Thursday, September 6, 2012

Seeing Red

Lying in bed on Sunday morning, contemplating whether I need MAC Russian Red, prompted me to make a post about my existing red lipsticks. Because seeing in front of my eyes 6 red lipsticks that I already own and barely use theoretically should discourage me from buying another red lipstick that no doubt, once purchased, I will hardly wear. The funny thing about having too many cosmetics is that you tend to forget the specific products you have, as everything falls under the vague notion there's a lot sitting in your storage at home.

I don't really wear red lipsticks because they're not really my thing. For better or worse (but often worse), I tend to favour pink lipstick, followed by peachy or coral colours. Red always seems to be a little too loud, serious, grown up, in-your-face. I'm just not bold or adventurous enough to wear it in the daytime. Red can make the definitive statement lip, but I don't have that many occasions in my social calendar worthy of glamorous makeup with a red lip as the centrepiece (and by "that many", I mean none).

Nevertheless, I seem to have collected no less than six red lipsticks. (There's actually more in the form of lip gloss, lip stains and products in palettes, for example the vibrant cherry red in Revlon's Multi-Use Palette, but we'll stick with lipsticks for now.)

  • Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in Candy Apple
  • Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in Cherry Tart
  • Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in Red Velvet
  • Revlon Matte in Strawberry Suede
  • Revlon ColorBurst Lipstick in True Red 
  • Rimmel Lasting Finish By Kate Lipstick in 11 

Yeah ... I really like Revlon.





l-r: Candy Apple, Cherry Tart, Red Velvet, Strawberry Suede, True Red, 11

Of these, my favourite is Cherry Tart (lip swatch here), as I find it's the most wearable in terms of sheerness and the colour itself. Candy Apple is basically the warmer and more orange version of Cherry Tart. Red Velvet is absolutely luscious texture-wise (truly buttery, glossy and moisturising on the lips), but too dark and bordering on vampy for everyday wear. On my lips, it's more of a dark, brownish brick red with a bit of burgundy. Sheered out, it makes a typically autumnal shade, a less intimidating reddish wine colour. Strawberry Suede is sadly discontinued (much to the dismay of Lisa Eldridge), but I'm sure it's relatively easy to track down on Ebay or chemists and the like. It's an incredibly vibrant, orange-based, retro red. The ideal bright summer lipstick that instantly lifts the complexion. True Red and Rimmel Lasting Finish in 11 are fairly similar on my lips, the only difference being 11 is darker and more blue-based. True Red is brighter, a touch more orange in tone and slightly sheerer, but only because 11 is so densely pigmented. I was spurred to buy 11 after reading Paula Joye rave about it, and while it's an excellent quality lipstick, it's way too intense for me if applied straight from the tube. But a small amount mixed with lip balm could make a universally flattering red lip. Maybe I don't need Russian Red after all.

85 comments:

  1. I love your collection of red lippies - Strawberry Suede looks gorgeous. Oh I'm a big fan of Revlon lipsticks as well! :)

    On a little side note, are you heading to Sydney IMATS? If you are, hopefully we will bump into each other! :)

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    1. When is IMATS? I'm going to be out of town until the end of the month, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it! But I'm sure you'll have an awesome time :) Will be looking forward to the posts out of it.

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  2. i just love how you shared your thoughts on wanting russian red then realizing you dont need it after your stash made you realize that thought! i find myself also stuck w too much products i dont think i would use so gradually but surely, im devoting more time and energy on items that i know i will use, such as skincare, etc.

    PS. i am not surprised you loved cherry tart the most as its the sheerest and closest to a pink among the reds you swatched :)

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    1. That's good that you're focusing more on items that you know you'll use up! I tend to go through creams and cleansers a lot faster than makeup, which I never seem to empty :p

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  3. I love the look of cherry tart xx

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  4. I'm the opposite. I'll put red lipstick on even if all I have planned for the day is a trip to the supermarket.

    Strawberry Suede looks so pretty.

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    1. Sounds like the red lip is something of a signature for you :) I'm sure you rock it!

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  5. The Rimmel 11 looks super nice! But I'm like you. I buy red lipsticks but hardly ever use them! Cherry Tart & Strawberry Suede look less intense, I want!

