I'm over the moon this morning to be bringing you the first in a brand new, exclusive series of filmed expert makeup tutorials that I commissioned a very special group of ladies to produce; my wonderful Intern Franky, Makeup Artist Lucy Baker, Photographer Naomi Kenton and Film producer Frances Maddell of Reellove Films.
Franky and I both felt one thing missing from Love My Dress was a was a dedicated beauty section. We know that other wedding blogs tackle beauty and DIY tutorials in their own way, and so we wanted to take our offering to readers one step further, not only by stamping our features with stunning Love My Dress signature style photography, but producing a film tutorial to accompany the feature too. We genuinely want these new features to be inspiring, practical and helpful to all those readers who share our sense of style.
And so last month, Franky and the team headed to the beautiful Luton Hoo Hotel to work on the content for this new series. Luton Hoo, which is also available for weddings, provided a stunning back drop for this set of images, and film, which focuses on one of my favourite things; red lipstick.
Love My Dress Wedding Blog – Film Production & Copyright (c) 2012, Reellove Films
I adore lipstick. Always have. From the moment I procured my very first tube of Rimmel’s ‘Heather Shimmer’, adorning my lips with some kind of colour or gloss has been an everyday occurrence.
I love the transformative effect lipstick can have on a person’s appearance. The way the right shade can lift a complexion and bring the wearer’s features to life never fails to impress me. Even the most delicate smear of colour can make you look more awake and better rested. Lipstick can alter the wearer’s mood too. Different colours evoke feelings of sophistication and elegance, glamour and femininity, or simply carefree playfulness. It’s powerful stuff.
Love My Dress Wedding Blog – All Photography Copyright (c) 2012, Naomi Kenton
When it came to planning my own wedding day, before I could picture the dress or the venue, before I could imagine any other detail, I knew I would wear red lipstick. To my mind, nothing quite says ‘glamour’ like the bold scarlet hue of a pair of perfectly rouged lips.
I don’t save red for best; I wear it almost every day and, if I felt brave enough to claim a signature look for myself, red would be it. To be honest, I think my husband would have been shocked if I hadn’t worn red, fearing some kind of bridal imposter had arrived in my place.
I suppose for the uninitiated red can seem a little daunting though. It’s so, well, red, I guess. It appears tricky to apply and scarily high maintenance to wear. There is some truth in these assumptions. When it comes to red, it’s certainly not as simple as a quick swipe of the tube.
For this very reason, Love My Dress has teamed up with Makeup Artist, Lucy Baker to create an expert tutorial designed to help you achieve the perfect red lip. There’s plenty of hints and tips, as well as some great product recommendations. Whether you’re keen to incorporate red into your everyday look or dreaming of wearing it on your wedding day, what follows is essential reading! Even if red isn’t your thing, Lucy's tips can be applied to any shade of lipstick.
Before we begin, here’s a little inspiration for you all…
Image credits: 1. Franky on her wedding day, Photography Copyright Eliza Claire 2. Vintage Revlon Ad via Beautyplane.com 3. Makeup at Christian Dior via Style.com 4. Model Miranda Kerr via Breakfastatsephora.tumblr 5. Milla Jovovich at the Oscars via Ourvanity.com 6. 1930s makeup look via Glamourdaze.com 7. Dita Von Teese 8. Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face
It’s over to Lucy for our step-by-step tutorial…
1. To wear great red lippy you need conditioned, healthy lips. To achieve this use a clean lip brush and apply Lucas’ Papaw ointment – not too much or it will look greasy.
2. Line the lips using Rimmel’s ‘Red Dynamite’ lip pencil . For precision, make sure the pencil is freshly sharpened. Trace the shape of the lips and then fill in the entire area – this creates a great base for the next step.
3. After using the lip pencil take a clean lip brush and your preferred red lipstick, we used Topshop’s ‘Mischief’, as it is really intense and oozes glamour! Apply an even coat all over the lips.
4. Fold a piece of tissue and gently blot the lips, making sure you don’t smudge any of the lipstick you have just applied. You can always use a cotton bud to clean up any mistakes if you need to.
5. Apply another coat of lipstick using a lip brush – and blot.
6. Re-line the lips using the lip pencil. This allows you to even out the shape and correct any wonky lines {you can also slightly alter the lip shape if you want to enhance the lips for a fuller look}.
7. Finally, add the third and final coat of lipstick using the brush. Don’t be shy when applying this coat and make sure it’s really even for a truly professional finish.
8. Smile, pout and, most importantly, enjoy your red lips!
Now, I’m no model, but didn’t Lucy work some magic on my visage!
Because we know following written instructions can sometimes be a little tricky we also put together a handy little video with Reellove Films to walk you through the process – take a look at the top of the page, and be sure to let us know if you try to recreate the look at home…
When it comes to red, there is a wealth of choice available. I truly believe there is a shade out there for everyone, you just have to find it! Here are some Love My Dress favourites to guide you in your search for the perfect red…
♥ Chanel Rouge Allure in No. 67 ‘Excessive’ was the shade worn by Annabel on her wedding day, while I opted for Chanel Rouge Coco in No. 19 ‘Gabrielle’ a beautiful, bright, blue based red {see the photos here}.
♥ Laura Mercier Creme Lip Colour in ‘Audrey’ is a lovely warm pink rose inspired by my idol Audrey Hepburn. This has a fabulous formulation and is incredibly comfortable to wear. Definitely my favourite shade of red for everyday.
♥ MAC lipstick in ‘Russian Red’ . Apparently a favourite of Dita Von Teese, this matte lipstick is great for creating an authentic vintage look.
♥ Revlon Cherries in the Snow lipstick is an affordable red that’s stood the test of time having been on the market since 1953. There’s more than a hint of raspberry to this shade, so it’s a great way to ease into wearing red. You can even match your lipstick to your mani with the complimentary nail polish of the same name!
So readers, I’m curious to hear your thoughts on red lipstick…
Did you, or are you planning to, wear it on your wedding day?
Are you brave enough to sport a red lip day-to-day? What are your favourite shades? Let’s fill the comments section with some recommendations!
Has this tutorial tempted to you to give red a whirl?
Franky
♥
Credits:
Makeup Artist: Lucy Baker
Venue: Luton Hoo Hotel
Photographer: Naomi Kenton
Videographer: Reellove Films
Franky's Hair Stylist: Victoria Fraser Gadd
Copyright Notice: The film contained withinthis page has been produced for the Love My Dress Wedding Blog and may not be reproduced elsewhere in any format without permission.