8 Ladies on Their Love Affair With a Good Red Lip

Red lipstick transcends makeup. There’s no denying its transformative power. It’s a secret weapon. An instantaneous pick me up. A confidence boost. If you’re a red lip girl, you’d always remember your first. It’s just that personal.

As much as we love a red lip moment, it’s a seemingly never-ending search to find for THE one. There are a million things to consider – the finish, pigmentation, staying power, texture, colour match. And just when you think you’ve found the best red to have to love and to hold forever, another enters your stream of consciousness tempting you to restart the search all over again. You can’t blame a girl for getting frazzled over the countless red lip options at disposal. From glossy to matte, classic brights to vampy darks, so! many! options!

While some of us might still be on the hunt for the red lippie that ticks all of our boxes, these lucky ladies have found their matches. Here, we dive into the love affair of 8 ladies and their go-to red lipsticks. Perhaps, take some inspo?

CANDICE CHUA

“Being on the pasty end of the scale, a red lip quite literally makes me look alive and thus, feel alive. It is my instant pick-me-up in a stick, my eternal hype girl, and my best accessory. It is one of those things that makes anyone feel like they have their shit together. A red lip in itself is so powerful.”

MICHELLE KOK

“A red lipstick for me is like a shield. I’m a different person before and after I put it on — before being the me who rolled out of bed, unwilling to put on pants and head to work, and after, a whole different woman who can conquer anything. Now with a virus in the air, having my mask on and lipsticks hidden away, I sometimes don’t recognise this alter ego anymore, and I do miss her a lot.”

LEE JIA QIAN

“To me, a red lip is a form of self expression. It’s a language in itself. More than just makeup, there’s so much history tied to a red lip and the cultural icons who have sported striking reds throughout history are some of the women whom I look up to. Marilyn Monroe, Dita Von Teese, Gwen Stefani…when I swipe on my favourite red lip, it’s like I’m subconsciously channeling these amazing women.”

JENINE OH

“A red lipstick is truly transformative. It’s my go-to for work events, weddings, night out with the girlies. If you know me, you know I love a good red lip moment. The thing about a red lip too is that there are endless shades to pick from and every hue can hint at a different mood. A dark, vampy red for when I’m feeling a little mysterious. A bright vermillion for when I’m ready to paint the town red. Gotta love options!”

RACHEL TAN

“My red lipstick is my secret weapon. Even on the days I might not feel like it, when I put on a red lip I feel empowered, strong yet feminine. It makes me feel invincible and I believe it portrays that same feeling outwards into the world.”

LIYANA HIDHIR

“It makes me feel confident! Like I’m ready to take on whatever life throws at me.”

XIAO HAN

“Red lips never go out of fashion. On the days when I need a little perk me up, my favourite red lipstick always does it for me. I don’t know what it is, but it’s like an instant dose of serotonin. And hey, my husband would agree!”

ANGELINA WONG