My Identity Crisis is Dark and Smoky with Red Lipstick

Embracing Bold

The one thing I noticed is that when I am at my most existential, I go bold. That means black winged eyeliner, red lipstick, and a world-weary (translate: tired) expression. There’s always talk of a quarter-life or midlife crisis. I swear, I’m always looking to be the latest rabble-rouser. I wore black when everyone else was in pastel. I colored my hair dark when everyone went blonde. I wore Dr. Martens when everyone else was in stilettos – my boyfriend hated it. I spend half my life with a bare face and the other half in full color. I love being just a wee bit out of step, and I almost never act my age. For an entire year, I seriously thought I was 36 when I was actually 34. And now? I can’t even keep track.

Finding Your Ideal Red Lipstick Shade

So… ladies (and gents), don’t shy away from color or from that dark eyeliner or red lipstick you’ve been dying to try. Let’s just break it down. Red lipstick? Everyone — yes, I mean everyone — can wear it. I hear you: I’m too young, too conservative, I’ve got those little lines around my mouth. Please, queen — you’ve got this.

The trick is picking the right red lipstick. Look at your favorite lipstick: if it’s warmer, go more orange-red; if it’s cooler, try a blue-red. And then blot. When it comes to bold color on my lips, blotting is my best friend. Once you have the perfect pout, blot. Seriously, get all up in there with a tissue or blotting paper. This helps your red lipstick stay put and not drift. Want more color? Do it again. Resist the lip balm and gloss — way too high maintenance. Boom: red lipstick that looks stained and fierce. My current go-to shades are French Girl by Sweed and Paris at 7PM by Madame Gabriela. Both give that just-bitten vibe without the fuss.

Perfecting Winged Eyeliner

Now, winged liner. I get it — not for everyone, and definitely not for every day. But it’s a skill worth learning. While I love a full, Avril Lavigne-style smoky eye (don’t judge), the power of a perfect, winged, liquid line is unmatched.

My advice? Buy an eyeliner — any one — and practice. A lot. The Satin Eyeliner from Sweed is a great place to start. No fear, no regret. Start small. Begin at the outer corner of your eye and draw a tiny flick upward. That outer flick? Connect it back to your lash line and create a little triangle. The bigger the flick, the more you’ll need to fill in. From there, draw a straight line back to the middle of your lash line.

Are you panicking yet? Not to fear. If you mess up – grab the Bioderma, clean it all off, put on the red lipstick and some mascara and roll out like a CEO. That is the best part of this makeup world, there are zero rules. Rock who you are at whatever age you are and don’t look back. Stop trying to imitate or look like someone else, just go get ‘em. If you like no makeup, makeup – you go girl. I spend my entire summer doing that blush thing with a touch of concealer and mascara.

Rock it in Confidence

Whether you’re into a bare-face summer look with just blush and concealer or going full glam, the real key is confidence. I love to uniform up with my red lipstick, but the real vibe is doing what you love — even if that’s a full face, bold wing, and the fiercest red lipstick in your arsenal.

So go ahead. Be playful. Try something new. Wear that red lipstick you’ve been saving for a “special occasion” (hint: every day is one). Rock your eyeliner like war paint. You don’t have to follow trends, you just have to follow you.

Anyway you slice it, you’ve got this, girl. We see you and you are beautiful.