’s business.

Lancome Color Design Retro rouge Red Lipstick adelamonica

20 Red lipsticks to try in your search for the best red lipstick

This list is essentially a list of the 20 red lipsticks that I am planning on trying based on researching the best red lipsticks. The list is compiled from a number of different articles found around the Internet. As of this writing I have not tried any of the 20 red lipsticks yet. Some of them are quite expensive for a lipstick so it’s going to take me a while to manage to get my hands on all 20, but I plan on trying them out and letting you know which ones I like or don’t.

Please note that this article links to products on Amazon via an affiliate links. Should you purchase any item on Amazon after clicking the affiliate links, I will get a small commission. I thank you in advance.

MAC Retro Matte Lipstick - Ruby Woo - $19

MAC Retro Matte Lipstick - Ruby Woo

Apparently MAC Retro Matte Lipstick – Ruby Woo is the ultimate red lipstick. It’s on every best red lipstick list I came across. According to cosmopolitan.com’s list of the “23 best red lipsticks of all damn time” (article here), Ruby Woo is the “Best Universally-Flattering Red Lipstick”. They claim that it looks “universally badass on everyone”. So how could I not want to try it? I’m thinking about putting it in my shopping cart today to get this experiment started, but it’s one of those things where I know I really cannot afford to spend $19 on a lipstick even if I might be able to get my hands on the $19 today. I’ll be spending $19 for a lipstick just to say I tried it.

Fenty Stunna Lip Paint in Uncensored - $25

Fenty Stunna Lip Paint in Uncensored

I have wanted to try Fenty Beauty Stunna Lip Paint in Uncensored since it first came out; but I haven’t had a chance yet. I’m adding it to my list of red lipsticks to trying in my search for the best red lipstick. Apparently Rihanna’s goal in making her Stunna lip paint was to create a lipstick that would not come off no matter what. WWD describes it in their write up as a “universally flattering rich red” that “has 12 hours of hold, drying down to a weightless stain”. (article)

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Fire & Ice - $5

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Fire and Ice

According to the wwd.com “20 Best Red Lipsticks that Never Go Out Of Style”, Revlon’s Super Lustrous Lipstick in Fire & Ice is “one of the most iconic lip colors that has stood the test of time”. It has apparently been in production since 1952. Since it’s only $5 I have gone ahead and added it to my Amazon shopping cart. Given how long I’ve been wearing red lipstick I’m sure I’ve probably tried Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Fire & Ice before. I know from reading an old post reviewing the first (and so far only) Chanel lipstick I ever purchased, that I’ve purchased Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick before. Likely it was a red color since I mostly only buy red lipsticks. But I certainly do not remember the name of every red lipstick I’ve ever used. So I can’t swear it was Fire & Ice. (article)

Gucci Rouge à Lèvres Mat Matte Lipstick in Goldie Red - $42

Gucci Rouge à Lèvres Mat Matte Lipstick in Goldie Red

According to the gucci.com website the Rouge à Lèvres Mat is a “collection of intensely-hued lip colors with a long-lasting matte finish” that are “Specially formulated with rich pigment and gelling waxes” to deliver “vibrant color with a soft, velvety feel.” At $42 this lipstick is way out of budget. But I’m intrigued by the opulent look of it. The color looks exciting and is tempting my senses. So I’m adding it to my list given it appeared on more than one of the lists below. I have no idea when I will be in the position to pick up a $42 lipstick without feeling like I’ve done something highly irresponsible.

Chanel Rouge Allure Luminous Intense Lip Colour in Pirate - $42

Chanel Rouge Allure Luminous Intense Lip Colour in Pirate

Back in 2015, I purchased a Chanel lipstick and wrote up a review in “Review: That Rogue COCO ultra hydrating Chanel lipstick“. Yes, I misspelled Rouge and I only noticed today July 7 2022. I am mortified but I embarrass myself every day and it has not killed me yet so what’s another embarrassment to add to the list? In that review I said it was unlikely I would buy another Chanel lipstick. But I’m intrigued by this lipstick and would like to try it out. I like the rich look of the red.

