In The Red: Pronounced Red Pout Shades for Brown Girls

On nutmeg-colored skin, the subtle nature of Russian Red means you can get away with it at the office, or put an extra coat on when you’re heading out to dinner. Super cute, don’t you agree?

Jungle Red from Nars is stunningly vibrant on black women of light and medium-light shades. It’s best to wear this lipstick with a nude eye and modest blush to make the red shade stand out. Mix a little makeup primer with your lip gloss for a shiny red lip that stays in place all day. You’ll find this pretty shade at stores like Nordstrom for around $24. Here’s how it looks on:

This rosy lipstick shade is further emphasized with a clear gloss. Well-manicured brows and a glowing complexion make this makeup look playfully girly with an air of sophistication.

Cranberry Cream by Clinique is a rich red shade that is the perfect compliment to deep brown skin. The burgundy shade brings out the various shades of purple that are often present in “chocolate” skin. Stores like Nordstrom and Sephora sell the lipstick for about $15.  A dark purple lip liner is the perfect makeup tool for keeping your lipstick in place and allowing the color to pop. The next pic will give you a pretty good idea of how the lipstick will look on you if you have a similar skin tone:

Midnight blue eyeliner helps to bring out the “cool” undertones, and a plum-colored dress will further celebrate cocoa-colored skin. Add a shimmery bronze to help make the complexion appear refreshed and to add an understated elegance to your entire look.

Clinique Almost Lipstick in black honey is a dark Cabernet-like shade that keeps lips soft and conditioned. A little Vaseline in the middle of your pout gives the lipstick an attractive shine–you can smear a little on your teeth too to make sure you don’t get lipstick on your smile when you’re out and about. The dark shade looks more dramatic on light and brown skin, but lends to the natural makeup look on women of darker complexions with undertones that are similar to the lipstick shade. Basically, red colors in this family look good on virtually any woman of color. See what i mean on the next page:

As you can see, a dark blush works great with a shade like this, but we would recommend keeping eye makeup to a minimum so there aren’t too many dark tones all over your face. Some mascara and a sassy eyeliner or slight cat-eye should do.

This bright red lip isn’t too bright at all, even on cinnamon-brown skin. The Estee Lauder Signature lipstick in Rich Red pairs well with black or brown eyeliner.  You’ll spend about $25 on this lipstick at stores like Nordstrom, but can get it for about $22.50 through Estee Lauder’s website. A lipliner in the exact shade as the lipstick and a pink gloss painted over the red shade will make your lips extra kissable. Here’s a great example:

A strawberry-colored lip is adorable–but still hot. A dewy foundation and setting powder contrast well with the glossy texture of the lipstick. A bit of concealer under the eyes and a lip gloss with a red tint, and you’re ready for a cocktail party or date.

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