Welcome to Home Set, a recurring feature in which we highlight our favorite accessories and essentials within fashion, wellness, beauty and everything else in life that’s brightening up our days right now. No makeup bag is complete without a truly great red lipstick, but the perfect red for one beauty aficionado might not be the favored choice for another. Finding the best red lipstick shade depends on a variety of factors; whether you’re looking for perhaps a glamorous bold matte, a sheer glossy lip or a wearable red for an everyday makeup look. From a Rihanna-approved liquid lipstick and a cult-favorite matte red to a balm-like berry hue and classic true red, these are the best red lipsticks we’re loving and coveting right now.
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This iconic Chanel lipstick comes in a vast array of hues (including multiple red shades), but perhaps the most beloved is Pirate, a true blue red. The lipstick has a satin finish, and is known for being one of the best non-matte formula longwear options. Blue reds are typically best for those with cool tones or neutral skin tones.
Okay, so this is technically more of a balm than a lipstick, but this particular deep berry hue is one of the best colors out there, especially for those that prefer a natural flush of color. It’s a sultry berry, cool-toned red that offers a buildable dash of color, and it’s oh-so-moisturizing, too.
While the Makeup by Mario lip serums tend to get most of the attention, don’t sleep on the ultra-pigmented matte lipsticks. Alicia is a warm red tone, with a matte finish that won’t dry out your lips. If you don’t want too bold of a color, dab on just a touch and smudge it along your lips, to use it more as a lip stain.
Those that want a glossier red lipstick should consider Chantecaille’s Lip Chic in Dahlia. This is another berry-red lip hue, but in a gloss-like lipstick formula that glides right on and leaves you with a hydrated and moisturized point and a high-shine finish.
You can’t talk about red lipstick without acknowledging the iconic Mac Ruby Woo. This is one of the best-selling red lipsticks (if not *the* best-selling) out there; it’s an ultra-matte finish in a wearable blue-red, and it’s known for being one of the top long-lasting options, with major color payoff.
Dior’s Rouge Dior in 999 is another cult-favorite, widely beloved classic red lip color. The brand recently debuted the hue in yet another formula; the latest is 999 Velvet, for a, well, velvety matte red. The slightly orange-red color is known for working with a range of skin tones (though it tends to look particularly fantastic on olive skin), and its serious staying power.
Sure, celeb makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury might be most closely associated with her acclaimed Pillow Talk nudes, but let’s not forget about the gorgeous red of her Kissing satin lipsticks. This is a vibrant, old Hollywood satin-y red with just a slight brick red hint, and while you can wear it on its own, Charlotte Tilbury happens to make the perfect lip liners for the hue, for the most precise application to prevent any feathering.
For a whimsical cherry red, try Guerlain’s luxe Rouge G in their luxe, full-coverage velvet matte formula. It’s a bold color that can be softened or built up, depending on your mood.
Rihanna can do no wrong, and that includes her lip color of choice. She wore this exact red liquid lip (from her Fenty line, of course) in MVP for her Super Bowl halftime performance; it’s a creamy and *very* intense blue red.
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