Christian Louboutin Velvet Matte Lip Colour Rouge Louboutin - $90

Christian Louboutin Velvet Matte Lip Colour rouge louboutin

I have been curious about Christian Louboutin lipsticks for a few years. But, as you might imagine, someone who has to think long and hard about whether or not it would be wise to buy a $19 lipstick is certainly in no position to be thinking about buying a $90 lipstick. At least the option is there to use Afterpay; but considering I could get a whole outfit for the price of a Christian Louboutin lipstick, I’m not sure it would be the smartest thing in the world to afterpay purchase a $90 lipstick.

Via the christianlouboutin.com website, the lipstick is described: “as smooth as leather, as matte as suede, ROUGE LOUBOUTIN LIP COLOUR dresses your lips with a luxurious and intense velvet color.”

Dior Beauty Rouge Dior Lipstick in 999 - $42

Dior Rouge Dior Color 999

I admit that most of these reds look like they are the same color. So what need is there to try them all? I would say that the search for the ultimate red lipstick isn’t just about the color. It’s also about how the lipstick feels on your lips, how long the color stays on your lips, how it looks on your lips, what it does for your lips, how easy it is to apply and other such considerations.

Via Dior.com. it says about the Rouge Dior collection “Rouge Dior is the iconic longwearing Dior lipstick in couture color. It features natural-origin floral lip caring ingredients like red peony and pomegranate flower extracts for 16H comfort”. Is that why I’m intrigued? Not really. The color and texture just look inviting and tempting.

Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupté Shine Lipstick Balm in Tuxedo - $39

Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupté Shine Lipstick Balm in Tuxedo‘

This Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupté Shine Lipstick Balm in Tuxedo looks a bit too bright of a red for me; but nonetheless I am intrigued to try it. Sometimes a bright red is striking in a good way depending on the purpose for which it is being used. Some bright reds are just too bright red to not look obviously not a good choice for me, but I don’t really know until I put it on how it’s going to look. NYX Perfect Red is a pretty bright red but I find that I like the way it looks on me. Clinique Ruby Pop is a bright red that I’d classify as being a bit too bright for me unless I use it more as a stain than a lipstick.

In no order of importance here are the rest of the 20 red lipsticks to try in your search to find the best red lipstick

  • Maybelline Color Sensational The Creams in Red Revival
  • Fashion Fair Iconic Lipstick in Cat Fight
  • Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Beso
  • Nars Semi Matte Lipstick in Jungle Red
  • Chanel Rouge Coco Ultra Hydrating Lip Color in Gabrielle
  • Pat McGrath Labs Matte Trance Lipstick in Elson
  • Chanel Rouge Coco Flash in Ultime
  • Chanel Rouge Double Intensité Ultra Wear Lip Color in Ever Red
  • Hourglass Confession Lipstick Red 0
  • Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist in Untamed Fire
  • Lancôme L’Absolu Rouge Cream Lipstick in Caprice De Rouge
  • Nars Iconic Lipstick in Bad Reputation

This list of 20 red lipsticks to try in your search for the best red lipstick is based on the lists shown below that were put together by harpersbazaar.com, cosmopolitan.com, nymag.com and wwd.com. I have not yet tried any of the lipsticks on the list.

Currently my red lipstick collection includes

  1. Clinique Ruby Pop
  2. Clinique Passion Pop
  3. L’Oreal Paris Color Riche Ruby Flame
  4. L’oreal Paris Color Riche Rouge St Germain
  5. Lancome Color Design Retro Rouge
  6. NYX Perfect Red matte lipstick
  7. Wet-n-Wild Sasspot Red
  8. Wet-n-Wild Stoplight Red
  9. Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink Pioneer

 

The 15 Most Iconic Shades of Red

According to harpersbazaar.com, these 15 red lipsticks “stand the test of time” (article here)

