Popping the Cherry.

Relax your horses not that cherry, its a cherry of a different kind.

All my life, I don’t remember ever using red lipstick. I’ve always fantasised about it, often wondered what it would look like on me. I love it on other women, it always looks so powerful and sexy and confident- nothing states confidence like a red lip. However, I’ve been afraid to try it on myself. I’m a lipgloss girl and if lip gloss buying was a sport, I’d win gold for my collection, not that I use them all, but you can never have enough. At least I can’t.

A few days ago, I decided to conquer my red lipstick phobia after much talk of it on social media, but it wasn’t easy. I obsessed about the shade, brand, texture etc. How it would look and what outfits would go with red lips. It was intense On saturday, I threw caution to the wind and went strictly lipstick shopping with one of my bffs, who was only too thrilled that I was finally taking a walk on the wild side. During my research I came to understand that red lipstick is akin to getting your hair done; only trust what and who you know. Since I didn’t know much about lipstick I scoured beauty blogs for recommendations on the best brands, asked  women on the street about their lipsticks; I was literally stopping every other woman to inquire about her lipstick, and of course my girlfriends.

All through my research, one brand kept popping up; MAC, it was the most recommended, closely followed by Tom Ford. Since MAC was tried, tested and true for me, I decided to stick with it, Tom Ford will be for graduation. The MAC department in Harvey Nichols was the next logical stop, Harvey Nichols being my favourite luxury department store, the department  is situated on the ground floor, right near the Sloane Street entrance, spread out like a makeup wonderland. We were immediately seen to by a gentleman whose name I cannot recall, but he was ace at helping me out. He talked me through the different textures and shades of reds; who knew there was even matte lipstick? You knew? Okay, just me then. I’m a newbie, be nice. He tried on several shades on me, talked me through the difference between each one, before giving me a tutorial on the best way to apply lipstick to suit my taste, dab, dab, dab to make a rose effect so the colour oozes from the middle on your lips and enhances your pout, like a flower bomb effect.

After a half hour of playing make-up games- I get the allure of beauty blogging and hats off to beauty bloggers- I decided to go for MAC red, a powerful and luscious colour that won’t overwhelm but make your lips more alluring, and it looks magnificent on every skin tone. FACT.

I’ve been working red lips for a week now and at first I was a tad self conscious but by day three I got over it and worked it out. I’m still rocking and working it. I get it. I really, really get it ; red lipsticks truly makes a difference; It makes my face come alive, wakes it up. In the words of DKNY PR Girl, it is “coffee for the face” an instant POW effect. It gives my whole look, from top to toe, that little extra something.

And now, I’m obsessed.