Red Lipstick and Me

Red Lipstick can be worn by women of all shades and colors, because there is a shade and color for every woman!

    There was a time I did not believe that.

  In my youth, wearing red lipstick was a point of debate in some circles of Black culture.  White women could wear red lipstick, but if dark women wore it, there was a negative connotation to this cosmetic choice because of all of the racist images and caricatures that existed back then. However, this controversy resonates in social media to this very day: Models with dark skin are harshly criticized for sporting red lipstick by other black women. 

                     

We avoided wearing red lipstick because of racist depictions in media. Image from museumofuncutfunk.com. 

In addition, red was considered a racy, loose color. If you weren't wearing it as a costume, then it was not considered acceptable.

But then, I saw Dorothy Dandridge. She wore red lipstick. Red, matte lipstick and her brown skin was like mine. This film icon exuded tremendous elegance, beauty and class. So I thought maybe I should give it a try!

     

It took a few try-ons to find the right one, but when I started getting samples from my Birchbox every month, sometimes there has been a red lipstick sample inside. It was one of those samples that really did it for me; the Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick was matte, and it lasted all day long. I felt like a glamorous movie star! I immediately ordered the red in the sample and I've been hooked ever since. 

I don't wear it all of the time, but when I do, it's because it is planned; the eyes, lips, hair and outfit all frame the lips.

 

I have learned that there are many shades of red to enjoy, from deep reds that resemble rich wine to bright rubies that scream Hollywood starlet. I now own several to match any mood or occasion. The interesting thing is, wearing the color red has also made me open to experimenting with many other colors that I had once considered risqué or too much for my age and complexion. I have rocked everything from blue to light pink; it all depends on how you wear it and how confident you are to sport any look!

So, I am no longer afraid of wearing this timeless lip paint that creates as much controversy as it does conversation. It is a powerful, sexy shade that, if matched correctly, is attractive on women of all skin colors! What is your favorite shade of red? Leave a comment below!