It is my signature color. I rock the red lips. I have for decades, starting in high school. It has taken some perfecting for sure finding the right shades, the perfect blends and the no-bleeds brands. Oh! And, also the most kissable red products. Going into my 40’s, I’ve believe I have finally discovered what works great for me, and helps me feel confident rocking the red lips.

By no means am I a make-up artist. I am no beauty blogger expert either. I cannot tell you which shades of red go perfect with your hair and skin tone. You have to figure that out on your own- took me years to lock in those colors. I will tell you this though…

1. This is NOT a sponsored post. Meaning, no one or no brand has asked me to use their product or paid me to tell you my story about rocking red lips. These are brands I have grown to know, learn about, and trust. I’m sharing this info with you because my friends ask me all the time how to wear red lipstick in a classy, yet bold, fashion.

2. Do not be afraid to combine all kinds of products and brands and colors to achieve the look and affect you are trying to gain. There is no need to be married to one line when it comes to make-up perfection or kissable lips. Try them all! That’s the most fun part about being a girl who loves to wear make-up and/or lipstick, we get to have fun with all these amazing products out there. So, give them a chance and remember you do not need to be loyal to just one brand. No consumer’s guilt!

Now, with the holidays coming up, many women like to sport the red lips. I do all year long, but more so during the holidays. Red is festive. Red is bold, sexy and daring. You can wear all black, and let your lips be the one color splash. I love red lips!

Here is how I get my RockStar Red Lips:

Exfoliate! Exfoliate! Exfoliate! Start with a light scrubbing of the lips, paying close attention around the line of your lips, and slightly above the line onto your skin. Look for a scrub that is gentle on your skin. I prefer my products to use as little chemicals as possible, and mostly all natural ingredients. My absolute favorite is the Lip Scrub by LUSH fresh handmade cosmetics. It is made from products like Castor Sugar, Glycerine, Milk Powder (Cocos nucifera), Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (Cocos nucifera), and Fizzy Candy (yes, that’s an actual ingredient listed on the jar). I love the LUSH products because they are made with mostly no synthetics, and the ones they have to use, are deemed safe. Because of their commitment to quality, the environment, and people, I proudly purchase LUSH cosmetics for not only me, but for my whole family. And, I love to buy the products as gifts! We prefer the Popcorn flavor Lip Scrub (again, even my kids use this stuff to fight chapped lips), but if you are looking for a more grown-up flavor, try the Mint Julips. I, personally, can’t wait to try the Santa’s Lip Scrub with a cola flavor and with crushed candy hearts. After scrubbing with the Lip Scrub, lick your lips to wipe off the scrub (tastes great!). I usually lightly wipe my lips with a clean, soft towel to make sure it’s all off. I exfoliate with the Lip Scrub every night before I go to bed, then complete my lip routine with my favorite moisturizing lip balm from Kiehl’s. (LUSH Lip Scrub $8.95, Kiehl’s Lip Balm $9)

Moisturize those kissers. Exfoliation completed and going out for the night? Skip the lip balm, Instead, find a great product like Phytomer’s Youth Contour Reviving Wrinkle Correction Cream Eye and Lip Care. Take a smaller than pea-size amount and lightly dab all around the line of your lips until the product is absorbed. Honestly, I had not tried anything like this before until I was given a sample from the Neiman Marcus Beauty Event this summer. I am totally addicted to this product. Gracefully aging has its challenges, and let’s face it, approaching 40 is not an easy thing to accept at times. I am constantly scouring my visage for signs of new wrinkles, spots, lines that I hadn’t noticed before. Not a good habit to get into. Since I love red lips, I needed to find a product that would grow with me and allow me to keep my lip lines looking fabulous. This Phytomer product has been that for me. There are many options on the market, so I recommend finding one that works best for you. I have done my research, and have found that Phytomer is a line that I am confident with in its results, and the price made the most sense for my budget. Putting a product like this into your RockStar Red Lips regimen and using it consistently (like before bed) will help keep the lipstick from bleeding. Don’t forget to moisturize on the inside by making sure you are drinking plenty of water. Staying hydrated from the inside helps to keep your lips hydrated on the outside. (Phytomer Youth Contour Revivng Wrinkle Correction Cream Eye and Lip Care $74.50)

Apply a base for a good foundation. In my early red lip wearing years, I would cover my lips completely with my foundation or powder from my compact, then outline my lips with a lip pencil and color it in. This system worked, but it wasn’t great. By George, I have finally discovered my favorite base for a Rockin’ Red Lip…the Lip Marker by TopShop. It is a lip stain in a pen form, which allows you to apply the stain around your lips just like a lip liner would. Outline those babies in one of the shades of red offered, and let the stain dry. Before you do that, take your compact and lightly powder your lips, even over the lip line, then apply your TopShop Lip Marker. I love how the tip on the Lip Marker is precise enough for me to create an outline. Once dry, it helps to keep the lipstick in place. The beauty of this product though, is that it will stay on throughout the night. I’ve even eaten meals and sipped cocktails, and when I’ve gone to re-apply my lipstick, my lips are still a nice shade of red, and not clown-y looking. In fact, during the summer months when I want more of a sheen looking red, I apply the lip marker with a gloss or a hydrating lip balm for just a hint of color. I own like 6 markers, duplicates of each available color, and keep them in every purse. It’s one of my favorite products. (TopShop Lip Marker $15)

Rock the Red. I switch up my reds all the time, depending on what color suits my mood and look and the season my skin is in. Currently, I rock the red from Tom Ford Beauty. My pick for this season is Scarlet Rouge, but Tom Ford always has a great collection of reds with even more options during the holidays. Have the make-up artist help discover the right red for you. Once you got it, apply away! Many prefer the little brush application, but I just slather it right on from the tube. I don’t have time to mess around with the other primping. It took me this long just to get to this point! One little tip I will give- after applying the lipstick, for a final mess-free touch, don’t blot with a tissue. Instead, take your pointer finger, stick it in your mouth (no joke) wrap your lips around your finger and slide your finger out. Any excess lipstick will come off on your finger, and not stick to your teeth. So, you are almost guaranteed a perfect smile! (Tom Ford Beauty LipStick $49)

Of course, if you want a more matte look, skip the gloss, but if you are looking to shine up your smile, add a touch in the middle of the top and bottom lips and slightly press together. Another fun, festive thing to do is add a bit of glitter to gloss, or press on a glittery powder on your lips, then blend it in.

Enjoy those holiday lips! And, take lots of kissy face photos!

A special thanks to my fabulous friends who let me use their images in this post…and tell me when my red lipstick is all over the place! Check out two of my favorite bloggers, who also happened to be two of those friends shown above- ChamorroChica and RedLotusMama.