Red lip, classic

I’ve always admired people who can pull off a red lip. I’m not sure if my aversion to bright colours is down to a dislike of drawing too much attention to myself or a general preference for more natural makeup, but I decided to challenge myself this festive season and try out a red shade in the form of one of Rimmel’s ‘The Only 1’ matte lipsticks, in a shade called ‘Take the Stage’.

On first inspection there were definitely a couple of things that I didn’t love about the product. Aesthetically, I don’t particularly like its packaging, which is clunky and plastic. It certainly doesn’t look as nice as Rimmel’s other lipstick range by Kate Moss which is so much slicker and luxurious-looking in comparison. Additionally, the scent is a bit of a love-it-or-hate-it one, and so if like me you’re not too keen on overly fruity and fragrant beauty products then you may find this a bit overpowering. That being said, there are plenty of reasons why this product is great. The formula is super creamy so doesn’t feel drying on the lips at all, which is quite unusual for a lipstick of this price, especially one with such a velvety matte finish; you can tell when applying this that a lot of attention has been paid to quality control, something I really appreciate. Obviously the product can be used straight from the bullet and works well this way because it has a slanted shape for easy application, but as someone who isn’t too confident with a bright lip I just like to apply a dab of it which still looks effective because of the high pigmentation. In terms of colour, ‘Take the Stage’ is a classic pillar-box red that I think would suit a lot of skin tones and, let’s be honest, what’s more festive than a red lip for the Christmas season? Toning it down a little by only applying a little also looks great colour-wise, as it just gives the lips a lovely berry tint, another look I love.

Overall, if you’re after a long lasting, lightweight and VERY matte lipstick, definitely check out Rimmel for these gorgeous ‘The Only 1’ lippies. And if you’re feeling very festive (and brave!), why not try out a bright red shade just in time for the holiday season?

Some red lip icons...

Lauren Bacall

Audrey Hepburn

Gwen Stefani