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    1. Learn from me, don't buy unless you'll actually use :p Cherry Tart is a little bit on the sheer side but Strawberry Suede is quite intense!

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  6. I know exactly how you feel! Just today I purchased myself the MAC Media. It literally looks brown in the tube, but once on it's a nice plum colour. I can't wait to wear it but it's a bold shade so I'm not sure when I'll be able to! How do you feel about rocking bold lips during the day? Also, I've tried the Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in Tutti Frutti and I think I may have to purchase it now...

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    1. I don't tend to wear lipstick during the day, I usually just go for bare lips, clear lip balm or at most my Korres lip butters which are tinted. I like to randomly try on lipstick at home though. And if I'm going to a dinner or party, I'll make sure to bring a lipstick and I'll try to remember to apply it :p I'm sure the MAC looks lovely on you. Tutti Frutti is a really bright orange - great for summer!

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  7. You take the best swatch photos! Revlon do make excellent lipsticks. I feel the same way about not really wearing reds, and loving pinks :)

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    1. Thank you :) Revlon make awesome lip products! Gotta stay away from the pinks, they're my weakness :p

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  8. I ALMOST bought 'Candy Apple' because it swatched so nicely on the back of my hand. But then I dabbed a little onto my lip and it was a disaster!

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    1. Oh really? Too much of a bright, orangey red? It's hard to pick the right red for your skin tone. I think Cherry Tart suits me better than Candy Apple - have you tried it?

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  9. I have only one red lipstick that I bought to wear for a wedding and I haven't used it ever since. I'm not a red lip girl either, better said, I'm not a lipstick girl period LOL But we are beauty "collectors" and sometimes can't help resist the temptation of getting the newest of the new, even if it is just to decorate our vanity. I've been on a spend ban for a month or so and it's quite rewarding 'shopping' my own collection and rediscovering new things. I even hit pan on an eyeshadow and on a beloved NYX blush, yay for me! hahaha xx

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    1. I need to be on a spending ban as well! Unfortunately I really don't see myself sticking with it - though I desperately need to. Which NYX blush did you hit pan on?

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  10. I love your lippie collection! I love looking at red lipsticks, yet don't do as well wearing them :P
    They're just too pretty!!!
    xx

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    1. It's apparent I have way too many lipsticks! I love looking at them as well, though it makes me a little bit ill to think how wasteful I'm being having so many and not really using them :S

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  11. Great swatches! i tend to shy away from such bright colors haha:)

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    1. Me too, though that's half the fun of lipstick - the bright colours! :)

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  12. I'm thinking of getting a red lip butter as I thought the sheerness may make it more wearable, I really like the swatch here :)
    Also, the Kate lippie looks like a gorgeous red :) I love the Kate lipsticks :)

    xoxo

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    1. Rimmel make some excellent lipsticks! I think any of the red Revlon Lip Butters would look lovely on you Laura :)

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  13. Once I bought Kate 11 Lipstick I was glad I didn't buy Russian Red!!! It's very intense :) Lisa Eldridge inspired me to try the Revlon Matte Lipsticks!

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    1. Love Lisa Eldridge - she's such a guru :) Her videos are so enjoyable to watch and flawlessly produced!

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  14. Hahaha maybe you don't need yet another red lipstick after all... I agree with Cherry Tart being the nicest one- though Strawberry Suede looks sooo pretty, I think it would yellow the teeth considerably. The awful thing I find about red lipsticks is the stain afterwards- even if I'm just trying one on in my room and remove it after half a minute, it leaves a distinct red stain. :S This is really swaying me towards buying Cherry Tart despite originally whittling it down to Tutti Frutti and Cotton Candy (I have the David Jones' Revlon promo in mind). :D Making a purchase with the excuse that my sister likes them so much, she's requested Peach Parfait for her 15th bday hahaha YESSS getting my sister into makeup will be so much fun!

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    1. Or more like, maybe I don't need another lipstick ... ever :p Strawberry Suede does make your teeth look yellow, but that's the price you have to pay I suppose! Same with yellow-based pinks. Red lipsticks do tend to be very staining, in the same manner as plummy/wine/burgundy ones, and darker lipsticks in general.

