The perfect red might take a few tries to find, but let your skin tone be your guide. Do you have cool or a warm tone?  Cool complexions are pale with pink undertones and tend to burn easily in the sun.  Whereas warm complexions have yellow, olive or darker undertones and tan easier in the sun.

Cooler complexions you should choose a blue based red, pinkish red or a true red tone.

Warmer complexions should choose reds with an orange, gold or coral tone.

First get lips super smooth by exfoliating.(Red chapped dry lips wont look very pretty.) Dust a little loose powder on lips to give the lipstick something to grab onto.  Line and fill in lips with a liner that closely matches lipstick color.  Apply lipstick and blot with a tissue for extra staining.  Go easy on the rest of your makeup.  There is no faster way to ruin a sexy red lip than by it compete with your eye makeup and blush.

The secret weapon is really just being comfortable and feeling confident to back it up.  So stand up straight and smile

MAC: Brick for a lipliner, Crazed, Ruby Woo, Russian Red New York Red Apple for lipstick, Rue D’ Rouge for lipgloss, and Persist for a lip-stain.

Nars: Jungle Red, Heat Wave for lipstick and Red Square for lip pencil.