Lips the Color of Puttanesca!

Besame "Red Hot Red" - looks warmer in real life!

There is just something about red lipstick. It just has a certain je ne sais quoi - non? I have gotten to a point in life where I feel naked without a precisely defined bold lip. It doesn't always have to be red, but it has to provide adequate contrast to my porcelain doll visage. Red. Not only does a blood red lip conjure up that dangerous image of a film noir femme fatale - but pair a warm tomato red lip with an impossibly tight black skirt suit, sleek cat-eye sunglasses, and rustic raffia tote, and you have a classic Italian screen goddess. Red is simultaneously the color of whores and of glamour goddesses. Red has long since been the color of sinners and heathens. Red has so many incarnations - it can be difficult to choose simply one to be faithful to! This post will be strictly focusing on my favorite warm, orange-based reds. I haven't displayed them all, but here are my fail-proof, tried and true, going steady standbys:

MAC "Lady Danger"

(Vivid bright coral-red [Matte] )

"Lady Danger" was one of my very first reds (obviously if you are going to start with matte red lipsticks, you have to add MAC "Lady Danger" and "Ruby Woo" to your makeup bag - they are cult favorites for a good reason!). While "Lady Danger" is by no means smudge-proof, it is a fairly long-wearing matte formula that can last for a few hours. I actually prefer Besame lipsticks for their rich pigmentation (I love a stain to be left behind, although, not everyone does), but the vivid pure tomato red color of "Lady Danger" makes it one of my favorites.

Limecrime "Suedeberry"

(Coral-Red)

When Limecrime debuted their first Velvetine colors, "Red Velvet"and "Suedeberry", I snatched them both up immediately. Long-wearing, kiss-proof, smudge-proof, super pigmented liquid lipstick that dries to a velvet matte texture? Yes, please! My dreams came true! Although I wouldn't recommend a full-on makeout session, these babies can last allll day long - trust me, I've put them through the test time and time again. As long as you don't eat anything containing oil, these stay put very well. The formula feels light on the lips, isn't particularly drying, and, most importantly, does not ball up like cheaper formulations from the drugstore. I have tried so many liquid lipsticks and this is the only one that passes the test for me. "Suedeberry" is a little lighter and brighter than "Lady Danger", kind of a light, bright strawberry red. The perfect lipstick for a seaside adventure - you can swim in it and have absolutely nothing to worry about!

 Besame "Tango Red"

(Peachy Orange-Red, perfect for golden and olive skin tones. A semi-matte finish with one coat full coverage. The highest natural pigment content for a smooth, indelible, feather-proof finish. Enriched with squalene, vitamin C and aloe.)

As mentioned earlier, I find Besame's formulation to be my ideal - moisturizing yet semi-matte, highly pigmented, and instead of leaving an awkward red ring around your lips it fades and stains the lips fairly evenly. This makes required touch-ups minimal - which I love (who has the time to worry about their lipstick all day? Not I! I may look high-maintenance, but that couldn't be further from the truth!).  I already have most of the Besame reds, but I added "Tango Red" so that I could have a less shocking red for day-time wear. I will be honest, when I twisted the gilded tube and first saw the color - I wasn't that thrilled. When I put it on? I fell in love! "Tango Red" is more muted than any of the other reds on this list, but once it is on my lips it reminds me of roasted red peppers and Mediterranean summers. It is a great first red lipstick if you are hesitant or shy about wearing red lips on a daily basis. 

Besame "Red Hot Red"

(Marilyn Monroe's favorite. A bold and brazen warm red. A semi-matte finish with one coat full coverage. The highest natural pigment content for a smooth, indelible, feather-proof finish. Enriched with squalene, vitamin C and aloe.)

First of all, Besame is genius for coming out with their matchstick books! I had been deliberating for months on which lipstick color to try next, and when I saw that I could get a sample of a few different colors without committing to an entire tube - well, I'm not going to lie, I totally did a little happy dance! Upon first application, I immediately fell for "Red Hot Red" - it is a perfectly bright, classic tomato red that reminds me of puttanesca sauce and makes me feel like a character from a Vittorio de Sica film. Love! I am definitely going to buy the full-size version soon. 

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I hope you enjoyed this post and found it to be informative - as a fellow red lipstick lover I always enjoy reading reviews from other glamour enthusiasts! I will post my favorite blue-based reds at a later date. Until then, continue to paint those pretty pouts red! 

Comrade Von Pussycat