      Oooh, so you're thinking of getting the promo? Let me know which Lip Butter you end up choosing! Cherry Tart is a sheer, blue-based, cherry red. Tutti Frutti is VERY orange, I like it for summer, and it can be sheered out. Cotton Candy I don't have, but Michelle's post made it look very enticing indeed!

      Haha, I would be such a bad influence if I had a little sister in terms of makeup. That, or she'd be the total opposite of me and look down upon my cosmetic addiction :p

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  15. I hate hate hate red on me! But I do wear Strawberry suede and dark reds sometimes, the only colors that works on me :)

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    1. Aww, I'm sure that reds look nice on you :) They're just tricky to wear - it's about finding the shades of red that are most flattering for your skin tone :)

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  16. I've been on a red kick too and I'm determined to find the perfect one. I'm thinking of going to Chanel for my first grown up red.

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    1. Chanel lipsticks are so sophisticated :) They'd look beautiful on your vanity or in your bag.

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  17. Such beautiful lipsticks... and pictures :) Reds are always in, and always lovely. Lightens up your complexion :D

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    1. Red is the classic lipstick shade! It does brighten up the face, especially if you choose the right shade for your skin tone :)

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  18. you TOTALLY have every shade ever created! haha i love red lipsticks though, so I'm sort of guilty about this too. This passed year I've started wearing it more than pink because i thought it gave a nice pop to my outfit. And I agree with you about not really understanding how much you have- i constantly throw out barely used cosmetics bc the clutter drives me nuts!

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    1. I have tried to tackle the problem of my clutter by buying very large storage cabinets, but they seem to be filling up rapidly and migrating to my desk and other open areas! Eeek!

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  19. I love all of these. You have the best taste! I really want to get my hands on Strawberry Suede, it is beautiful.
    S xx

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    1. Thank you Seonaid :) I dunno, I think my tastes can definitely be questionable at times ;) But all part of the fun of makeup I suppose :p

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  20. Love the various shades of red lipsticks you have! I've recently gotten the courage to start wearing red lipstick. I tend to wear it just on the weekends as I think it took my co-workers by surprise one morning (and it was a rather muted gloss too!).

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    1. Haha, well I guess it's something they will just need to get used to! Once you start rocking the red lip on a regular basis, they won't think anything of it :)

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  21. They all look fab! Especially the Rimmel one!

    Sandra from The Puzzle of Sandra's Life

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    1. The Rimmel one is insanely pigmented - excellent quality for a "drugstore" lipstick :)

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  22. I agree!! Something could be so beautiful but if you don't need it, it doesn't worth it.
    Happens some similar to me. I have a fascination with fuchia Lipsticks and have like 5 or 6 but i never wear them!!! lol I just wear my lip tints :/
    kisses ·3·

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    1. Oooh, I'd love to see your fuchsia lipstick collection :) We can't help but continue buying the same things that we're drawn to - even if we hardly use them and have plenty at home!

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  23. I love reds! I seriously can't wait for Fall to get here for all the darker colors=]

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    1. You look amazing in darker lip colours - I love how you wear them in your FOTDs :)

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  24. I don't usually wear lipstick, but I finally took the plunge and bought myself a Revlon lip butter the other day in Sweet Tart. Candy Apple and Cherry Tart are both so pretty, so I may need to expand my collection soon lol. :D

    ~ Yun

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    1. Haha, I hope I'm not being a bad influence ;) I'm sure they look lovely on you!

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  25. Oh I was about to say Strawberry Suede looks gorgeous! Too bad it's discontinued. :( Cherry Tart and 11 look great too, must check those out! At the moment I have 1 red lipstick and 1 red lip stain. I'm sure the number will increase sure enough though haha!

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    1. Your collection sounds just about perfect - it needs no expansion until you finish up on of those products! :p

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  26. Russian Red is great if you want a super striking blue-based red (and because I'm more cool-toned than warm, Russian was an obvious choice for me :P) A good dupe for MAC's Dubonnet would actually be Revlon Colorburst's Crimson - Crimson does pretty well on wear and is a bit warmer than Dubonnet, but it's a really classy dark red :D x

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    1. Thanks for the tips! I've not seen Crimson around, but I love the Revlon ColorBurst lipsticks in general. Russian Red is such a classic, even though I don't need it, I just feel it'd be lovely to have in my collection :)

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  27. you have an awesome collection of red lippies!! my favorite is True red! i love the pinkish hue

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    1. I didn't notice the pinkish hue until it was pointed out here! But you're right, it does look a bit pinker than a straight up red :)

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  28. I was going to do a red lip post too:) The Revlon lip butters are awesome.