  1. Mac Cosmetics Matte Lipstick in Ruby Woo
  2. NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dragon Girl
  3. Fenty Beauty Stunna Lip Paint Longwear Fluid Lip Color in Uncensored
  4. The Lip Bar The Lip Bar Matte Liquid Lipstick in Hot Mama
  5. Dior Beauty Rouge Dior Lipstick in 999
  6. Shiseido VisionAiry Gel Lipstick in Ginza Red
  7. Chanel Luminous Intense Lip Colour in Pirate
  8. Gucci Rouge à Lèvres Mat Matte Lipstick in Goldie Red
  9. Pat McGrath Labs MatteTrance Lipstick in Obsessed!
  10. Beauty Bakerie Matte Lip Whip in Bowl Of Cherries
  11. Maybelline Color Sensational The Creams in Red Revival
  12. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Fire & Ice
  13. Christian Louboutin Rouge Louboutin Velvet Matte
  14. Guerlain KissKiss Creamy Satin Finish Lipstick in Rouge Kiss
  15. Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture Lipstick in Le Rouge

Referring to their compilation as “true makeup legends”, Cosmopolitan lists the below 23 red lipsticks as their picks for the “23 Best Red Lipsticks of All Damn Time” (article here)

  1. MAC Cosmetics Lipstick Matte in Ruby Woo
  2. Dior Rouge Dior Lipstick in 999
  3. Fashion Fair Iconic Lipstick in Cat Fight
  4. Nars Powermatte Lip Pigment in Light My Fire
  5. Pat McGrath Labs MatteTrance Lipstick in Elson
  6. The Lip Bar Vegan Liquid Matte Lipstick in Bawse Lady
  7. Huda Beauty Power Bullet Matte Lipstick in El Cinco de Mayo
  8. Guerlain Rouge G Customizable Lipstick
  9. Bite Beauty Power Move Creamy Matte Lip Crayon in Negroni
  10. Hermes Rouge Hermes in Rouge Bleu
  11. Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupté Shine Lipstick Balm in Tuxedo
  12. Maybelline New York SuperStay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick in Innovator
  13. Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain Liquid Lipstick in Red Magma
  14. BareMinerals Mineralist Hydra-Smoothing Lipstick
  15. L’Oréal Paris Rouge Signature Lightweight Matte Lip Stain
  16. Chanel Rouge Allure Luminous Intense Lip Colour in 99 Pirate
  17. Ilia Color Block High Impact Lipstick in Tango
  18. Revlon Super Lustrous Cream Lipstick in Fire & Ice
  19. Giorgio Armani Beauty Ecstasy Shine Lipstick in 401 Hot
  20. Clinique Pop Matte Lip Colour + Primer in Peppermint Pop
  21. Kosas Weightless Lip Color Lipstick in Thrillest
  22. Shiseido VisionAiry Gel Lipstick in Ginza Red
  23. Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Beso

The 20 Best Red Lipsticks That Never Go Out of Style

According to wwd.com, “There’s nothing that pulls your look together quite like red lipstick”. They make this claim in their list of the 20 best red lipsticks that never go out of style. And according to their list, these are the 20 best red lipsticks that never go out of style

  1. Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Beso
  2. Mac Cosmetics Retro Matte Lipstick in Ruby Woo
  3. Chanel Rouge Coco Flash in Ultime
  4. Fenty Stunna Lip Paint in Uncensored
  5. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Fire and Ice
  6. Lancôme L’Absolu Rouge Cream Lipstick in Caprice De Rouge
  7. Nars Iconic Lipstick in Bad Reputation
  8. Rare Beauty Lip Soufflé Matte Cream Lipstick in Inspire
  9. Charlotte Tilbury Limitless Lucky Lipstick in Red Wishes
  10. Byredo Lipstick in Mad Red
  11. Bobbi Brown Luxe Defining Lipstick in Redefined
  12. Gucci Rouge à Lèvres Voile Sheer Lipstick in Goldie Red
  13. Armani Beauty Lip Power in Sultan
  14. Hourglass Confession Lipstick Red 0
  15. Victoria Beckham Beauty Posh Lipstick in Fire
  16. Pound Cake Cake Batter in Red Velvet
  17. Chantecaille Lip Cristal in Carnelian
  18. Rouje Le Rouje de Paris Lipstick in Jeanne
  19. Uoma Beauty Badass Icon Matte Lipstick in Sade
  20. Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist in Untamed Fire

