A swipe of red lipstick can turn even the simplest makeup look into statement-making glam. But though this transformation takes less than 10 seconds, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s easy — in fact, it can be pretty darn intimidating.
Even if you’ve picked out the right shade of red to complement your complexion and applied it perfectly, you’re still stuck worrying about whether it will fade — or, worse, transfer — in the face of however many cups of coffee you need to get you through the day.
Take it from me: There are few things in life that can rock your confidence more than catching a glimpse of yourself in the mirror during a mid-date bathroom break only to realize that the red lipstick you thought made you look like a supermodel had actually migrated all over your teeth and face.
But don’t let the fear of smudging scare you away from rocking a vermillion lip. While certain application techniques — like using a lip liner, dabbing off excess product with a tissue, and locking things in place with a setting powder — can help, there are also plenty of formulas out there that really will last all day, and look great while doing it.
All across the Internet, reviewers have done the heavy lifting in tracking down products that are accessible enough (read: easy to wear) for even red lipstick rookies to enjoy. Keep scrolling to shop the five-star formulas that they deem worth adding to your collection (and restocking again and again).
HuffPost and its publishing partners may receive a commission from some purchases made via links on this page. Every item is independently curated by the HuffPost Shopping team. Prices and availability are subject to change.
