Favorite Red Hot lipsticks of the moment

Some of you might have seen me mention on Instagram that I'm a bit obsessed with orange-hued reds at the moment.

They're brightening,  fun, and chirpy like orange, but at the same time they're grown-up looking because they mostly act like a red lipstick. And there are several different textures that I like right now as well.

MAC's Dangerous is a limited edition shade (bad news) which is quite similar to Lady Danger (good news), but slightly more muted. So if you are looking for a classic red-orange in a rich matte texture, Lady Danger is probably the best bet.

Many people are worried about orange-based reds making their teeth look yellow. Actually I don't find that to be the case unless your teeth are badly stained to begin with. It depends on how bright or neon the shade you choose is. If you go with shades that are more red-based (like the ones listed above) they actually aren't bright enough to make your teeth look dull and discolored, which is what some bright oranges and bright pinks do.

You can choose between glossy finishes, sheers, classic cremes, and a perpetual fave of mine - mattes. They all look great.

Orange reds are FAB when layered as well. Pop a glossy shade on top of a matte shade and you will be making a big statement with those lips.

Great orange-red mattes for velvety tomato toned lips:

• MAC Viva Glam Miley Cyrus 2 - slightly rosier and deeper than Lady Danger.
• Shu Uemura M OR 570 "Gangnum Orange" - this dried tomato red has a brick-toned warmth mixed in with a vivid red orange, in a lightweight comfortable finish that does not feel like typical mattes.

Great orange-red sheers/glossies for a juicier sorbet effect:

• OCC Lip Tar Stained Gloss in Meta - almost neon in tone but translucent and jelly-like.
• Dior Fluid Stick 639 Artifice - super glossy but not sheer at all; for those who want a dramatic lacquered finish. Great layered over a matte base shade.
• Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited Sheer Shine in S RD 150 - a staple I've been reaching for ever since I got the press kit; the Sheer Shine range launches October 2015, and is filled with bright pop shade in gorgeous colors

Great orange-red cremes/satins where the color stands out more than the finish of the lipstick:

• Bobbi Brown Art Stick in Hot Orange - one of THE best intense orange reds
• Urban Decay Sheer Revolution Lipstick in Slowburn - this is actually not as "sheer" as you might think considering the name; I consider it more of a creme lipstick than a sheer. This has nice, even color-payoff in a silky texture.
• Peri Pera Cushion Lips in OR01 - this Korean drugstore brand offering is super fun; it's a slightly sheer lip cream in a creamy semi-matte texture, so you get a matte veil of color.

Urban Decay Sheer Revolution Lipstick Swatches

Urban Decay Sheer Revolution Lipsticks are now available in Sephora Singapore (SGD$33). I have 7 out of the 10 shades here to swatch for you, and you should be able to get a feel for the texture and pigmentation from the images below. 

I'm a fan of the regular lipstick line, which is smooth and ultra-pigmented. But my lips have been a bit sore and chapped since a bad cold the past couple of weeks, so they haven't done too well with lipsticks. Hydrating glosses and sheer, glossy lipsticks are the way to go for me right now, so these came at a perfect time. 

Urban Decay Sheer Revolution Lipsticks: F-bomb, Slowburn, Streak, Rapture, Anarchy, Obsessed and Walk of Shame

The Sheer Revolution lipsticks come in gorgeous metallic purple cases, and what I like best about them is that while they are glossy and translucent, the textures aren't runny and super soft like many sheer lipsticks. They're a little like Tom Ford Lip Color Shines. 

The color range is pretty good, and ranges from an ultra-pale beige to cool-toned pinks and magentas, to coral-hues and reds. 

I usually expect most sheer lipsticks to look patchy and uneven on the lips, but I'll say upfront that all these did really well. They went on smoothly and didn't catch in lines or flaky bits. Just pressing my lips together evened out the color quickly, and the texture is not so light that the color wears away quickly.

Urban Decay Sheer Walk of Shame

Urban Decay Sheer Obsessed

Urban Decay Sheer Anarchy

Urban Decay Sheer Rapture

Urban Decay Sheer Streak

Urban Decay Sheer Slowburn

Urban Decay Sheer F-Bomb

It's really hard to pick a favorite shade here because so many of them are so pretty, but if I had to pick three out of these, it would be F-bomb (Cherry red), Streak (warm pink) and Anarchy (magenta).

These are too sheer to wear with matching liners. If you need a pencil, wear either a translucent one or a nude shade, so you don't end up changing the color and sheer finish too much.

Tom Ford Spring 2015 Lip Color Shine Releases

Tom Ford Lip Color Shines in (from left) Sultry, Frivolous, Unabashed and Lust

Now I haven't actually tried any Lip Color Shines from the Tom Ford range before this, because I generally avoid sheer shiny lipsticks.

It's just a quirk of mine because I find more "shine" lipsticks don't last, go on or wear off patchy, are not pigmented, and I just hate the thought of paying for more emollients when I can get the same effect layering a pigmented lipstick over a balm.

But when I had the chance to try the 4 new additions to Tom Ford's range, I just couldn't resist it. Especially since they're all such incredibly wearable MLBB (my lips but better) colors.

