Shot by Shannon Brooke.
When someone thinks about how to do pinup makeup, two things come to mind: winged eyeliner and the perfect red lip. Since getting into pinup, I've been on the search for the perfect red lipstick and I've amassed a sizeable collection over the past four years. I've found that there are beautiful shades and finishes across a variety of price points and I wanted to share my top five favourites for achieving a perfect pinup pout.
Revlon Fire & Ice
Revlon's Super Lustrous Lipstick in Fire & Ice red lipstick is the quintessential pinup red and has been a shade in the brand's collection since the 1950s. The lipstick is great quality, goes on smoothly, is opaque and lasts all day. It's a beautiful shade of red that has a blue undertone, but still remains bright and perfect for a retro look.
Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink in Pioneer
If you're looking for a longer-lasting pout, Maybelline's Super Stay Matte Ink liquid lipstick in Pioneer is a budge-proof way to maintain your retro look all day. The colour is a darker blue tone and is a beautiful deep red. This lipstick is one of the best liquid lipsticks I've tried at all price ranges because it's not streaky, goes on smoothly and doesn't move from your lips once it's dried down. I've found I have very little transfer when I use this lipstick and I don't have to reapply.
Alongside the Maybelline, Fenty's Stunna Lip Paint is a liquid lipstick that I constantly find myself reaching for. I had a bit of trouble at first with the applicator, because it's different from most doe-foot applicators used for liquid lipsticks, but once I got the hang of it, I found it quite easy to work with. The formula is incredibly pigmented and I only need one dip to fully coat my lips. The lipstick is long-wearing, but does have some transfer. This doesn't bother me too much because the colour is so beautiful and it looks amazing on every skin tone. It's a true universal red.
Pat McGrath Mattetrance Lipstick in Elson
Mother has blessed us with this one! Makeup icon, Pat McGrath's line is pricy, but incredible, and her Mattetrance lipsticks are no exception. She has a few beautiful red shades, but Elson is my favourite one for a vampy pinup look. It's a true blue-red lipstick and it's so incredibly pigmented. You barely need to swipe any on to get a perfect red pout. I've even been asked if I'm wearing a liquid lipstick when wearing this because it's so pigmented and matte. Not to mention how adorable the packaging is! On another note, her eyeshadows are absolutely stunning but are very pricy. She did just release a six-pan version at a lower price though!
Tom Ford Lip Colour Matte in Flame
Tom Ford lipsticks are ridiculously priced, I know, but they are incredibly beautiful. You can decide if it's worth the money, but if you want something really luxe, I'd go down the Tom Ford route. Their lip colour mattes are creamy, pigmented, and go on very matte. I love the colour Flame, which appears to be an orange-red but isn't as orange as it may appear online. The shade is a true, fiery red and stays in place incredibly well for a bullet lipstick. It does transfer when eating and drinking but the colour remains very pigmented even with transfer. The packaging is also incredibly luxe and has a significant weight to it and feels incredibly glamorous to use. You don't need to spend so much on a lipstick but if you want to, it's worth the splurge.
What's your favourite red lipstick? Let me know in the comments!