The 29 Best Red Lipsticks of All Time

New York Magazine via nymag.com did an article in 2020 listing the 29 best red lipsticks of all time. Titling the article “The Best Red Lipsticks, According to Beauty Editors, Makeup Artists, and Enthusiasts”, they write “A great red lip is just as much a display of personality as it is a vibrant, confidence-boosting accessory.” (article)

These are the 29 best red lipsticks of all time according to nymag.com’s article

  1. Nars Semi Matte Lipstick in Jungle Red
  2. Jane Iredale Lip Fixation in Passion
  3. Stowaway Creme Lipstick in Scarlet
  4. Ilia Beauty Tinted Women’s Lipstick in Crimson and Clover
  5. Milani Amore Satin Matte Lip Crème in Satin
  6. M.A.C Retro Matte Lipstick in Ruby Woo
  7. Chanel Rouge Allure Luminous Intense Lip Colour in Pirate
  8. Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Stunna Lip Paint in Uncensored
  9. Chanel Rouge Coco Ultra Hydrating Lip Color in Gabrielle
  10. Pat McGrath Labs Matte Trance Lipstick in Elson
  11. NYX Lipstick in Perfect Red
  12. Maybelline Superstay Matte Ink in Pioneer
  13. Rouge d’Armani Lipstick in #401 Red Fire
  14. Nars Powermatte Lip Pigment in Don’t Stop
  15. NYX Lipstick in Pure Red
  16. Giorgio Armani Lip Maestro Liquid Matte Lipstick in 402
  17. Glossier Generation G Lipstick in Zip
  18. Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain in O1 Always Red
  19. Marc Jacobs Beauty Le Marc Creme Lipstick in Oh Miley
  20. NARS Velvet Matte Lipstick Pencil in Dragon Girl
  21. Lancôme L’Absolu Rouge Hydrating Shaping Lip Color in Isabella 189
  22. Face Stockholm Veil Lipstick in Cranberry
  23. Kosas Weightless Lip Colour in Electra
  24. Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Fiery
  25. Etude House Dear Darling Water Gel Tint in RD302
  26. Julep It’s Whipped Matte Mousse in At Midnight
  27. Smashbox Always On Matte Liquid Lipstick in Bawse
  28. Chanel Rouge Double Intensité Ultra Wear Lip Color in Ever Red
  29. Pat McGrath Matte Trance Lipstick in Vendetta

Shopping for red lipstick?

Clicking the button below will transport you to Amazon.com where you can shop for red lipsticks. If you buy anything on Amazon through the button below, I will receive a commission. I thank you in advance.

Monica
Monicahttps://adelamonica.com
Singer songwriter Adelamonica AKA Avenue Sixty editor in chief. Writing as Monica for The Monica Archives. Writing has always been one of my passions. In fact, when I was a teenager, I used to tell people they should remember my name, because I was going to become a famous author. I used to live to write and write to live--not in the sense of writing for income but writing to combat depression and to feel a sense of purpose. I've written novels, poems, articles and essays that I tried unsuccessfully to get published over many years starting in my teens. When I discovered blogging several ages ago, I turned to that avenue as a means of doing what I love without having to worry about publishers and their rejection letters. Modeling is also something I have always enjoyed and something I wanted very badly to do as a teenager. So badly that I used to lie and tell people I was a model. I would carry around a large portfolio style photo album and claim it was my modeling portfolio. But, as with my writing, the people with the power to make my modeling dreams come true saw nothing in me that made them stop me in the streets of New York to offer me a modeling contract with their agency. So when I discovered the ability to photograph my own self (before cell phones and selfies) I took up a hobby of pretend modeling at home and that hobby has remained with me throughout my life as a form of self expression and self therapy. I ask that you kindly excuse my lack of worldliness and any instances where I demonstrate lack of tact or lack of knowledge and even lack of basic intelligence in my writing and posing. I'm just here trying to have a little fun doing the things that make me happy. I'm just an average human for whom writing and posing and singing and dancing and the other things I do are ways I express myself and keep myself going on this ever challenging journey of life. I hope you will find something even remotely useful or interesting in the things I share.

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