Tom Ford Lip Color Shine swatches: Sultry, Frivolous, Unabashed and Lust

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by how pigmented and rich they were. They're almost opaque. The only difference being the level of shine in these. Then again, do bear in mind that my lips aren't very pigmented or rosy, so lip colors do tend to stay quite true on my lips.

One of my favorites in this series is Sultry, a creamy apricot-y beige.

Tom Ford Lip Color Shine Sultry

Another shade I think should be quite popular is Frivolous, which is a nude-pink with warm undertones. 

Tom Ford Lip Color Shine in Frivolous

 One other favorite of mine is the pinkest of the bunch, Unabashed. It's not quite a bright pink, but it's also not a "natural" color compared to the rest.

Tom Ford Lip Color Shine in Unabashed

The final shade is a warm rosy-tan beige called Lust. Now this is a much deeper shade than my lip color, but if you have tan skin it would probably sit really beautifully and work as a daily MLBB shade.

Tom Ford Lip Color Shine in Lust

I took my time to review these because I hadn't really been able to wear anything on my lips for a week or two due to allergies, but now that I'm back to wearing lipsticks, I've been rotating these non-stop. 

I almost hate to say that because shiny lipsticks tend to run out much faster, and obviously these are as expensive as they come.

But they feel so plush and balmy and rich.

Tom Ford Lip Color Shines retail at SGD72 in February 2015.

Bobbi Brown Old Hollywood Soft Gold Smoke Tutorial

Simple evening look with Bobbi Brown's Old Hollywood collection, Old Hollywood Lipstick, and Siren Red lipgloss.

Took a shot at the Bobbi Brown Old Hollywood collection, and instead of doing a typical 40s-50s look, I kept with the flicked eyeliner, flushed cheeks and red lips, but updated it with a shimmery smoky lid in a “cat-eye” shape instead of a “kitten eye”, dewy skin, and dripping-wet lacquered lips.

Bobbi Brown Old Hollywood Eyeshadow palette: chockfull of subtle neutral shades. It's not extremely pigmented, just so you know!

One thing I’ve fallen for is the Long-wear Cream Shadow Stick. They’re all incredibly smooth and pigmented, plus you get plenty of time to blend and smudge them out before they set. Here I used Tuxedo Black. If you’re not able to get hold of it, use a creamy black pencil.

This bit of black along the lower lash line makes the “cat eye” look. The main difference between “kitten” and “cat” eye is whether you bring liner down along the lower lash line. Traditional kitten liner runs only along the upper lashes. Liner along the lower lash line creates an exaggerated almond shape which is more sultry and catty.

See the rest of the tutorial here or click the image below to see the swatches of the Old Hollywood collection!

Key pieces and shades in the Bobbi Brown Old Hollywood Holiday 2013 collection.

[Requested] Shu Uemura Sweet Red Collection Swatches

There was a request to do lip swatches for the Fall 2013 Sweet Red collection by Shu Uemura, especially for those of you who can’t swatch it in-store. All shades above are done without liner or primer so you can see the textures!

Shu Uemura Sweet Reds limited edition lipsticks

What you need to know is this collection of 6 jelly-like shades departs from typical opaque fiery reds. Though they feel smooth and slick like balm-lipsticks, they go on evenly without that annoying streakiness and patchiness. There’s also a lot more sheen.

Aside from Lacquer Red which is a true red, 3 of these go on coral-toned and 2 a slightly rosy-tone. They can be worn sheer or built up in 2-3 coats, which is how you’ll get the best “jelly” sheen.

Shu Uemura Sweet Red lipstick swatches (from left) Dolly Red Lucid, Sweet Devil Rouge, Baby Flame, Mon Shu Red Pure, Lacquer Red, and Spiky Rose

1. Dolly Red Lucid (creme) - the softest and most translucent shade in the collection, this is a soft pink-toned coral.
2. Sweet Devil Rouge (creme) - a true semi-sheer warm-toned coral.
3. Baby Flame (shimmer) - jelly-like coral with a rosy-pink shimmer. Probably the most unique shade of the bunch.
4. Mon Shu Red Pure (shimmer) - a cooler-toned, rosier version of Baby Flame, with paler shimmer.
5. Lacquer Red (Creme) - the truest red of the bunch, this layers up to a more intense finish than the rest of the shades. If you like red but find opaque ones too scary, try this glossy one.
6. Spiky Rose (Creme) - the “blue”-toned red of the bunch, this is a beautiful rosy shade that can be worn like a stain, or layered to an almost-red.

Tips for wearing these:

• Sweet Red lipsticks are sheer and glossy, so they are great if you have dry or thin lips, and it’s not necessary to wear a balm under them, as that would just make them slide around.
• The glossiness means these won’t last as well as typical lipsticks which have more pigment. To make sure they stay on longer, and don’t bleed into fine lines, coat your lips with nude lip liner first.
• I’d also say they are quite skin-tone flattering because there are a lot of soft undertones in these reds and a conditioning texture so if typical reds tend to look too severe and aging on you or you want a more youthful sheen to the lips, check these out.
• Sweet Reds are out in the US already and should also already be available everywhere Shu is sold by October!

Shu Uemura Sweet Red lipstick in "Lacquer Red", the true red of the bunch.

To see all 6 lip swatches, click here!