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    1. Please do! Would love to read :) And they are! I have a whole heap and love them.

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  29. oh my god. love this collection of reds!
    share with me please ;)
    xx

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  30. Same here. I like buying red lipsticks, but they are not something I normally wear. =(

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    1. I think you'd look great wearing a red lipstick! I guess it's just about finding the courage to wear it and keeping everything else relatively simple :)

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  31. i have one of the rimmel kate moss lippys in red too but i love my russian red, for me its a much more true intense red.

    a-la-foliee.blogspot.com

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    1. just realised that i'm wearing russian red in my photo haha! ^

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    2. Haha, I can see why it's such a cult classic :) You wear it so well!

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  32. :) I only know one red from MAC and it's russian red! :) I don't own it, but I remember trying it out when I was at the MAC store. I don't wear red lipsticks, but I do own one from NYX, it's call Snow White. It's a bit too mature for me, but I love how people rock it.

    -nyuu
    lolitium.net

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    1. Finding the perfect red for you can be hard! What looks good on others often doesn't have the same effect on us. But I'm sure you'll find the red that works for you :)

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  33. Totally know what you mean lol I've never worn my red lipstick out during the day because it's too bold for me and even for night outs, I've only worn it 2-3 times. I've also debated about getting mac's russian red before because it looks SO gorgeous but haven't brought myself to it because I know it'll probably sit in my vanity more than it will sit on my lips sigh. OH and I love revlon lipsticks as well, you have a great collection of reds here! XD

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    1. Which red lipstick do you have? I still want Russian Red - let that be a sign of my irrationality! :p I just think that it looks amazing on pretty much everyone that I've seen wear it :) Yes, Revlon make awesome lipsticks. They're probably my favourite lipstick brand.

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  34. YUMM. love your red's! I always find red's a little hard to wear so I bought lady bug by mac. Its a lustre finish so I hope it'll be more casual to wear :)

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    1. Sheerer reds can be a little easier to wear - I'm sure Lady Bug looks lovely on you :)

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  35. Wow, you really do have a a pretty extensive collection of reds - Cherry Tart looks absolutely gorgeous, I'm going to have to go and hunt it down when I've finished this comment haha.
    I'm forever making these lists to stop myself from spending, but pretty much always end up buying whatever I was trying to convince myself I didn't need, in the end, whoops! xx

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    1. It's hard to exercise self control when it comes to not giving into material wants! Lol :p Cherry Tart is a really wearable red, it's on the sheer side and it has a pinkish tint so it's not too overwhelming and intense :)

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  36. You have such a pretty collection of red lipstick, wish I was more brave and would wear them more often. xo

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    1. Me too! Despite my collection, I hardly ever wear any of them.

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  37. All the shades are so pretty - for some reason, True Red looks really pink to me in the swatches.. I want it! I always find bold reds really hard for me to wear, so thanks for the swatches! Out to buy some more now.. :) haha

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    1. I didn't notice that about True Red until it was pointed out in this post! It's one that I hardly reach for because I have a lot of other lip colours that I prefer, but it seems like a quite wearable and universally flattering red as it's not too intense :)

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  38. I love all of your red shades, that last one on the end 11 looks so gorgeous for Autumn!

    http://wewereraisedbywolves.blogspot.co.uk/

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    1. It would be great for autumn/winter as it's so intense! Or maybe a dramatic evening lip :)

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  39. Great reds! But I do love Russian Red ;) Hahaha

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  40. I have the same thoughts about Red lipsticks than you. But I think they look too gorgeous, don't you? Even If I dont wear them :P

    Lovely pics

    xx
    Flo
    http://holaflo.blogspot.com

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    1. They are alluring and such a classic shade - but I just never reach for them despite having quite a few!

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  41. Replies
    1. I love that one purely for the texture, it is so luscious and buttery! Very pigmented as well :)

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